Eating late at night is a bad habit that many people often succumb to. Sometimes it’s due to the hours they work or perhaps they’re just night owls. Many people become bored late at night and choose to eat in order to fill the boredom. Whatever the reason is, late night snacking can be detrimental in a myriad of ways. It can be difficult to kick this bad habit but it’s more than possible to do so if you have perseverance. Here are a few tips to help you avoid eating late at night.
Figure Out Triggers
One reason people choose to eat late at night is because of some sort of trigger in their life. Perhaps they’re bored, or maybe they see a commercial for a food they love. It can be hard to avoid these triggers but if you can figure out exactly what triggers you, you’ll have an easier time keeping it under control. For example, if there’s a certain snack you find yourself repeatedly eating late at night, you may want to avoid stocking that item in your home. If you’re consistently seeing a commercial for your favorite late night take out, perhaps think about doing something where you can’t see that commercial at that hour, such as reading a book.
Create A Meal Schedule
Another reason people end up late night snacking is due to having irregular eating habits throughout the day. Perhaps you avoid eating much throughout the day and then eat a large dinner, thinking you won’t be hungry again late at night. If you’re someone like this, try creating and following a consistent meal schedule of three balanced meals throughout your day. If done daily, your hunger later at night will not be as strong, and then you’ll wake up feeling hungry and ready to eat your first meal of the day.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Eating late at night can also be linked to not getting enough sleep. If you work a regular 9 to 5 and are up late at night, that may be the reason you eat late at night. While this may seem obvious, the fact that you’re up late at night may be you mistaking tiredness for hunger. Instead, try going to sleep earlier and ensuring you’re getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. This may help you get that late night snacking under control.