Nocturnal Zhor Is A Sign Of Disease - The Quality Of Life

Do you like a snack before bed? Does the refrigerator take on a special appeal for you at night? Let's see if it's worth indulging your habit.

Prank or illness

It would seem, what is it that after ten in the evening you are drawn to the kitchen - especially if the mode of life corresponds to an inveterate "owl". Many people know that at least 40 minutes must pass between the last meal and sleep. But if you are sure that following this principle will protect you from health problems, we hasten to disappoint - everything is much more complicated.

"Night appetite" is not at all a harmless thing, and in the USA it is already recognized as a disease. The approach to it is appropriate there - examinations, recommendations of specialists, etc. In Russia, it is customary, for the most part, to close our eyes, but in vain.

Of course, if the craving to freeze the worm before bedtime attacks periodically - this is normal: perhaps any person sometimes feels the desire to intercept something under the muttering of the TV. However, if hunger at night bothers you strongly and regularly, you should consult a doctor.

Hormonal disruptions

The problem was ignored for a long time - perhaps the reason for this was fresh memories of the tradition of plentiful night feasts, practiced in different countries of the world. However, at a certain stage, the situation worsened dramatically, and scientists became worried. Already in the fifties in America, serious research was carried out on the so-called "night appetite syndrome" and came to the conclusion that it is present in about 10-15% of the population.

A common feature of such patients is a violation of hormonal processes and a reduced coefficient of serotonin production - for various reasons. Such failures lead to the fact that at night they are overtaken by hunger: people rush to the refrigerator and devour food uncontrollably.

What does unusual eating behavior lead to?

Going to bed with a full stomach, you deprive the body of legitimate rest - instead, he is forced to throw all his energy into digesting food. The result can be sleep problems (up to nightmares), diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, irritability, increased anxiety, weight gain, and other unpleasant consequences.

Instead of providing their bodies with a full breakfast in the morning, such people sluggishly drink a cup of coffee, because they have no appetite. But in the late afternoon they begin to suffer from bouts of hunger.

Find out the reason and fight

Unfortunately, it is impossible to give general recommendations for combating nighttime appetite: after all, each case is individual. Sometimes hunger occurs against the background of the stress experienced - and then you need to fight the cause of the feelings. If the problem is hormonal imbalance, you need to go to an endocrinologist. The doctor will prescribe a blood test to determine what exactly the body is missing, and to adjust the hormonal system.

At the same time, it is advisable to consult with a psychotherapist and a nutritionist and develop a general strategy, including a whole range of measures, - this approach will eliminate the phenomenon of "night hunger".

If the desire to have a snack at night does not often overtake you, but at the same time you want to keep your figure, you can resort to the proven method: drink a glass of kefir or a double portion of water. This will fill your stomach and feel full for a moment. Now the main thing is to have time to fall asleep before the body realizes that it has been deceived!

Photo: Konstantin Yuganov / Photobank Lori