Do you hold out until evening and then eat half the fridge? It turns out it's not weakness, but biology.
Scientists have discovered the hormone that turns you into a 'night eater.' And no, it's not ghrelin.
We are talking about neuropeptide Y, a molecule that awakens a brutal appetite in the dark hours of the day.
Dr. Amy Shapiro of New York explains: "Neuropeptide Y is produced during stress and sleep deprivation. It makes the brain crave fatty and sugary foods as quick fuel."
A study in Nature Communications (2021) found that people who sleep less than 6 hours have 45% higher levels of this hormone.
Why evening? Circadian rhythms slow metabolism at night, but neuropeptide Y ignores this.
Dr. Satchin Panda , author of The Circadian Code, conducted an experiment in which participants with disrupted sleep patterns consumed 550 extra calories after 8 p.m.
"The body thinks night is a time of crisis and requires energy reserves," he says.
How to trick the hormone? First, eat protein for breakfast.
The Obesity study (2022) proved that scrambled eggs or cottage cheese in the morning reduce evening hunger by 30%.
Dr. Ted Naiman elaborates: “The protein stabilizes glucose levels by preventing neuropeptide Y from taking over.”
Secondly, replace your late-night TV show with 10 minutes of stretching. Stress is the main trigger for the release of the hormone.
Dr. Ellen Vora , a Harvard psychiatrist, advises: “Yoga or 4-7-8 breathing lowers cortisol, which is related to neuropeptide Y.”
Her patients who practiced evening stretching were 60% less likely to overeat.
The third life hack is darkness. Bright light from your phone at night disrupts melatonin production, increasing hunger.
Dr. Phyllis Zee of Northwestern University recommends: “Two hours before bed, go into ‘dark mode’: dim lights, no screens. This will reduce neuropeptide Y levels by 25%.”
The bottom line? Overeating in the evenings is not your fault. It’s a hormone that can be put to sleep with simple rituals. As Dr. David Perlmutter says, “Don’t fight your body — give it what it needs to feel calm.”
