Have you ever found yourself getting up in the middle of the night, almost on autopilot, and wandering into the kitchen? You stand in front of the fridge, mindlessly grazing on leftovers that aren’t even that appealing, or maybe you polish of an entire sleeve of delicious cookies…
Many of us have been there before, but we seldom talk about it because it’s a shameful experience. After all, the nature of compulsive eating is that it’s an irresistible urge—as much as you want to just go back to bed, the midnight eating continues.
Before we can unpack the reasons for eating in the middle of the night, we need to carefully distinguish this behavior from Night Eating Syndrome, a formal eating disorder. Then, I’ll provide plenty of evidence-based steps for addressing unwanted midnight snacking.
Eating in the Middle of the Night vs Night Eating Syndrome
Many people who find themselves eating in the middle of the night, particularly while dieting, often feel guilty and frustrated. It’s important to understand that this behavior is not simply a lack of willpower but can be a natural response to biological and psychological deprivation.
When we restrict our food intake—whether it’s calorie restriction like Weight Watchers or macronutrient restriction like a low-carb diet—our bodies and minds may react by increasing cravings and hunger signals. This is a survival mechanism designed to ensure we get the necessary nutrients, even if it means waking up in the middle of the night to eat.
Instead of beating yourself up for nighttime eating, recognize that it might be your body’s way of coping with perceived deprivation. It’s essential to approach this with self-compassion and to understand the underlying factors driving this behavior.
On the other hand, Night Eating Syndrome is a recognized eating disorder distinct from occasional nighttime eating. According to the National Institutes of Health, Night Eating Syndrome is characterized by consuming 25% or more of daily caloric intake after dinner and experiencing at least two nocturnal awakenings per week to eat.[1]
If you struggle with Night Eating Syndrome, it’s important to work with a healthcare professional that’s qualified to work with eating disorders. For the rest of this article, we’ll discuss non-clinical instances of eating in the middle of the night.
Compulsive Eating in the Middle of the Night: It’s a Biological & Psychological Thing
Eating in the middle of the night often feels like something has gone horribly wrong, but if you’re dieting, it’s essential to understand that this behavior has both biological and psychological roots.
Biologically, when someone is dieting or creating a caloric deficit during the day, eating in the middle of the night is normal! Your body responds to deprivation by increasing hunger hormones and cravings to get the energy it needs. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, caloric restriction can significantly increase appetite, leading to compensatory eating behaviors like eating in the middle of the night.[2]
Researchers followed participants who reduced their calorie intake by 25%, such as eating 1,500 calories per day if they typically require 2,000 calories. After just three days, there was a rapid increase in appetite followed by increased food intake.
If you’re eating in the middle of the night after restricting your calorie intake during the day, you’re normal. When the body experiences an energy deficit, it triggers biological mechanisms that heighten hunger and the desire for food. All of this, we haven’t even discussed the psychology behind our eating habits yet.
Psychologically, the phenomenon of wanting what we can’t have plays a crucial role. If someone restricts certain foods, such as sweets or carbs, they are more likely to crave and seek out these foods, particularly in moments of weakened resolve, like the middle of the night.
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology highlighted that individuals with high cravings for specific foods, like chocolate, experience increased cravings when deprived of those foods, even if they aren’t experiencing an overall energy deficit.[3]
Another study in Eating Behaviors showed that dietary restraint, or the cognitive effort to restrict eating, can paradoxically lead to overeating.[4] In situations where self-regulation is undermined, such as late at night when fatigue sets in, individuals with higher dietary restraint are more likely to overeat. In other words, the more you restrict your diet, the more likely you are to overeat when self-regulation is compromised, such as in the middle of the night.
I hope that by understanding the perfectly understandable reasons why we do the things we do around food, that you begin to feel more normal. If you aren’t eating enough, of course you’re going to eat in the middle of the night! And if you’re restricting carbs all day, of course you’re going to gravitate towards cakes and cookies in the middle of the night. As you can see from all of these studies, it’s how humans are wired.
Leverage your strengths: If you want to dig even deeper into the psychology of eating, take my food quiz to discover your unique strengths around food.
How to Stop Eating in the Middle of the Night
Now that we’ve addressed the main reasons for eating in the middle of the night, let’s look at some steps to help ease the pattern. I know how frustrating it is to compulsively get up to eat when it’s the last thing you actually want to be doing, so let’s create a balanced game plan.
Eat Enough
A crucial step in addressing nighttime eating is ensuring you’re eating enough during the day. “Enough” varies for everyone, but it means shifting focus from creating a calorie deficit to adequately nourishing your body. This change helps heal your metabolism, often damaged by dieting.
When we restrict calories, our bodies adapt by lowering the resting metabolic rate, which can actually increase hunger and cravings. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, this reduction in resting metabolic rate during weight loss is linked to greater hunger and a stronger drive to eat.[5] By eating enough, you not only stabilize your metabolism, but you also reduce the urge to eat at night.
Instead of seeing food as something to restrict, view it as essential fuel. Plan balanced meals and listen to your hunger cues. By nourishing your body properly during the day, you support your natural rhythms and decrease nighttime cravings.
Manage Stress
If you find yourself eating in the middle of the night—particularly drawn towards foods high in fat, salt, and sugar (aka, hyperpalatable foods)—then managing stress is crucial.
