12:30 A.M. You look at the clock and decide to head to the fridge for a little snack. Satisfied, you return to bed until morning. Sound familiar? If so, then you’re one of millions who are guilty of this simple indulgence.
Breaking yourself of the habit of midnight snacking can be difficult to do, but it CAN be done. It’ll take some persistence and patience to achieve your goal. Depending on how severe your cravings are, it can take as little as two weeks, or up to two months to control them.
Some people might call “midnight snacking” a bad habit, but the truth of it is, it’s not a habit at all. Your body is trying to tell you something; it’s telling you to eat more during the day and that you should be getting more calories than what you’ve been taking in. Your body requires a certain amount of calories to sustain your body through the night and if you aren’t getting that, your belly will tell you.
You might want to try to eat more during the day instead of eating three regular meals. This way your stomach feels fuller and you are getting sufficient calories to get you through the night without having to get up and raid the fridge.
Eating a large dinner will delay digestion and hinder your sleep. Eating a high-carb snack at bedtime, such as fruit or crackers, can help you sleep better and keep your stomach at rest until morning.
You might think having a glass of wine or a shot of whiskey before bed will help you relax, but the fact is alcohol will make you hungrier and put added calories into your system that you don’t need. A glass of warm milk is much better because it is relaxing and makes your stomach feel full.
If you think that after dinner cup of coffee is a nice relaxing part of your evening; think again. Caffeine is a stimulant and will make you restless. If you must have something to drink in the middle of the night or before bed, drink a large glass of water. This will give your stomach a full.
Sometimes water can satisfy a midnight craving. If this doesn’t work, try to read a book, or listen to some soothing music to help get you back to sleep. In time, you’ll be able to sleep soundly without being disrupted. You may not see results overnight, but your perseverance will pay off.