In daily life, eating a late night snack before going to bed and going to bed hungry are two extreme habits.
Some people are in the habit of eating a late-night snack before bed, while others choose to go to bed hungry. So, which is more harmful to eat a late night snack before going to bed or going to bed hungry?
The dangers of eating a late-night snack before bedtime
First, eating a late-night snack before bed may cause digestive problems.
Eating before bedtime makes the gastrointestinal system need more energy during digestion, which can affect sleep quality. Late-night snacks usually contain high-fat, high-sugar foods, which stay in the stomach for a long time and can easily cause uncomfortable symptoms such as heartburn and bloating.
In addition, the digestion of food in the stomach releases more acidic substances, which can trigger acid reflux, leading to excess stomach acid and further damage to the digestive organs.
The dangers of eating a late-night snack before bedtime
Sleeping on an empty stomach for a long time may cause damage to the gastric mucosa, causing gastritis, gastric ulcers and other digestive diseases. At the same time, going to bed hungry can also lead to low blood sugar, which makes the brain lack of energy and affects the normal quality of sleep.
In addition, since there is no food to provide energy, the body may break down the muscles to provide energy, resulting in a decrease in muscle mass and a decrease in the energy consumed by the body.
What should I do?
So what should you do if you're really hungry before going to bed? The answer is to eat.
However, even if you eat a late-night snack, it is best to choose low-fat, low-sugar foods, and control the amount of food you eat to avoid excessive fat and sugar accumulation in the body. Light foods, such as fruit or yogurt, can be eaten in moderation to provide the energy your body needs while avoiding over-secretion of gastric juices.
Wait for a while after eating to give the food enough time to digest.
We can eat in moderation before bedtime, choose healthy foods, and pay attention to food intake. Everyone's physical condition and needs are different, and you should choose a suitable routine according to your own situation.
Whether you eat a late night snack before going to bed or go to bed hungry, you should avoid extreme work and rest habits, maintain a regular work and rest time, follow the principles of healthy eating, and arrange your sleep time reasonably to better maintain physical and mental health.