Dinner determines weight! Which is more harmful to the body, sleeping hungry or eating late night snacks? Data speaks for itself

In the middle of the night, while scrolling through my phone until I was hungry, my hand that opened the fridge hung in mid air - to eat or not to eat? This question is comparable to the ultimate philosophical proposition. Some people firmly believe that 'hunger can cure all diseases' and forcefully fall asleep by wrapping themselves tightly in blankets; Some people also think that 'eating enough is the strength to lose weight', and they try making instant noodles and milk tea in one meal. The truth may surprise you, the battle between sleeping on an empty stomach and eating late at night, the key to victory lies in the secret code of body metabolism.

1. Three hidden costs of sleeping hungry

1. Blood sugar roller coaster

If you don't eat for more than 8 hours, your body will activate emergency mode. The liver desperately breaks down its stored glycogen, leading to abnormally high blood sugar levels in the morning. This rebound hyperglycemia is more likely to cause fat accumulation than eating late night snacks. Monitoring data shows that people who fall asleep on an empty stomach for a long time have a 23% higher fluctuation in morning blood sugar compared to those who eat regularly.

2. Muscle loss quietly

During sleep, the body enters a repair mode, and a lack of protein supply will break down muscles to obtain amino acids. Research has found that insufficient protein at night can lead to a 40% decrease in muscle synthesis rate, and 1 kilogram of muscle can burn an additional 70 calories per day.

3. Binge eating trigger

Hunger hormone ghrelin surges by 300% on an empty stomach, which can cause a person to lose control of eating at breakfast the next day. Laboratory observations have found that participants who were hungry the night before consumed an average of 22% more calories.

2. 4 cruel truths about indulging in late night snacks

1. The digestive system is forced to work overtime

After falling asleep, the speed of gastrointestinal peristalsis decreases by 50%, and undigested food may linger for 6-8 hours. This not only affects sleep quality, but also triggers acid reflux, which may alter the structure of the esophageal mucosa in the long run.

2. Accelerated fat synthesis

Insulin sensitivity decreases at night, and the amount of fat synthesis produced by the same food at night is 18% higher than during the day. Especially high GI foods can cause a sudden increase in blood sugar, promoting the conversion of excess calories into visceral fat.

3. Chaotic biological clock

The timing of food intake directly affects the expression of human biological clock genes. Mouse experiments showed that the nighttime eating group gained 30% more weight than the normal group, even with the same total calorie intake. This disorder takes 3-5 days to adjust back.

4. Sleep Quality Impairment

Digestive activity can cause a 0.5 ℃ increase in core body temperature, while high-quality sleep requires a decrease in body temperature. Consuming more than 300 calories of food reduces deep sleep time by an average of 12 minutes.

III. The Golden Plan for Smart Dinner

1. Control the Time Window

Ideally, dinner should be scheduled 3 hours before bedtime to give digestion a buffer period. If you have to stay up late, you can choose protein snacks within 100 calories, such as boiled eggs or sugar free yogurt.

2. Optimize nutritional combination

High quality protein combined with dietary fiber is a perfect combination, such as fish and broccoli. Protein provides a sustained sense of satiety, while fiber slows down gastric emptying. This combination can increase nighttime metabolic rate by 5-7%.

3. Beware of hidden calories

Seemingly healthy late night snacks may also hide thunder, 200ml whole milk contains 120 calories, and a handful of nuts contains about 200 calories. Suggest using zero calorie drinks to alleviate hunger, such as light tea or warm water. The secret of weight management is never in extreme choices. Instead of worrying about whether to eat or not, it's better to establish a regular eating rhythm and keep the body's metabolism in a comfortable zone. Starting tonight, try adding some science to dinner and reducing the burden on sleep.