It’s quite tempting to eat late at night and all of us did it at some point in our lives. While it may not be a particular problem to have a medium snack at times, getting used to it will have a significant long-term impact on your overall health and well-being.
There is a reason for all health professionals and nutritionists, to ask you to beat the habit of eating late in the night or sneaking in oily and fried snacks to satisfy your hunger pangs late in the night. This habit may be more destructive to your body than you might have thought before.
Late-night snacks may be more insidious than a poor eating pattern because they may become addictive and may even turn into a full-fledged eating disorder called ‘Night Eating Syndrome.’ That is why it is recommended that we all eat most of our calories during the day when our bodies are more active and we can burn most calories from meals to produce energy. And if you’re an addict to your midnight munchies, you’ll need to hear about the negative consequences of your abuse.
1. Eating late night leads to Gain in Weight:
Whether it’s a short supper or a snack, late-night meals harm the body. Midnight snacking may have many such impacts from disturbing the natural process of having discomfort while sleeping. In some cases, a person may feel upset because calories taken during odd hours interrupt the hormones.
2. Additional Calories:
The later you eat, the more calories you eat. As after late dinner, physical work is less likely and people most often sleep right after a meal. Result: More calories the body can’t treat.
3. Lack of Sleep:
Again, you won’t have sufficient sleep for relaxing your mind and body if you sleep late. So eat early and have a sound sleep.
4. Lent Metabolism:
Late in the night and poor sleep affects the metabolism of a person, too. When your metabolism slows down, you invite yourself to gain weight!
5. Causes Acid and Heartburn re-flux:
Our stomach needs sufficient time for bowel movement after every meal. However, acid from the stomach can flow up into the esophagus immediately following your food and causes severe cardiovascular disruption.
6. Digestion Issues:
Whatever you eat late in the evening, it affects your digestive system and ultimately causes other health problems. Before ripping a chip bag late in the evening, beware!
Here are a few simple steps you can take to avoid late-night snacks. You can start by throwing out all the unsafe snacks stored in your kitchen cabinet and refrigerator, effectively eliminating the temptation. Make sure you have a healthy yet filling dinner so you don’t feel hungry past midnight. If you are unable to correct this habit, consult a certified nutritionist or a physician for more specific measures.