Late-Night Snack Cravings: Where Do They Come From? 

When the Sun Goes Down, the Cravings Pop Up!
Chances are, at one point or another, you've found yourself wrestling with junk-food cravings once the sun goes down. Researchers set out to determine what causes this phenomenon, and the findings are very interesting. A person's internal clock (a.k.a. circadian system) actually increases both overall hunger and specific cravings for sweet, starchy, and salty foods in the evening. It also makes us more likely to skip breakfast and have a big dinner... which is apparently what Sumo wrestlers do to gain weight! Another factor? Artificial light often means we stay up later, leaving us vulnerable to those physiological cravings. And since our bodies store more energy (read: calories) in the evening than they do in the daytime, feeding the night cravings is tied to weight gain. Eeeks! So how do we fight our mean ol' circadian clocks? One doctor from the study suggests the following to sidestep those cravings and avoid weight gain: Eat larger, higher-calorie meals early in the day, and keep dinner lighter and lower in calories. Then turn off the lights, and get plenty of sleep!