Do you crave sweets at night?  I used to do that.  When I went to bed at night, I really wanted some sweets?  Sweets before bedtime is a really bad idea for my weight as all the extra calories get stored in my body.   I tried to find out why.

There are complex reasons such as stress and nutrient deficiencies.  But in addition to those, I found that there are many reasons why people crave sweets late at night. 

I will explain what are the reasons I found that people crave sugar at night.  I will also provide some ways to deal with it to reduce the sugar craving.

Why We Crave Sugar At Night?

Not Enough Energy Provided During The Day

The most common reason is that many people don’t get enough energy from food during the day.  When I don’t eat enough food during the day, I crave sugar at night.

That happens to many people and it is the biggest reason why people crave sweets at night – because they haven’t eaten enough during the time they had most activities.

When you get busy during the day, many people forget to eat and choose to skip it. Since your body didn’t get enough energy to sustain the energy it needs during the day, it comes back to ask for compensation at night time.

Dehydration

Our brain needs a certain level of blood sugar to feel fine.

If you don’t drink enough water during the day, you get dehydration because your body spends the water without sufficient supplies.

Our brain requires water to work normally.  It sends electrical signals to our body that it is time to stop eating.  But when it is in the state of dehydration, the brain is not able to send correct signals.  As a result, we continue to feel like eating something sweet.

So if you crave sweets at night, try to remember how much water you had over the past few hours.  Water helps balance out electrolytes in the body. 

In fact, if you feel thirsty, your body is already in need of water.  We should consciously watch how much water we drink to avoid dehydration.

Now I make sure I drink enough water during the day to reduce the chance of sugar cravings.

Too Much Stress

People in modern society generally have more stress than their previous generations.  With all the new technologies and more things to do every day, we tend to build up stress over time, it is called chronic stress.  Chronic stress means that you are stressed out, but not severely.

Almost everyone has a cell phone these days.  That makes you be available all day long when people want to reach you.  They expect to easily reach you immediately, whether it is email, text, or straight-up phone call.  It is like you have to be ready the entire day.  Mentally it can be stressful and it adds up.

Some people say they don’t feel it fine.  It may be because you get used to it gradually.  But the stress is there whether you feel it or not.

Therefore chronic stress is hidden stress. It’s impacting you but you may not know it.  That stress can cause you to look for sweets at night.

Eating too many carbs

Carbs are an interesting thing. They taste good and can make you feel full fast.  Think of hamburgers, french fries, pizza, . . . .  Aren’t those nice?

But in a few hours, you feel the urge to eat again.

Carbs are an important part of energy resource, it is something you need to maintain your energy.  The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that carbohydrates take up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories.  If you eat 2,000 calories a day, between 900 and 1,300 calories should be from carbs. That means between 225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates a day.

But if you have food with too high carbs at night, especially when you’ve already eaten dinner earlier, can lead to sugar cravings in the evening.

To avoid sugar cravings you absolutely need to have at least two good meals per day that make you full.  And if you’re just eating carb foods then you’ll end up craving sweets in the evening.

Lack of Enough Sleep

It’s recommended that adults get around seven to eight hours of sleep every day depending on their age.

Lack of sleep will get your hormones off balance and make your brain think sweet foods are more ‘valuable’ than they really are.

Therefore we should really pay attention to how many hours of sleep that we get during the night on average.  Place a notebook by your bedside to record the numbers, it will help you.

I used to sleep less than 6 hours a night to study, and that make me really want to eat sweet stuff.  I changed that bad habit, try to get enough sleep, and my sugar craving goes down.

The following tips below will help you to get your system in balance and break the cycle for good.

Nine Tips To End Nighttime Craving Sweets

I will provide 9 tips below you can do to stop the cravings for sweets at night.

Get Enough Nutrition During The Day

This is the key point to stop the nighttime cravings.  A good day starts with breakfast.

If you are binging at night, you probably don’t want to eat breakfast because you are still full when you wake up.  In that case, you have to make a change.  That starts with having breakfast: a good, protein breakfast.  Eat enough food in the morning so you don’t get hungry later on.

Then I make sure I get a healthy balance of protein, fat, and carbs so that my body can function properly.  Another important I learned is that I need to avoid eating too many carbs at one time. Eating too many carbs get your blood sugar levels can get too high. This causes your body to make more insulin, which tells your cells to save the extra glucose as fat.  In addition, Include protein in every meal so you don’t crave sweets later on

Don’t drink your calories: 

Research has shown that substituting water for sugary beverages helps you lose weight.  It is easy for extra calories to get into your body when you drink them. 

When you have sugary, liquid calories whether in the form of sodas, juices, lattes, sports drinks, or iced teas, it spikes your insulin and blood sugar and it certainly causes cravings.

