Midnight snacks - Should you give in?

Jodette76
Jodette76 Posts: 7
in Food and Nutrition
I have trouble getting to sleep at night... more an active mind than anything else. Problem is, just lately... around midnight I start to feel extremely hungry. So my question is - Should I ignore the hunger and just try to go to sleep, or is it okay to have a snack? Does it matter what you eat before sleep? Would a protein shake be better than solids? And if I do have something, which day should the cals count toward?

I know it's probably being a little pedantic, but I kinda get a little OCD about this stuff. I need to feel like I'm doing it right to maximise the benefits. Thanks :)

Replies

  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    If your snack fits into your calorie budget, sure - go ahead.
  • MyPaperBleedsInk
    MyPaperBleedsInk Posts: 240 Member
    I count what my day is from the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep. So put the calories into that total day... save some calories for later at night if you know this happens often and choose a snack then that'll fit. Maybe something warm/comforting that will also help you sleep.
  • shutterbug282
    shutterbug282 Posts: 588 Member
    I have the same problem, so I save some calories in my day incase I'm hungry later on (:
  • Lake_Po
    Lake_Po Posts: 228 Member
    All the stuff I've read on nutrition says that if you're hungry, eat. Just make it a good choice and make sure you're not actually thirsty and confusing the feelings. Do you drink tea? Sometimes when I get the night munchies I drink hot tea and it helps calm it down until breakfast. :)
  • Jodette76
    Jodette76 Posts: 7
    I have no worries about it fitting into my calorie limit. Is that all I should be worrying about?
  • MzColey
    MzColey Posts: 21
    When I get hungry I east some fruit with no sugar added or a yogurt.
  • CarolynB38
    CarolynB38 Posts: 553 Member
    When that happens to me I have to eat or I can't go back to sleep at all. I try to make it a small healthy snack though. Funnily enough, cheese seems to help...
  • Jodette76
    Jodette76 Posts: 7
    All the stuff I've read on nutrition says that if you're hungry, eat. Just make it a good choice and make sure you're not actually thirsty and confusing the feelings. Do you drink tea? Sometimes when I get the night munchies I drink hot tea and it helps calm it down until breakfast. :)

    I normally have a hot drink mid evening but have stopped recently. Maybe that's it... didn't realise it could've been making such a difference.

    Thanks :)
  • gibsy
    gibsy Posts: 112
    Being hungry late at night, I find, is often a major cause of insomnia. So yeah, eat. Try to fit it in your calorie budget, but definitely eat something if you're that hungry.

    It does not matter what you eat before you sleep. Eating at night is not going to make you gain weight if it fits within your calorie goals. I see no reason why a protein shake would be better than solids. Have what you want, within your limit. That's all.

    I usually just grab something really easy and light late at night. Rice cakes or celery sticks or an apple, for example.
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
    I have the same thing and I eat - sometimes it helps me to sleep, especially things like toast, crackers, and crumpets..
  • Jodette76
    Jodette76 Posts: 7
    When I get hungry I east some fruit with no sugar added or a yogurt.

    Yeah, I have eaten yoghurt the past two nights. I think I was more concerned with how the body breaks it down in your sleep and how much it would affect my weight loss journey, which has only just begun! :)
  • shabnaum
    shabnaum Posts: 8 Member
    Try cottage cheese...it actually prevents muscle break down while you sleep and keeps you fuller longer...its highly recommended that u eat it before bedtime so your body can slowly metabolize it while you sleep resulting in no more hunger pangs in the middle of the night

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