One study showed that consuming a low-calorie carbohydrate or protein. See Full Reference snack 30 minutes before sleep helped boost metabolism in the morning. You can choose from a variety of healthy snacks such as fruit, nuts, seeds, and oatmeal that require minimal preparation.
Eating a snack before bed is fine for most people, but you should try to avoid eating excessively. Stick to minimally processed, nutrient-rich foods that may help you stay within your desired calorie limit for the day.
“If you are hungry, you should eat something, regardless of the time of day,” says Aimee Takamura, registered dietitian and director of wellness and sustainability at Restaurant Associates. “The act of eating late at night does not affect metabolism or lead to many of the adverse effects you may have heard of.
Endless snacking at night can result from a number of factors, including not eating enough during the day or eating due to boredom, stress, anger or sadness. For some, there may also be a hormonal imbalance that causes severe increases in appetite.
A study published in the most recent version of the journal Obesity found that the body's internal clock, the circadian system, increases hunger and cravings for sweet, starchy and salty foods in the evenings.
Studies tend to show that when food is consumed late at night — anywhere from after dinner to outside a person's typical sleep/wake cycle — the body is more likely to store those calories as fat and gain weight rather than burn it as energy, says Kelly Allison of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine's ...
It's best to stop eating about three hours before going to bed. That allows plenty of time for your body to digest the last food you ate so it won't disrupt your sleep, but leaves a small enough window before sleep that you won't go to bed feeling hungry.
Carbohydrate-rich foods like toast trigger insulin production. This induces sleep by speeding up the release of tryptophan, a chemical that helps to relax the body and send it off to sleep. Like toast, milk releases serotonin, another great body relaxer.
Studies suggest that late-night snacking could raise blood sugar levels, and certain foods may negatively affect sleep quality. Choosing snacks that contain plenty of vitamins and minerals but aren't high in sugar or spice may actually improve your sleep.
Pro: Protein-filled snacks aid in rebuilding muscle while you sleep. Late-night eating can be a boost for your muscles if you worked out earlier in the day. Choose snacks that are high in protein, such as cheese, nuts, or chickpeas, to prep your body to rebuild while you sleep.
Consuming foods – especially those high in starch and sugar – right before bed causes a spike in blood sugar. Your pancreas then releases a hormone called insulin, which tells your cells to absorb blood sugar. This causes blood sugar levels to drop, leading to hunger.
