You cooked and ate a delicious and healthy dinner. The dishes have been cleared, washed, and put away, and it’s time to get ready for bed. So, why do so many of us still feel hungry despite having an adequate meal – in size, calories, and taste – just 2-3 hours earlier? Why do we have nighttime cravings?

There are a few plausible explanations for this occurrence and some research-backed solutions to help curb nighttime eating and make better pre-sleep nutrition choices for your waistline. 

What is nighttime eating syndrome?

A person with nighttime eating syndrome (NES) might have evening cravings, while others can experience raging hunger that disrupts their ability to sleep at night. These individuals have a strong urge to eat and consume 25 percent of their daily calories at night (either before going to sleep or on waking at night). A person with NES believes they can’t fall asleep or go back to sleep without eating. They also might suffer from depression or anxiety and often skip breakfast or have low appetite during the day.

Although it is not known what causes NES, there seems to be psychological, neurological, physiological, and potentially genetic links. Studies show a child is more likely to develop NES if their mother also had a night-eating behavior1 and individuals with NES often have close relatives with the syndrome.2 The data show that nighttime eating typically starts in the late teens to late 20s and tends to be more common in women.3 

NES is not so much about consuming too many calories, but rather about eating a quarter of daily calories or more in the late evening or overnight, which can lead to weight gain, exacerbate sleep issues, including increased risk for sleep apnea, impact hormones, cause more mood swings, and lead to diabetes and other clinical complications. 

Hunger-control hormones and NES

Nighttime eating can have different effects on hormones depending on the individual and what they are eating.

Ghrelin, the hormone associated with hunger control, can be lower in individuals who eat at night and influences the desire to consume more.

Leptin is another hormone that can be elevated. Leptin controls appetite and, when elevated, is also linked to chronic inflammation. A person can become leptin resistant, meaning leptin can be high but isn’t doing its job of controlling appetite.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) also can be elevated in some individuals as a result of nighttime awakenings and poor sleep.4

Low levels of serotonin, a hormone produced mainly in the gut that regulates mood, sleep, and digestion, has also been shown to reduce satiety and disturb circadian rhythms, leading to higher instances of nighttime eating.3

Insulin, glucose, and HbA1c are other biomarkers to check that can trend abnormally with nighttime eating.

Cortisol, a stress hormone that, when elevated, can cause cravings for sweet, fatty, and salty foods, is also associated with overeating5 and is one to check and maintain within a normal range for the time of day.

In one of the earliest studies of nighttime eating and psychotherapy, researchers found cravings and food consumption significantly increased during periods of life stress and were significantly improved when the stressors were removed or reduced.6 

Another stress study of individuals with NES looked at regular meal consumption throughout the day and had adults stop eating after 8 p.m., while having blood drawn every two hours. Cortisol levels from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. (the following day) were significantly higher than in the control group.7

Neuroendocrine factors play a role. Melatonin levels in individuals who eat at night can be lower overnight compared to those who don’t eat.7

Neurologically, childhood or previous traumatic events have been linked to these habits. And anxiety is known to be higher in individuals with NES than others.8 

Not everyone who eats before bed has NES – sometimes the brain craves sweet foods as the result of being extra tired or undereating during the day. Regardless of an actual clinical diagnosis, habitually eating between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and not having an active lifestyle, balanced hormones, proper sleep, and a generally healthy diet likely will lead to excess weight. 

The next time you have an evening food craving and want to be mindful of your waistline and risks for other health concerns, consider the following:

1. Hone in on hormones 

It can be a vicious cycle of emotions and hormones that influences the desire or cravings to eat in the late evening, with cortisol causing an effect on the brain, body, and waistline. Thorne’s Sleep Test can help you optimize your cortisol and melatonin circadian rhythms – both of which influence the stress response and sleep/wake cycle. Thorne’s Stress Test looks at your circadian rhythm of cortisol over 24 hours along with DHEA.

Look to Thorne’s Craving and Stress Support to help maintain a positive mood and reduce stress-related and late-night food cravings.* The ingredients include the active form of folate, which supports serotonin levels, and clinically studied Relora® – a blend of botanical extracts from Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense – that has been shown to help balance cortisol levels, lessen feelings of stress, and help manage weight in moderately stressed adults who stress-eat.*9

2. Fill up on protein

One strategy for managing nighttime eating is to log eating and sleeping habits and regulate dietary intake with a focus on weight management. Dietary protein can be a key macronutrient in helping to regulate satiety, hunger, and metabolism. Research shows nighttime protein intake can have benefits on sleep quality in individuals who are overweight or obese.10

Thorne’s RecoveryPro is formulated with unique ingredients that support sleep, moderate stress, and support cortisol regulation.* It has whey protein, a source of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and has been clinically studied to help moderate stress and improve morning alertness.* It also contains PharmaGABA, a calming brain neurotransmitter that helps the brain relax in stressful times, and magnesium bisglycinate to promote resultful sleep.* A low magnesium level can contribute to a low melatonin level. RecoveryPro also includes tryptophan, an amino acid that helps manage stress and supports serotonin levels, which can in turn help to decrease sugar cravings.* Read about the science behind the ingredients in RecoveryPro here.

3. Rethink your bedtime routine

Research shows the body’s internal circadian clock plays a significant role in individuals who have food cravings in the evening.11 For those who stay up late or have a shifting schedule, working to get into a regular routine, especially in the evening, will help. 

Create the right bedroom environment to optimize melatonin levels to help you fall asleep at the right time of night. A Thorne Sleep Test will provide insight on your 24-hour melatonin and cortisol levels and present ways to optimize your entire day with diet and lifestyle changes. 

If you’re looking for help with sleep, consider Thorne’s Theanine, an amino acid in capsule form that supports a healthy stress response, relaxation, focus, and memory. 

References

  1. Lamerz A, Kuepper-Nybelen J, Bruning N, et al. Prevalence of obesity, binge eating, and night eating in a cross-sectional field survey of 6-year-old children and their parents in a German urban population. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2005;46(4):385-393.
  2. Lundgren JD, Allison KC, Stunkard AJ. Familial aggregation in the night eating syndrome. Int J Eat Disord 2006;39(6):516-518.
  3. Salman EJ, Kabir R. Night Eating Syndrome. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.
  4. Allison KC, Ahima RS, O’Reardon JP, et al. Neuroendocrine profiles associated with energy intake, sleep, and stress in the night eating syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005;90(11):6214-6217.
  5. Vinai P, Allison KC, Cardetti S, et al. Psychopathology and treatment of night eating syndrome: a review. Eat Weight Disord 2008;13(2):54-63.
  6. Stunkard AJ, Grace WJ, Wolff HG. The night-eating syndrome; a pattern of food intake among certain obese patients. Am J Med 1955;19(1):78-86.
  7. Birketvedt GS, Florholmen J, Sundsfjord J, et al. Behavioral and neuroendocrine characteristics of the night-eating syndrome. JAMA 1999;282(7):657-663.
  8. Borges KM, do Santos Figueiredo FW, do Souto RP. Night eating syndrome and emotional states in university students. J Hum Growth Dev 2017;27(3):332.
  9. Talbott SM, Talbott JA, Pugh M. Effect of Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense (Relora®) on cortisol and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2013;10(1):37.
  10. Zhou J, Kim JE, Armstrong CL, et al. Higher-protein diets improve indexes of sleep in energy-restricted overweight and obese adults: results from 2 randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2016;103(3):766-774.
  11. Scheer FAJL, Morris CJ, Shea SA. The internal circadian clock increases hunger and appetite in the evening independent of food intake and other behaviors. Obesity 2013;21(3):421-423.