I ate a late-night snack to stave off hunger, but why do I feel more tired and crave food more in the morning?

Medical studies show that eating at night can disrupt digestion, upset hunger-satiety hormone balance, affect sleep, and lead to fatigue and increased cravings the following day.

Eating late at night – a seemingly harmless habit that silently disrupts digestion, sleep, and blood sugar levels – Photo: FREEPIK

Israeli news outlet Ynet , citing a compilation of recent medical studies, reports that nighttime eating habits can silently cause a range of health problems. Specifically, eating late at night not only disrupts digestion but also affects the hormonal balance that controls hunger and satiety, impairs sleep quality, and increases the risk of weight gain, blood sugar disorders, and metabolic issues.

According to nutrition experts, the human digestive system operates according to a natural biological rhythm and tends to "slow down" at night. At this time, stomach acid levels decrease, intestinal motility weakens, and the secretion of enzymes from the pancreas and bile is less efficient. Consuming food when the body needs rest causes food to remain in the stomach and intestines longer, easily leading to bloating, indigestion, and a feeling of heaviness.

People with sensitive digestive systems or conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or gastroesophageal reflux are often more noticeably affected.

Some doctors suggest that the body may "interpret" late-night eating as a form of physiological stress, causing digestive symptoms to worsen the following morning.

Eating late at night also disrupts the activity of hormones that regulate hunger and satiety. At night, leptin—a hormone that creates feelings of fullness—typically increases, while eating late can trigger ghrelin, the hunger hormone, more strongly. This imbalance causes many people to feel more hungry the next day.

Furthermore, the body's ability to control blood sugar at night is also weaker due to decreased insulin sensitivity. Late meals therefore easily cause blood sugar to rise higher than normal, increasing the risk of insulin resistance in the long term.

Sleep quality is also significantly impacted, especially when late-night meals are high in fat, sugar, or caffeine. Numerous studies indicate that eating late is associated with shorter sleep duration, restless sleep, and persistent fatigue the following day.

Therefore, experts recommend finishing meals at least 2.5-3 hours before bedtime, maintaining regular eating habits during the day, and, if eating late is unavoidable, prioritizing light foods to minimize negative health impacts.

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VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/an-khuya-cho-do-doi-nhung-sao-sang-day-met-va-them-an-hon-20251214093121415.htm