Hunger pains at 4 am ,why

[3NUMBAS]

I had a good meal and no booze  previously ,but get these hunger pains needing some slices of bread till I eat a good breakers, I have a feeling the chocolate bars I ate maybe the cause but not sure ,any clues?

[scubascuba3]

Maybe not eaten enough the day before and/or your body is used to snacking during the night.

 

I never need to eat during the night

[pomchop]

Have a bowl of muselix before bed. No hunger pains.

[Sheryl]

Eating anything with a lot of sugar will result in first a spike and then a precipitous drop in blood sugar leading to hunger.

 

Do not eat such things close to bedtime.

 

Best to eat something high in protein and with some fat, but not sugar, before sleep. That will maintain your blood sugar during the night.

[3NUMBAS]

Thanks I thought it was chocolate was the cause

[KhunLA]

6 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

Thanks I thought it was chocolate was the cause

Store bought chocolate has a lot of sugar in it.  Even homemade chocolate recipes call for quite a bit, like 1-1-1 ratio of coconut oil - cacao powder - sugar, 1/3 cup each.  

 

I add just a tsp of honey, to cut the cacao bitterness, so not bad at all, but very caloric heavy.  Just a few 'pieces' and it's ~700 calories.   That's a good size meal worth of calories.

[GammaGlobulin]

Great Topic!

 

Certainly this is a condition with which I can easily identify.

 

Here are some potential causes....

 

So what I do...in most cases, when I get these hunger pangs/pains at 4AM...is....

 

I eat rice gruel made of ....

 

Congee Rice

Tidbits of egg omelette

Tuna chunks

 

Just prepare it in advance, and then when you feel the need, some time in the night or early morning hours, ...

Just pop the prepared bowl of zhou into the microwave.

Slurp it down.

Then sleep for another few hours.

You might try this if you have this problem.

 

Also, rice congee and rice ZHOU are not the same.

Zhou is the Chinese name for the Thai/Chinese dish that looks like this....

 

rice gruel is xifan

rice gruel with pork, shrimp, or egg-omelette tidbits mixed in is called Zhou.

 

This is great stuff late at night.

 

I have no access to shrimp, however, or I would prefer a bowl, as pictured above, in almost all cases.

 

 

 

 

[newbee2022]

11 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

Thanks I thought it was chocolate was the cause

Sure, it was the chocolate (too much sugar). In addition too many "empty" calories to be stored at your hips. (Visceral fat). Be careful with it.

[scubascuba3]

37 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Sure, it was the chocolate (too much sugar). In addition too many "empty" calories to be stored at your hips. (Visceral fat). Be careful with it.

Fat in chocolate, people don't seem to know

[IvorBiggun2]

Hunger pangs are rarely caused by a medical condition. However, if you experience ongoing or severe abdominal pain, you should contact a medical professional. 

[newbee2022]

33 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Fat in chocolate, people don't seem to know

Well, also fat is the flavor carrier.

[Captain Flack]

A troll post has been removed, this is the health forum where people seek advice, not for nonsense replies.

[markwhite]

7 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Hunger pangs are rarely caused by a medical condition.

 

Unexpectedly (to me anyway) the presence of a parasitic infection can cause stomach pains that can be mistaken for hunger pangs, and parasites apparently are more active at night. Eating often relieves the symptoms which can lead to the idea of just being hungry.

[bendejo]

What time do you hit the sack? 

I aim for midnight.  With diabetes, something wakes me around 4a.  I have a small snack, and if lucky I'll sleep through till around 7:30a.

 

Chocolate has caffeine, y'know.

 

[CanadaSam]

Can of tuna, mixed with some finely chopped onions, and mayonnaise, in a plastic box.

 

Smear some on a piece or two of bread, more than enough for me.

 

Lasts 3 to 4 days in the fridge!

[Phillip9]

Eat more vegetables and protein instead of chocolate and bread.  Takes longer to digest, keeps you feeling full much longer.

[save the frogs]

On 12/29/2024 at 5:18 AM, Sheryl said:

Do not eat such things close to bedtime.

Personally, I don't think it's good to eat anything at all close to bedtime, at least 3 hours before sleep. Maybe stop eating 5 or 6 hours before sleep is even better. 

 

But meals during the day need to be high in protein so you won't feel hungry in the evening or during sleep. 

 

 

[mstevens]

4 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

Eat more vegetables and protein instead of chocolate and bread.  Takes longer to digest, keeps you feeling full much longer.

 

Try protein and fat. Fat is like a slow-burning energy source and it, along with protein, keep your satiated for longer.

[Phillip9]

4 minutes ago, mstevens said:

Try protein and fat. Fat is like a slow-burning energy source and it, along with protein, keep your satiated for longer.

 

True.  I didn't mention it because most people will get a lot of fat already from meat, cooking oils and junk food.  It's not something most would need to try and add to their diet.