Waking up hungry in the night.
kelldoll
Posts: 14 Member
You read it right. My sleep has been disrupted in the middle of the night for months now. I'm 50 lbs overweight, trying to stay in my calorie goal, working 60+ hours a week, working out when I can, eating as best I can considering my situation.
I actually get hungry every 1/5-2 hours throughout my day. It wasn't until two nights ago that I figured out the reason I was waking in the middle of the night was that I was crazy hungry.
I ate a small snack before bed, slept the night through, and woke up ravenous.
What the heck am I supposed to do about this? Anyone. Please. Weightloss is becoming the impossible feat. I've dropped 40 lbs. I need to do the remaining 40-50.
I actually get hungry every 1/5-2 hours throughout my day. It wasn't until two nights ago that I figured out the reason I was waking in the middle of the night was that I was crazy hungry.
I ate a small snack before bed, slept the night through, and woke up ravenous.
What the heck am I supposed to do about this? Anyone. Please. Weightloss is becoming the impossible feat. I've dropped 40 lbs. I need to do the remaining 40-50.
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Replies
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Put a bottle of water next to your bed, maybe that will help0
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Is your calorie goal too aggressive?0
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What stong curves said! Are you trying to lose weight too quickly?
Another question, what's your macro balance like? Are you getting enough protein and fiber to feel full?0 -
Maybe, just maybe, try what worked for my neighbour.
Eat an apple and drink a glass of water about every three hours.
For her, the amazing impact was that she was hydrated and feeling full more of the time but lowered her net calorie intake by about 240 calories per day.0 -
I agree with strong_curves - you may not be eating enough. Too many of us think 1200 calories is an appropriate amount for an adult woman.
You don't state what your bedtime snack is, so this may be what you're already doing. I recommend about an ounce of nuts. They have protein and healthy fats, both of which help you feel fuller.
I was training for an Olympic-distance triathlon last summer, and I started waking up after being asleep for a few hours - not unusual for a post-menopausal woman - and then I couldn't get back to sleep. It took awhile for me to figure out that happened most frequently after hard workout days. I started eating a snack when I woke up at 1:00 a.m., and I found that made it much easier to fall back asleep.
You've made some awesome progress. Give yourself some love for that. There could be a variety of reasons this is happening now. You'll figure it out, and you'll get right back on your path to success.0 -
I'm not recommending this or even know if it's a good idea, but sometimes when I get bad cravings at night I'll take a couple of alieve and I find within half an hour or so the cravings diminish long enough for me to get to sleep.
But I try to make sure I save enough calories from my day so that I can have a protein bar an hour or so before bed, I find the protein really curbs my appetite and allows me to sleep peacefully most nights.0 -
I'm not recommending this or even know if it's a good idea, but sometimes when I get bad cravings at night I'll take a couple of alieve and I find within half an hour or so the cravings diminish long enough for me to get to sleep.
But I try to make sure I save enough calories from my day so that I can have a protein bar an hour or so before bed, I find the protein really curbs my appetite and allows me to sleep peacefully most nights.
Why would you take aleve when not in pain? Bad idea. You really shouldn't take NSAIDs for something like this, especially not on an empty stomach. It can increase the risk of bleeding.0 -
You read it right. My sleep has been disrupted in the middle of the night for months now. I'm 50 lbs overweight, trying to stay in my calorie goal, working 60+ hours a week, working out when I can, eating as best I can considering my situation.
I actually get hungry every 1/5-2 hours throughout my day. It wasn't until two nights ago that I figured out the reason I was waking in the middle of the night was that I was crazy hungry.
I ate a small snack before bed, slept the night through, and woke up ravenous.
What the heck am I supposed to do about this? Anyone. Please. Weightloss is becoming the impossible feat. I've dropped 40 lbs. I need to do the remaining 40-50.
Congrats on your weight loss so far! Is your goal still to lose 2 pounds per week? With 40-50 pounds left to lose, try setting your goal to 1 pound per week and enjoy those extra calories.
