Hunger when going to bed

seerofsorrow
seerofsorrow Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So last night I went to bed and realized I was ravenous. I tried to ignore it and roll over to go to sleep but I was so hungry that I kept waking up due to my stomach. In that situation is it better to just get something to eat or should I just ignore it? I had already gone over my regular daily allotment. (But I do excercise which I don’t include in my fitness pal) so advice?

Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Are you actually eating enough? (Perhaps if you included your exercise calories in computing your daily needs you'll find you're not eating enough) If yes, ignore it and you'll get used to it. If not, have a snack.
  • seerofsorrow
    seerofsorrow Posts: 6 Member
    So I ate 86 calories over but I did 30 minutes of boxing and an hour of pole yesterday. So it’s not horrible to eat something but I’m just wondering why I’m getting hungry right then and if it’s better to just ignore it
  • Crafty_camper123
    Crafty_camper123 Posts: 1,440 Member
    I would say if you're ravenous enough for it to be disrupting your sleep, eat something small. If it's mild hunger, just ignore it. I get hungry a lot right before bed too, but it's usually mild enough I can ignore it and sleep it off.
  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
    I can't sleep when I am hungry either. I will get up and have a few crackers. Maybe not the best snack but it helps and carbs help me sleep.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    I personally like to skip breakfast to save more calories for dinner so I don't go to bed feeling hungry. I hate trying to sleep with an empty, grumbly tummy!
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    seerofsorrow wrote: »
    So last night I went to bed and realized I was ravenous. I tried to ignore it and roll over to go to sleep but I was so hungry that I kept waking up due to my stomach. In that situation is it better to just get something to eat or should I just ignore it? I had already gone over my regular daily allotment. (But I do excercise which I don’t include in my fitness pal) so advice?

    "Better" is relative. In your case, taking your post at face value, I probably would have eaten.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    seerofsorrow wrote: »
    So I ate 86 calories over but I did 30 minutes of boxing and an hour of pole yesterday. So it’s not horrible to eat something but I’m just wondering why I’m getting hungry right then and if it’s better to just ignore it

    Again, there isn't really a "better." As to why.. I'd wonder if part of it was that you only then realized that you were hungry, as opposed to actually getting hungry at that time.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    Schedule some of your calories later in the day, so you're not ravenous and tempted to eat at bedtime. In the scenario in your post, I would've ignored it and slept as best I could.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    If I’m that hungry then I will eat.
  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
    Eat something low cal- a cup of carrots and a cup of broccoli are only 100 calories together.
  • kjurassic
    kjurassic Posts: 571 Member
    I'm often ravenous at bed time. I just keep trying to tell myself that's the feeling of unwanted pounds melting away and that the scale will make me happy in the morning. Be strong. You can do this.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    Another thing; if you've put together a few weeks of consecutively daily exercising and neglecting to log or fuel your exercise, you will have severely earned the right to suffer intense hunger pangs at bedtime.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    So- I have a hard time being hungry at night- I can't do it- I won't do it- I don't WANT to do it.

    But- I can stand being hungry in the morning.
    So I back load my day- I put off eating almost anything till 12-1 PM- and then have a 12/1- then 3:30 snack- then I eat dinner around 10 usually (Sometimes 8 PM snackage happens while I'm at rehearsal) - then I don't go to bed hungry.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    So, I keep getting hung on 1 thing with this thread... the use of the term "ravenous."

    Assuming it's not just hyperbole, I think that's an important distinction - ravenous vs hungry vs whatever. If you really are ravenous, then you should probably be eating a bit more in the evening. Doesn't have to be right at bed time necessarily, but enough to get you through the night.
  • beemcbe
    beemcbe Posts: 22 Member
    Not sure what you mean by pole, but boxing is usually pretty vigorous. Even though you went over by 86 you probably still had a significant calorie deficit. When I feel hungry at a strange time, the first thing I do is drink 8oz of water. Sometimes our bodies confuse hungry and thirsty. If I’m still hungry, I eat.
    Going to bed a little hungry is okay, but if you were so hungry it was keeping you awake that means you probably need to listen to what your body is trying to tell you. You need good sleep for your body to repair muscles from your workout and keep your metabolism moving.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,999 Member
    seerofsorrow wrote: »
    So last night I went to bed and realized I was ravenous. I tried to ignore it and roll over to go to sleep but I was so hungry that I kept waking up due to my stomach. In that situation is it better to just get something to eat or should I just ignore it? I had already gone over my regular daily allotment. (But I do excercise which I don’t include in my fitness pal) so advice?

