I wake up in the middle of the night wanting to snack, help!

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silverburk
silverburk Posts: 61
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been having health problems and I retain water for no reason that i can think of. I am seeing a kidney dr for kidney problems and a Rheumatoid Arthritis specialist for my joint and muscle pain and the rampant inflammation in my body. But lately I keep waking up in the middle of the night wanting to snack and it doesn't have to be a large snack, usually just something small, but it has to be sweet, preferably something chocolate. Any ideas what would cause me to wake out of a sound sleep for that?

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  • TracyP111
    TracyP111 Posts: 51
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    Are you getting enough evening protein? It'll help you feel full longer. Also drink more water. Maybe keep some by the bed to drink when you wake up. Good luck.
  • hmartyka
    hmartyka Posts: 5
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    Great advise TracyP111, what also may help is beleive it or not is make your self a coffee made fully of milk about 1/2 hour before you go to bed. I find this actually helps me to sleep alot better than I have in the past. Certainly having a glass of water by the side of the bed would be of great benefit, it will take those cravings way almost immediately.
    Heather
  • sweet110
    sweet110 Posts: 332 Member
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    I'm no doctor/nurse, but I've never heard of "nighttime snacking" being a symptom of anything ominous. I know it can be discomfiting when your individual routines change, but I don't think it necessarily means anything. But ask your doc if you're worried.

    And, I'm a pragmatist. Instead of fretting about waking up snacking (humans vary...normal is a wide, wide, road), just work with it. Leave a 100 calories extra for your mid night snack. I do this. And I'm like you, it doesn't have to be large, but I can't go back to sleep without it. I don't have a sweet tooth...mine has to be salty and fatty. So, I eat a few nuts or a slice of cheese and go back to sleep. A little midnight snack didn't keep me from losing 50 lbs. The trick was to plan ahead.
  • silverburk
    silverburk Posts: 61
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    I'm not worried about anything ominous. :) With me passing protein and blood through my kidneys is it ok to increase my protein? I totally forgot to ask the dr today when i was there. I was so tired from waking up twice last night from the joint and muscle pain and from the constant urge to snack. I have a container of those mini honey graham cracker bears by my bed. That helped.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I'm no doctor/nurse, but I've never heard of "nighttime snacking" being a symptom of anything ominous.

    It is a known symptom to Ambien and quite possibly other sleep medications.

    OP: Are you taking Ambien?
  • silverburk
    silverburk Posts: 61
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    I'm on Seroquel, for my bi-polar.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Have your glucose checked. I have the same problem and have trouble with blood sugar.
  • silverburk
    silverburk Posts: 61
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    As I'm being checked for everything under the sun to find out why I'm passing protein and blood through my kidney's and have inflammation running rampant in my body. My sugar has been checked.
  • shana_phoenix83
    shana_phoenix83 Posts: 98 Member
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    I used to have this problem big-time, but I've found since changing my diet around- primarily staying away from refined sugars and staying hydrated- I've lost the cravings. Also, if you keep the stuff out of the house, it's not possible to snack on them at night. I get that every situation is different, though, and it might not be completely possible. I had to even throw out the chocolate chips, because I would eat them in handfuls at 2 a.m. I have also found that for me, if I'm working out hard enough (killing myself at the gym), I'm too tired in the middle of the night to get up and snack. LOL. :) Good luck!
  • shana_phoenix83
    shana_phoenix83 Posts: 98 Member
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    I also agree with Sidesteal on this one. I've taken sleep meds in the past, and they have definitely increased the mid-night cravings. Seroquel might be one of them, you'll have to check.
  • silverburk
    silverburk Posts: 61
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    I'm beginning to wonder if I'm just not getting enough in during the day? Because since I started the midnight snacking the weight has started actually coming off.. :) 2.5 lbs since last week.

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