I hate waking up hungry. I like oatmeal made with 40 grams of rolled oats before bed. This stays with me through the night.0 -
I definitely recommend eating a bit more calories throughout the day (or a bigger snack before bedtime), if you can still keep a deficit.
I've never had the problem of going to bed hungry before (or waking up hungry), but now it sometimes happens to me after I started with MFP. I think it's all to do with me eating too few calories or eating all my calories too early in the day. It sucks going to bed hungry...0 -
I can empathize, Kelldoll. My husband calls me 'the hobbit'. If I don't eat regularly (breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, afternoonsies, supper and bedtime snack) I will be cranky, have low energy, and feel pain in my upper arm / shoulder area. If I don't have a bedtime snack, I will be hungry and have trouble sleeping through the night.
Sleep is incredibly important, and there is no reason for anyone to go to bed hungry (at least not in a 1st world country, where good food is readily accessible). Don't beat yourself up, just plan for a healthy bedtime snack that has a bit of protein in it to get you through the night.
I know there is a whole school of thought that says we shouldn't eat after 8pm, but this isn't a one size fits all journey. Half the challenge is finding an approach that fits into your life.0 -
What's your fat and protein intake look like in the evening? When I've had trouble with being a little hungry at night, I've added 100 calories of almonds at bedtime and it solved the problem.0
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What are you eating as small snack before bed? Maybe switching this to a high protein/ high fiber snack may keep you fuller longer. A hard boiled egg and a slice of avocado, peanut butter on apple slices, string cheese and almonds, a smoothie. A big glass of water will most likely help also.
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OP please come back and tell us how many calories you're eating per day.0
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I'm not recommending this or even know if it's a good idea, but sometimes when I get bad cravings at night I'll take a couple of alieve and I find within half an hour or so the cravings diminish long enough for me to get to sleep.
But I try to make sure I save enough calories from my day so that I can have a protein bar an hour or so before bed, I find the protein really curbs my appetite and allows me to sleep peacefully most nights.
Why would you take aleve when not in pain? Bad idea. You really shouldn't take NSAIDs for something like this, especially not on an empty stomach. It can increase the risk of bleeding.
You don't consider severe hunger pangs to be pain? I didn't suggest to use it all the time, just when the pangs are so bad it's keeping you awake.0 -
I'm not recommending this or even know if it's a good idea, but sometimes when I get bad cravings at night I'll take a couple of alieve and I find within half an hour or so the cravings diminish long enough for me to get to sleep.
But I try to make sure I save enough calories from my day so that I can have a protein bar an hour or so before bed, I find the protein really curbs my appetite and allows me to sleep peacefully most nights.
Why would you take aleve when not in pain? Bad idea. You really shouldn't take NSAIDs for something like this, especially not on an empty stomach. It can increase the risk of bleeding.
You don't consider severe hunger pangs to be pain? I didn't suggest to use it all the time, just when the pangs are so bad it's keeping you awake.
Being hungry is not "pain" and not what the medication is designed for. Taking NSAIDS on an empty stomach increases the risk of GI bleeding, as does taking them more than needed.0 -
Try having a glass of milk mixed with a scoop of casein before bed. Optimum nutrition does a yummy chocolate or choc/peanut butter flavour. Casein is high protein and slow digesting.
ETA: you can also add a TBS of chia seeds for extra protein, fibre and fat.0 -
I too often wake up at night feeling like I am starving. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I drink a cup of hot peppermint tea with a little honey. Most of the time the hunger passes and I sleep right through until morning. On some occasions though, I have taken a fiber pill at night before going to bed and that too makes me feel full and less hungry. I agree with the others that checking your calorie intake and resetting it could help.0
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robingmurphy wrote: »What's your fat and protein intake look like in the evening? When I've had trouble with being a little hungry at night, I've added 100 calories of almonds at bedtime and it solved the problem.
