I cannot sleep on an empty stomach, I need a carb.

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  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    flippy1234 wrote: »
    Hi there,
    I cannot go to sleep if I am hungry. I do really well all day but if I am hungry at bed time, I get up and have something to eat. I need a carb. Any suggestion for foods to eat that won't derail my eating? Yes, I am usually able to fit it into my calorie allotment for the day. I am just trying to eat lower carb but at that time of the night, my body craves carbs.

    How many pounds to do you have to lose and what weekly weight loss goal did you set? I crave carbs when I'm under eating.

    That said, some carbs make me sleepy so I save them for before bed.

    I’m listening to why we sleep right now and one of the chapters about sleep and weight is interesting - in that lack of sleep (as they defined it averaging 4-5hrs sleep a night) - caused participants in one of the studies to crave carbs; that was diminished when they were averaging 8hrs sleep a night

    I'm rereading the Hungry Brain right now. It discusses a study where participants who had around 4 hours of sleep a night ate 300 kcal more than those who got 8 hours of sleep. People eat for energy and carbs have that.

    Probably the same study - was it conducted by the university of Chicago?

    No. Must be a different one. Can't remember the author...
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    This is so interesting to me because after years of suffering from GERD, I couldn't imagine eating a thing after dinner because I would suffer. I guess over time I've just become conditioned to go to bed with a somewhat empty feeling stomach.

    That said, I can't imagine that interrupting your sleep to eat is a good thing, and think that you've gotten a lot of great suggestions here for snacks to have before bed. I like that a lot of the suggestions are for oatmeal, as I grew up with a Mom who always pushed Oatmeal as a breakfast or snack because it "sticks to your ribs" :)
  • FickleFruitBat
    FickleFruitBat Posts: 40 Member
    More leafy greens and protien with dinner help me curb my evening carb cravings while being calorie concious. Like others have mentioned, pre-planning for a carb when you need it is also a good idea.
  • MixedbarbieMOM1991
    MixedbarbieMOM1991 Posts: 43 Member
    I usually have a 200 calorie snack two to three hours before bed.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,687 Member
    I often have toast with honey before bed.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    mutantspicy wrote: »
    My go to night time carb is two glasses of red wine. Wine seems to curb my appetite and then I don't need other snacks. If I have plan room for snacks at night though, my go to include small saucer of cottage cheese, Kalamata Olives, Cheese, or Pistachios. Something small and fatty with some wine seems to do the trick for me.

    White wine and 30 grams of pistachios here. Nice to see I'm not alone!
  • BaconDrips
    BaconDrips Posts: 4 Member
    I keep this one pretty easy. 1/2 cup of oatmeal, 1 cup sugar free vanilla almond milk, protein powder (flavor of your choice. Top it off with no sugar syrup or sugar free jelly, microwave for 4 minutes and go.
  • thebomb4043
    thebomb4043 Posts: 32 Member
    Eat a protienized snack before bed!

  • amwst
    amwst Posts: 7 Member
    OP, same thing happens to me when I’m in too much of a calorie deficit. I can’t fall asleep because I’m too hungry. Sometimes it doesn’t even feel like hunger, it just feels like restlessness. I usually sleep pretty easily and so if I’m tired and can’t sleep, I get up and have a granola bar. Then I fall asleep.
  • amy042867
    amy042867 Posts: 2 Member
    Try taking a magnesium supplement at bedtime. It will help with electrolyte balance and it helps with sleep
  • walking2running
    walking2running Posts: 140 Member
    a bowl of cherries in the summer; in the winter, a hot cup of herbal tea
  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
    amwst wrote: »
    OP, same thing happens to me when I’m in too much of a calorie deficit. I can’t fall asleep because I’m too hungry. Sometimes it doesn’t even feel like hunger, it just feels like restlessness. I usually sleep pretty easily and so if I’m tired and can’t sleep, I get up and have a granola bar. Then I fall asleep.
    amwst wrote: »
    OP, same thing happens to me when I’m in too much of a calorie deficit. I can’t fall asleep because I’m too hungry. Sometimes it doesn’t even feel like hunger, it just feels like restlessness. I usually sleep pretty easily and so if I’m tired and can’t sleep, I get up and have a granola bar. Then I fall asleep.

    This is exactly how I feel. My legs are really restless. Once I have a carb, it stops. So weird.
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