Despite the fact we spend longer going without food when we are sleeping, research suggests our appetite naturally peaks in the evening, almost regardless of how much we have eaten earlier in the day.
Prof James Betts, who researches how the body handles food and energy at the University of Bath, says a big factor is that our “hunger hormone” ghrelin is generally higher later in the day.
“While it tends to be suppressed by meals, that really only happens after the first meal of the day, not after lunch or dinner.”
But what you eat also matters. Meals rich in protein, fibre and volume tend to keep us satisfied for longer.
Betts says not having a nutritious or satiating evening meal can lead to a “crash” later, which sees people snack.
For others, the fear of waking up hungry during the night is also a motivating factor, while habit plays a role too.
“If snacking often happens in the same setting, the surrounding cues can start to trigger cravings,” says Prof Suzanne Higgs, an expert in appetite at the University of Birmingham.
“For example, if someone usually snacks while watching TV, simply turning the TV on may make them feel like eating.”
