Every night, Uncle Zhang falls asleep on an empty stomach, which he believes is the secret to staying in shape and healthy. But recently, he began to experience problems with decreased sleep quality and daytime fatigue. Uncle Zhang's troubles may be closely related to your life: So, is it a good thing or a bad thing to go to bed with hunger? "
When discussing the potential benefits of falling asleep with hunger, we first need to be clear:Moderate hunger pangs and extreme hunger are two different things. Moderate hunger pangs can have an unexpectedly positive impact on health.
1.Promotes metabolic balance in the body
Hunger pangs caused by an early dinner or a small amount of food can activate the body's natural metabolic processes. During the night, the body tends to use stored energy sources, such as fat, to maintain basic vital activities and repair cells. This metabolic state helps regulate blood sugar and fatty acid levels, thereby maintaining the body's metabolic balance. For example, one study found that skipping or eating less at night improved blood sugar control in people with abnormal glucose metabolism (often referred to as "diabetes").
2.Reduces the burden of nighttime digestion
Eating at night, especially high-fat or high-calorie foods, can put a strain on the digestive system. Conversely, falling asleep with a slight feeling of hunger can reduce the workload of the gastrointestinal tract, which can promote digestive health. Not only does this help prevent gastroesophageal reflux (commonly known as "acid reflux"), but it may also improve sleep quality. In the long term, this helps to maintain digestive health and prevent gastrointestinal disorders.
3.Improves sleep quality
While excessive hunger pangs may interfere with sleep, moderate hunger pangs may actually help improve sleep quality. This is because when you are hungry, your body naturally releases some hormones that help promote sleep, such as growth hormone and melatonin. These hormones play an important role in maintaining a normal sleep cycle. For example, an increase in melatonin helps speed up the time to fall asleep and deepen sleep.
4.Prevent excessive calorie intake at night
Excessive eating at night is one of the common causes of weight gain. Limiting the amount of dinner or falling asleep with a slight feeling of hunger can be an effective way to reduce your calorie intake at night. This has a positive effect on maintaining a healthy weight and preventing metabolic diseases such as increased blood pressure in the systemic arteries (often referred to as "hypertension").
Falling asleep hungry may seem like an easy way to reduce your calorie intake, but the practice can have negative health effects. Middle-aged and older people need to pay particular attention to these potential risks, as their physical conditions and metabolic processes are different from those of younger people.
1.Impaired sleep quality
During sleep, the body needs enough energy for cell repair and restoration. In a state of hunger, the body lacks energy, which can lead to light sleep, easy awakening, and even insomnia.
Reduced sleep depth and duration can have a direct impact on the next day's mental state and productivity. In the long term, this can increase stress and anxiety levels, which in turn can affect quality of life.
2.Underlying health problems:
Falling asleep hungry for long periods of time may interfere with gastrointestinal tract function, leading to excessive stomach acid or indigestion. This not only affects the quality of sleep, but can also lead to gastrointestinal diseases such as gastritis.
For middle-aged and older adults with abnormal glucose metabolism or elevated systemic arterial blood pressure, prolonged hunger at night may worsen these symptoms. A proper dinner can help stabilize blood sugar and blood pressure and reduce health risks.
3.Circadian rhythm disorders:
Hunger can interfere with the body's biological clock and affect the sleep-wake cycle。This can lead to irregular sleep schedules and worsen physical and psychological discomfort.
Disturbances in rhythms not only affect sleep, but can also affect other bodily functions, such as the work of the immune system and endocrine system, and thus affect overall health.