Why Late-Night Snacking Can Be Harmful and When You Should Eat Instead

After a busy day, it happens: night falls, silence takes over—and suddenly, there's a craving to eat.

Usually, eating at this hour isn't done thoughtfully. When we're tired at night, it's hard to resist temptation.

Our bodies are designed so that when darkness falls, we don't need food. Any food, even healthy, that we consume makes it harder for the body and can cause harm.

If this occurs once in a while, the body will clean up and recover by the next day. The harm comes when this nighttime eating happens night after night. It's crucial to understand that sleep is a time for cleansing and processing information and memories. When sleep is interrupted, sharp thinking suffers, and so does memory.

At night, the immune system checks every cell in the body and removes unhealthy ones—a process that works during the night. If eating becomes a regular habit, there's a risk of disease development, heaven forbid. People don't wake up one morning with a serious illness; it's the habits that consistently burden the system that matter.

The body is tired at night, so it looks for readily available energy sources—mainly carbohydrates and fats, which affect weight and the quality of sleep. Falling asleep after a meal means the body is still trying to digest the food. At this time, digestion is difficult, the food isn't processed properly, leading to decay and the growth of parasites.

Studies have analyzed people eating the exact same food. Those who finished by 6 PM lost weight, while those who ate the same amount at night didn't lose weight, and some even gained. The conclusion is that eating timing disrupts metabolism, calorie burning, and weight increase.

We deserve to give ourselves a break—creating recharging stations during the day, planned breaks, is possible even when extremely busy. Our priorities must change to prevent damage, enabling timely sleep without the need for late-night compensation.

However, for those who find it hard to resist and need food at night: try chamomile tea for its calming effect. A bowl of vegetable soup or thin oatmeal can fill and satisfy. It's recommended to avoid animal protein, chocolate, and spicy foods at night, as these can disrupt body temperature regulation.