Have you ever experienced feeling hungry and craving for food before going to bed at night? Do you usually choose to go to bed hungry or have some late night snacks? What are the hazards of sleeping hungry to the body? The time it takes for food to empty in the stomach is about 4-5 hours. If you finish eating at 18:00, by 22:00, the food in your stomach is basically empty. At this time, the body will secrete a hormone that makes you want to eat, commonly known as "fat hormone", which is opposite to "leptin". When staying up late, the body secretes "fat hormone", while "leptin" is only secreted during sleep. Therefore, many people may find that the later they sleep, the more they want to eat, and even feel hungry and unable to fall asleep. What are the hazards of sleeping hungry for a long time to the body? Gastritis and gastric ulcers require the secretion of stomach acid from the gastrointestinal tract, regardless of whether one eats or not. Gastric acid is a strong acid, and if it comes into direct contact with the gastric mucosa over time, it can easily lead to digestive system diseases such as gastritis and gastric ulcers. Sleeping on an empty stomach may cause palpitations, sweating, fatigue, and hand tremors, which can seriously affect sleep quality and make it difficult for people to enter deep sleep. For diabetes patients with hypoglycemia, sleeping on an empty stomach will cause "dawn phenomenon", which may cause coma in serious cases. Who is suitable for having supper at night? In order to avoid "dawn phenomenon" for diabetes patients, it is generally recommended that diabetes patients eat some healthy food before going to bed, so as to ensure stable blood sugar at night. Patients with stomach and liver diseases are prone to decreased appetite. Although they are easily hungry, eating a little can make them feel full. Eating supper can help patients maintain nutrient absorption at night. If the extra meal is put in the daytime, it may affect the patient's dinner. Therefore, it is recommended to have some supper two hours after dinner, such as Congee, Mantou, noodles, small Wonton, etc. The amount of supper can be the same as the dinner. Thin elderly people have decreased gastrointestinal digestion and absorption function, coupled with underlying diseases, resulting in loss of appetite, easy bloating after meals, and continuous weight loss. At this time, it is recommended to develop the habit of adding meals before bedtime. On the one hand, it does not affect three meals a day, and at the same time, it is beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract to absorb nutrients and prevent further weight loss. What are the risks of eating the wrong late night snack? Obesity is characterized by reduced nighttime activity and slowed metabolism. Increasing diet before bedtime can convert excess energy into fat storage, leading to weight gain and obesity. Eating too much before bedtime can easily cause brain activity and lead to insomnia. During nighttime sleep, the gastrointestinal motility usually weakens and the secretion of digestive fluids correspondingly decreases. Adding extra food before bedtime can increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, leading to symptoms such as indigestion, food reflux, nausea, and vomiting. May cause gastroesophageal reflux. Many people are accustomed to drinking milk before bedtime. Milk is rich in nutrients, including tryptophan, which has a calming and sleep aid effect. However, drinking it before bedtime may cause gastroesophageal reflux. Heartburn, pain behind the sternum, discomfort in the throat, chronic cough, asthma, sinusitis, etc., may all be manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux. Damage to renal function: barbecue, hot pot, fried chicken, instant noodles... These high salt and high oil night snacks will cause water and sodium retention in the body and increase the metabolic load of the kidney. How should I eat when I'm hungry before going to bed? Eating supper 1-2 hours before bedtime is not recommended as it is not conducive to gastrointestinal health and sleep. It is recommended to eat supper 1-2 hours before bedtime. It is recommended to choose light foods as much as possible, such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, soda crackers, apples, etc. These foods are not easy to burden the gastrointestinal tract. Don't eat too much before sleeping, as it can easily cause the body to store extra calories as fat, leading to obesity. Just make sure there is no hunger before going to bed. (New Society)