How can late-night snacking affect your health? Find out here

There are several reasons to indulge in binge eating habits, from trying to satiate cravings to looking to relieve boredom or stress. But these hefty servings of calorie-dense food, such as chips, cookies, and candy at night, can adversely affect your health, especially if snacks are consumed too close to bedtime. It can lead to indigestion and sleep issues.In a recent study, scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that the timing of meals significantly affects our metabolism, feelings of hunger, and the biochemical processes that occur in adipose tissue. To prevent over-eating, choose a portion-controlled snack, avoid eating in front of the television, and pay attention to your food as you eat. Knowing the effects of these binge habits can be helpful too. Read on to find out:

Weight Gain: At night, your body’s metabolism slows down. You also have a more challenging time burning calories. This is why gaining weight if eating after bedtime is more likely. A study also suggested that having your meals late, mainly eating close to sleep, could lead to weight gain. This can be because of a more significant number of eating occasions and higher total daily caloric intake.

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Poor Digestion: Late-night meals can cause several gastrointestinal problems. Improper food digestion can cause the stomach to secrete excessive acid. This may lead to digestive issues, which can lead to complications in the future. Hence you should avoid late-night snacking and leave the habits of binge eating. Since our metabolism is down during the night, it can be difficult to digest food.  

Bad For Heart Health: According to a recent study , eating high-calorie meals after 6 P.M. can significantly increase the risk of high blood pressure and blood sugar levels, leading to type 2 diabetes which cannot be suitable for your future. Eating and sleeping late at night could also lead to hypertension and diabetes. Heartburn can also be triggered due to late-night snacking. 

Memory Impairment: A study by the University of California Los Angeles found that eating late at night can impair molecules involved in memory formation. They conducted the study by testing the cognitive abilities of the mice after feeding them for two weeks. The mice who ate while they should have been sleeping had an impairment in memory formation. This can also effect your cognitive functions.  

Mental Health Impact: When you haven’t slept properly, you wake up feeling irritated and moody. Because of eating late can mess with your body’s body clock. This results in higher chances of depression and anxiety. Eating late throws off your body’s internal clock, leading to insomnia. When you don’t get enough sleep, there is a higher possibility of waking up with anxiety and sadness. A study from Johns Hopkins Medicine also revealed people with insomnia could have a tenfold higher risk of developing depression.

How to control eating late at night? If you are still hungry after dinner, ask yourself if you’re hungry. Because if you have had a healthy evening meal, you may not truly need any additional food. This could be some other issue you need to figure out. To avoid big spikes in blood sugar levels, do not consume carbohydrates. It will also reduce the likelihood of extra blood sugar stored as fat. Try to include fibre-rich snacks in your diet. It will help you feel fuller, enhance digestion, and improve your sleep.

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