Make sure you eat regularly

Have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you want a snack in between, that’s fine, but make sure you eat at regular rhythms and regular times. Your body is a hormonal clock, and you have to eat in rhythm to keep it in balance.

Get More Sleep

If you don’t sleep enough, you are more likely to feel hungry and crave carbs and sugar. Why is that? Because when you are lack sleep, the hormone that drives hunger goes up and the hormone that makes you feel full goes down.  As a result, you tend to eat more food to make up for it.  If you want to lose weight, get more sleep.

The following are the things I learned to have more quality sleep.  First of all, no caffeine after 12 pm.  Next, I developed a bedtime routine.  I set an alarm, read a book before going to sleep, I also try to have a nap time during the day if possible.

Another tip is to go to bed at the same time every day and get up at the same time every morning.  Even if it is a weekend or holiday, I do my best to keep the routine.  Lastly, I place my cell phone at another place, nowhere near my bed.  Research shows that computer and cell phone screens interfere with melatonin production which is an important natural hormone to help you sleep.

Keep Hydrated During The Day

This is what I do, I drink at least eight glasses of water a day.   I keep a water bottle with me throughout the day.  That way I am more likely to drink water every once in a while.

Another tip I use is to download a water app.  It gives me reminders during the day to keep up on water intake.  Lastly, whenever I feel thirsty, I drink!

Have More Protein and Good-quality Fat and Reduce Carbs

In general, you should try to have about 50% of what you eat be carbs and let the other 50% be protein, fat, or vegetables.  But not any fat, you should get the fats from good resources, such as nuts and seeds, avocados, coconut, olive oil.

In addition, good quality protein resources are like chicken, fish, or grass-fed meat. Some combination of these (plus lots of vegetables) balances your blood sugar.

As far as carbs are concerned, it is better to have complex carbs like whole grains, beans, and cereals, and avoid eating carbs from processed snacks.

Reduce Hidden Stress: 

Here is the principle:  If you are under stress, you tend to get fat.  If you can reduce stress, you are less likely to get fat.  

There are many forms of activities that can help reduce stress, such as practicing breathing, meditation, yoga, and exercise on a regular basis.

I learn to take time for myself, take small breaks every once a  while in a busy day, it greatly helps me to reduce stress.  I also learn to cut down on making commitments. You don’t need to say yes to everyone who has a request.  Make the smart choices and say no to the unnecessary ones.

Find the foods you are allergic to

Studies have shown that if we eat foods that we are allergic to, it can elevate our blood sugar in a way that is similar to consuming foods high in sugar. 

We actually crave those foods that contribute to our desire to eat them.  Gluten and dairy are among the top triggers for food sensitivity.  Try to control the intake of these foods for a few weeks and see if that reduces your craving.

Take Right Supplement to Reduce Sweet Cravings

If you have tried everything and failed, there are supplements that help balance your blood sugar and insulin and help stop cravings.

Glutamine

Glutamine is a common essential amino acid. It’s also one of the best supplements to reduce sugar cravings.

Studies have shown that l-glutamine supplements help reduce sugar cravings due to the stabilizing effect glutamine has on serum blood sugar. Glutamine also reduces the production of ghrelin, a hormone that causes cravings for sugary, starchy foods.

Omega-3

There are two types of omega-3 exist in high vitamin cod liver oil: EPA and DHA. EPA is necessary for the production of prostaglandins, which are the hormones that direct many important functions in the cells. DHA, on the other hand, is important for the healthy development of the nervous system and the brain.  Combining these nutrients can strengthen neurology during the processes of breaking sugar cravings.

A couple of capsules a day of cod liver oil or fish oil can really help.

PGX

PGX is a form of fiber supplement called PGX.  It’s made from a Japanese root called glucomannan and seaweed. 

The most important advantage of PGX over other soluble fiber products is that significantly less PGX is required to obtain the same important health benefits, including appetite control and reduced food cravings.  

It slows the spiking of insulin and blood sugar, helps make you feel full, balances out all the hormones, and stops the cravings.  Not only does it help stop sweet craving, but also it helps you lose weight.

Chromium

In small doses, chromium may help ward off blood sugar dips and spikes that lead to cravings.

A doctor recommended I take 200 mcg of chromium twice a day, one in the morning and one in the evening, to help balance my blood sugar levels. 

However, you should check with your own doctor or registered dietitian before starting a new supplement.

Lipoic acid

Lipoic acid is a vitamin-like chemical also referred to as alpha-lipoic acid. Your body produces lipoic acid, you can also get it from food and supplements. It helps improve nerve function, reduce inflammation, and lower blood sugar levels. Studies show that alpha-lipoic acid lowers blood sugar levels by boosting the breakdown of fat tissue accumulated in the muscles.

Do you crave sweets at night?  Tell us your story. Share it with the community in the comments section below.