{"id":28278,"date":"2020-02-03T13:53:08","date_gmt":"2020-02-03T18:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/restonic.com\/sin-categorizar\/midnight-snacking-disrupts-body-1524"},"modified":"2022-03-24T15:30:37","modified_gmt":"2022-03-24T19:30:37","slug":"midnight-snacking-disrupts-body-1524","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restonic.com\/es\/better-sleep-es\/midnight-snacking-disrupts-body-1524","title":{"rendered":"Does Midnight Snacking Disrupt Your Metabolism and Wreck Your Sleep?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DoesWhy is it such a big deal to grab some grub late at night?<\/h2>\n

It’s late and you\u2019re tossing and turning, craving that pint of Ben & Jerry\u2019s in the freezer or a double chocolate cookie on the counter. The whole problem started innocently enough. Maybe you skipped breakfast and then went light on calories for lunch and dinner. By 8 pm, you were hungry. By midnight, you\u2019re standing in front of the fridge eating everything in sight.<\/p>\n

Squashing the urge to satisfy cravings post-bedtime can keep us awake and cut into sleep time. But while your stomach might be urging you to go for it, how do those extra sugars and carbs affect your future sleep \u2013 and body?<\/p>\n

Midnight snacking & how digestion affects sleep<\/h2>\n

Our bodies are programed to perform multiple functions at the same time, but sleeping and digestion aren\u2019t comfortable bed partners. For starters, our gastrointestinal track operates best when we can use gravity to help the process. Heartburn is most often triggered when we eat and then lie flat for sleep, according to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>. Lying horizontal instead of sitting or standing means your stomach has to work much harder to keep its contents contained. Heartburn once in a while is manageable but if it\u2019s a regular occurrence in your life, you might want to rethink your dietary choices before bedtime.<\/p>\n

\"DoesJust like Grandma said, when it comes to food, nothing good happens after 10pm. Late at night, people rarely make smart food choices. Instead we reach for our comfort foods, which means they\u2019ll likely be devoid of nutrition and high in saturated fats or sugar. The American Journal of Nutrition reports that people who eat more at night tend to have a higher body mass index and eat 12% more calories than daytime snackers. Late night eating can quickly become a habit, which can lead to rapid weight gain.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re opting for snacks instead of sleep, you might have low melatonin, trigging a cascade of health issues. Studies show nighttime snackers are more likely to suffer from depression, low self-esteem and insomnia. Part of the problem is the way digestion interferes with the production of melatonin, a hormone released by the pineal gland. Melatonin is necessary for healthy sleep patterns, including falling and staying asleep. If you eat too late at night the release of melatonin is disrupted, which affects your body\u2019s ability to cool down \u2013 necessary for sleep.<\/p>\n

But remember, that all nighttime snacks are not equal. A bigger meal will take longer to digest than a light snack \u2013 the fuller your stomach is, the longer it takes to digest what\u2019s in there. And some foods take longer to digest than other foods. If you must snack before bed, a smaller, milder snack that\u2019s lower in fat and fiber likely won\u2019t interfere with your sleep.<\/p>\n

3 foods to avoid before you plan to sleep<\/h2>\n

If you spend your evenings grazing on these foods,\u00a0 you\u2019re almost guaranteed to enjoy a bounty of sleepless nights<\/a>.<\/p>\n