This works for me too. Sometimes I will drink 4 oz of heavy whipping cream right before I get my shower and go to bed. Last night it was 2 oz. of Philadelphia Cream Cheese.0 -
I grab an 80 cal yogurt, make it last at least 15 minutes by taking super small bites and enjoy. Then go back to bed. Next day, plan your calories a little differently so you feel full through the night. It may take a while to adjust to your reduced calorie plan but you will and hunger will not be the problem it is now.
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I'm not recommending this or even know if it's a good idea, but sometimes when I get bad cravings at night I'll take a couple of alieve and I find within half an hour or so the cravings diminish long enough for me to get to sleep.
But I try to make sure I save enough calories from my day so that I can have a protein bar an hour or so before bed, I find the protein really curbs my appetite and allows me to sleep peacefully most nights.
Why would you take aleve when not in pain? Bad idea. You really shouldn't take NSAIDs for something like this, especially not on an empty stomach. It can increase the risk of bleeding.
You don't consider severe hunger pangs to be pain? I didn't suggest to use it all the time, just when the pangs are so bad it's keeping you awake.
Being hungry is not "pain" and not what the medication is designed for. Taking NSAIDS on an empty stomach increases the risk of GI bleeding, as does taking them more than needed.
Ok you are 100% right and you win the Internet for the day! Does that make you happy?
Please don't reply to any more of my posts.-1 -
I'm not recommending this or even know if it's a good idea, but sometimes when I get bad cravings at night I'll take a couple of alieve and I find within half an hour or so the cravings diminish long enough for me to get to sleep.
But I try to make sure I save enough calories from my day so that I can have a protein bar an hour or so before bed, I find the protein really curbs my appetite and allows me to sleep peacefully most nights.
Why would you take aleve when not in pain? Bad idea. You really shouldn't take NSAIDs for something like this, especially not on an empty stomach. It can increase the risk of bleeding.
You don't consider severe hunger pangs to be pain? I didn't suggest to use it all the time, just when the pangs are so bad it's keeping you awake.
Being hungry is not "pain" and not what the medication is designed for. Taking NSAIDS on an empty stomach increases the risk of GI bleeding, as does taking them more than needed.
Ok you are 100% right and you win the Internet for the day! Does that make you happy?
Please don't reply to any more of my posts.
Really, though, if you have to use OTC medication to control your hunger pangs, please consider using something other than Aleve. Take a couple of Tylenol, maybe, assuming your liver's in good shape. GI bleeds are no joke. They can kill you. I just had a young guy (38) in my clinic who overused NSAIDs like ibuprofen and Aleve, and he literally perforated his stomach - had all kinds of nasty stomach juices just swirling around his abdomen. He needed emergency surgery to repair the perforation and then literally wash him out. Now he has a big, difficult-to-heal mid-abdominal incision and a drain sticking out of him, never mind the pain.
Just consider using something else.0 -
I was talking once a week etc if you had a really bad hunger pang.... And I said alieve but I meant any type of otc pain killer seems to help for me. I also didn't mean to take a handful of them either.
If you have studies showing that taking a recommended dose of alieve once or twice a week is going to cause stomach bleeding and ulcers in anyone who uses it then you really should publish that paper in a medical journal.
Using scare tactics and worst case abuse scenarios seems to be a common theme on this site.
Anyway I don't care anymore... Enjoy being "right".
[edited by MFP Mods]
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Wow!0
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You read it right. My sleep has been disrupted in the middle of the night for months now. I'm 50 lbs overweight, trying to stay in my calorie goal, working 60+ hours a week, working out when I can, eating as best I can considering my situation.
I actually get hungry every 1/5-2 hours throughout my day. It wasn't until two nights ago that I figured out the reason I was waking in the middle of the night was that I was crazy hungry.
I ate a small snack before bed, slept the night through, and woke up ravenous.