    Sounds like you've answered your own question...
  • bvff35
    bvff35 Posts: 74 Member
    I only eat a small breakfast and then use those calories for a snack before bedtime. I can't sleep when really hungry.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    seerofsorrow wrote: »
    So I ate 86 calories over but I did 30 minutes of boxing and an hour of pole yesterday. So it’s not horrible to eat something but I’m just wondering why I’m getting hungry right then and if it’s better to just ignore it

    Did you add back any exercise calories? That is how MFP is designed, you got a deficit before exercise.

    A couple things......learning what foods are satiating to you takes time. Protein, fiber and fat are the usual suspects but it's a little bit different for everyone. Try to "save" some calories for later if you can.

    How many calories are you eating overall? Are you short, tall, active? If you put in an aggressive weekly goal, you will get a minimum number of calories (before exercise).....that may not be enough.
    kjurassic wrote: »
    I'm often ravenous at bed time. I just keep trying to tell myself that's the feeling of unwanted pounds melting away and that the scale will make me happy in the morning. Be strong. You can do this.

    I totally disagree with this. Losing weight isn't a punishment you must endure. We don't necessarily get everything right at first. Your settings and/or food choices might be inappropriate. It's worth it to figure out.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,999 Member
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    I'd eat...
  • blackmantis
    blackmantis Posts: 165 Member
    Eat more fatty foods for dinner.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,999 Member
    kjurassic wrote: »
    I'm often ravenous at bed time. I just keep trying to tell myself that's the feeling of unwanted pounds melting away and that the scale will make me happy in the morning. Be strong. You can do this.

    Not only is this terrible advice, but it sounds like an eating disorder just waiting to happen...
  • Iwantahealthierme30
    Iwantahealthierme30 Posts: 293 Member
    Have a tablespoon or two of peanut butter.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    As a funny aside...

    Sometimes I do get randomly hungry right before bed, even after a good-sized dinner. I find a couple pieces of cheese does the trick. And of course, whenever I go to the fridge to grab my "night cheese", I have to sing this to my fiance:

    XFEeENT.gif
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,062 Member
    I'm typically heading to bed slightly hungry, but not something that is going to keep me up. This is mostly likely to how I tend to stagger my food during the day, with lunch being my big meal and containing most if not the last of my carbs for the day. Dinner is generally protein source and a huge pile of veggies, unless I'm lacking in some other area on that particular day.

    That being said, if I was so hungry that it was waking me up? You bed I'd be finding something to eat. I always have some bars or other "grab" food around that has a limited number of calories.

    Although if you're not eating back ANY exercise calories, that is probably your problem right there. Exercise isn't really "extra calorie burn" it's more like "more food you can eat in a day" (all other health benefits aside).
  • lujako
    lujako Posts: 87 Member
    Wait till 12:01...eat and log for the next day? :p
  • vegmebuff
    vegmebuff Posts: 31,389 Member
    I find that a bit of fat/protein and carbs does the trick. Not a lot either. Couple teaspoons of oatmeal/cottage cheese or Greek yogurt and a some almonds does the trick. Just log for the next day...I can not sleep being hungry! You have to listen to your body...if it's hungry then eat!
  • birdenerd
    birdenerd Posts: 41 Member
    I was having trouble falling asleep due to hunger a few weeks ago. I ended up eating a tablespoon of peanut butter or a slice of toast even if it set me over my calorie budget and I would immediately get very sleepy. Sleep is definitely worth it to me haha. I've been playing around with with when and what I eat. For me, eating way more veggies and a decent amount of fat seems to help but I'm sure it's different for everyone...

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