Stress significantly impacts our eating behaviors, often driving us towards hyperpalatable foods high in fat and sugar. According to a review published in Minerva Endocrinologica, stress can alter eating patterns, increasing the consumption of these highly rewarding foods.[6]
Incorporating stress-reducing activities like mindfulness, meditation, or physical exercise can help regulate your stress response and reduce the urge to eat in response to stress. Developing healthy, non-food coping mechanisms can make a significant difference in your overall eating patterns and help prevent stress-induced nighttime eating.
Reduce Shame
Many people feel a deep sense of shame and guilt about their eating habits, particularly when they eat in the middle of the night. This shame can perpetuate a cycle of negative emotions and unhealthy eating behaviors. According to a study published in Healthcare, self-compassion can significantly improve body image and reduce negative self-perceptions.[7]
The study found that self-compassion exercises, such as writing a compassionate letter to oneself, can enhance body image and self-esteem. This approach helps individuals develop a kinder, more understanding relationship with their bodies, counteracting the negative effects of internalized weight bias (e.g. thoughts like “I feel fat”). By practicing self-compassion, you can reduce the shame associated with nighttime eating and foster a healthier, softer mindset.
Kick the Guilt
Many people feel guilty after eating in the middle of the night, believing it reflects a lack of self-control. However, guilt can be counterproductive and may actually undermine your efforts to eat healthily.
According to a study published in Appetite, associating certain foods with guilt, such as chocolate cake, does not lead to healthier eating behaviors or better weight management.[8] Instead, those who felt guilty about eating chocolate cake reported lower levels of perceived control over their eating and were less successful at maintaining or losing weight over time.
To kick the guilt, start by reframing your thoughts about nighttime eating. Remember that diet culture is rampant, and the societal pressure to adhere to restrictive eating patterns can lead to feelings of deprivation, which in turn triggers nighttime eating. By recognizing this, you can approach your eating habits with more empathy and less judgment.
Promote Eating Pleasure Instead of Limiting It
When you find yourself eating in the middle of the night, it’s often a sign that your emotional needs aren’t being met during the day. One essential aspect to consider is the role of pleasure in your eating habits. Rather than limiting pleasure, it should be encouraged and embraced as a crucial component of a healthy relationship with food.
A systematic scoping review published in PLoS (Public Library of Science) One explored the links between eating pleasure and dietary behaviors, highlighting the multidimensional nature of eating pleasure and its potential to promote healthier eating habits.[9] The study reviewed various dimensions of eating pleasure, such as sensory experiences, social interactions, and food characteristics, and found that emphasizing these pleasurable aspects can positively influence dietary behaviors.
Promoting the pleasure of eating is not just about indulging in tasty foods; it’s about enriching the entire eating experience. This includes enjoying the sensory attributes of food, like its taste, texture, and aroma, as well as the social and emotional connections we form around meals. When you focus on these positive aspects, you are more likely to make healthier food choices and develop a more balanced relationship with food.
Address Any Overeating Tendencies
So far, most of this advice pertains to overcoming diet culture, actually eating enough food, and enjoying your food. But what if you struggle with eating beyond comfortable fullness in the middle of the night? This is where the Stop, Drop, & Feel® method can be particularly helpful.
The Stop, Drop, & Feel encourages you to stop when you feel the urge to eat without hunger, drop into your body, and feel the emotions that arise without judgment. This approach promotes emotional tolerance, the ability to endure uncomfortable emotions without immediately trying to escape or numb them, which is crucial for managing eating behaviors.
A study published in Eating Behaviors found that people with higher distress tolerance are better equipped to handle emotional upheavals without resorting to overeating.[10] Incorporating the Stop, Drop, & Feel method into your daily routine can be transformative. It provides a structured way to confront and process emotions, reducing the likelihood of overeating in response to emotional distress.
Address Your Spiritual Needs
Understanding and addressing your spiritual needs can be a profound step in managing nighttime eating. I firmly believe that physical symptoms, including overeating, often have deep, underlying spiritual roots or causes. Overeating might be your body’s way of signaling a deeper need for emotional or spiritual fulfillment.
For instance, when we overeat, it can be a form of emotional avoidance. Many of us turn to food to buffer uncomfortable feelings, such as loneliness, anxiety, or sadness. It’s essential to recognize that these emotions are not just nuisances to be suppressed but important signals that need to be acknowledged and felt.
Tools like the Stop, Drop, & Feel can help you process any trapped emotions that are festering and driving unwanted behavior around food. Additionally, incorporating other spiritual practices, such as prayer, meditation, or affirmations, can help nourish your spirit. These practices foster holistic well-being, which in turn can positively influence your relationship with food.
Compassionately Putting and End to Eating in the Middle of the Night
Are you starting to see the perfectly good reasons why you do the things you do around food? Getting up to eat in the middle of the night is hardly a sign of low willpower—in fact, it’s often a sign that you’re trying too hard to restrict and limit your diet.
By nourishing yourself adequately during the day, embracing self-compassion, and addressing any deeper emotional or spiritual needs, you can reduce those unwanted nighttime cravings. Remember, it’s not about willpower; it’s about understanding and meeting your true needs with kindness and care.
Thank you again Kari for another fantastic article! I always read the whole article and I’m glad I did! I always feel like I should be able to transcend hunger but as I age, I no longer have the patience or desire to- and my body is just getting what it needs! I like how you take the shame out of behaviors that our bodies are just doing to survive.
Hi Kate!! This is music to my ears!! Isn’t it crazy how diet culture has shamed us out of eating a normal amount of food?! We are all too hard on ourselves, and if I can help you inch closer to feeling normal around food, then I’ve done my job. Thanks for taking the time to let me know that this one resonated 🙂 I hope to hear from you again soon!!