What the heck am I supposed to do about this? Anyone. Please. Weightloss is becoming the impossible feat. I've dropped 40 lbs. I need to do the remaining 40-50.
Hi Kelldoll,
What are you starts?
What is your calorie goal?
How much per week are you trying to lose?
My first thought is you might not be eating enough.0 -
Try high fiber, high protein snack with water at bedtime. Water at bedside with nuts (almond) snack at bedside. Stick with diet. Allow body to lose weight more slowly if it needs to. Congrats on your amazing journey so far. Keep the faith. Stay on the path. You may move more slowly, but know in your spirit that you will get there!!0
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You read it right. My sleep has been disrupted in the middle of the night for months now. I'm 50 lbs overweight, trying to stay in my calorie goal, working 60+ hours a week, working out when I can, eating as best I can considering my situation.
I actually get hungry every 1/5-2 hours throughout my day. It wasn't until two nights ago that I figured out the reason I was waking in the middle of the night was that I was crazy hungry.
I ate a small snack before bed, slept the night through, and woke up ravenous.
What the heck am I supposed to do about this? Anyone. Please. Weightloss is becoming the impossible feat. I've dropped 40 lbs. I need to do the remaining 40-50.
What is your age, height, weight and activity level?
Over what time frame have you lost your 40lbs
What is your goal weight loss and daily calorie limit and how do you choose / like to eat?
Are you weighing and accurately logging food, do you batch cook? Are you hitting minimum protein and fats? How many grammes?
I notice you are logging things like singing and spinning yarn as exercise calories ...you really shouldn't do that as that type of stuff is included in activity0 -
I am having this same issue with sleeping for an hour, getting up and just needing to eat. Tonight I made like basicslly my bfast but it is 3am. I will wake up then and likely not eat til lunch. Throws my sleep off though. I ate 170 cals of food when I got up. Feel full and like I can sleep now. Had spinach egg white and mushroom with a fourth of a cup of NF greek yogurt mixed with protein powder. Should be enough protein to fill me. I am curious just what treatment is for this.. Sleep pills? I tried all OtC ones and no success.0
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I have been eating roughly 1000 to 1200 cals a day. Yesterday had a slip up of 1600 cals approximately but was very active during day to combat that. Wanna sleep normal again
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I'm not recommending this or even know if it's a good idea, but sometimes when I get bad cravings at night I'll take a couple of alieve and I find within half an hour or so the cravings diminish long enough for me to get to sleep.
But I try to make sure I save enough calories from my day so that I can have a protein bar an hour or so before bed, I find the protein really curbs my appetite and allows me to sleep peacefully most nights.
Why would you take aleve when not in pain? Bad idea. You really shouldn't take NSAIDs for something like this, especially not on an empty stomach. It can increase the risk of bleeding.
It's an extraordinarily bad idea. Over time, this kind of practice can cause serious organ damage...to the point where you could wind up needing a liver or kidney transplant. Don't EVER ever take over-the-counter pain medications, especially Tylenol, unless you are in actual pain. Do not ever exceed the recommended dosages. OTC doesn't mean that a drug isn't dangerous.
You are probably swallowing your Aleve with water, right? That is probably what is making the difference.0 -
Christine_72 wrote: »Try having a glass of milk mixed with a scoop of casein before bed. Optimum nutrition does a yummy chocolate or choc/peanut butter flavour. Casein is high protein and slow digesting.
ETA: you can also add a TBS of chia seeds for extra protein, fibre and fat.
Yes--make sure that you are spending your calories wisely. You may need to increase your protein, fiber, fat and/or liquid. It's hard to know if nutrition is part of the issue since we cannot see your diary.
I wonder if more regular exercise would make a difference for you. Obviously, being more worn out can help you to sleep. Another benefit for those of us who have chronic pain issues is that the exercise endorphins help with pain. I wonder if pain,rather than hunger, is what is waking you up.
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This discussion has been closed.
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