If you write at night you may also find yourself snacking more during that time (unfortunately, I'm speaking from experience). I assumed this might be a distraction gambit--a trip to the fridge gives you time to think about what to write next. However, a new study reveals that something else may be happening.
As reported in Science Daily, researcher Travis Masterson said, "You might over-consume at night because food is not as rewarding, at least visually, at that time of day. It may not be as satisfying to eat at night so you eat more to try to get satisfied."
The study also showed that we are more preoccupied with food at night, even if we don't feel any less full than at other times of day.
The researchers used MRI scans to see how the brain reacts to images of food. They found lower reward-related brain response to food images in the evening. Not surprisingly, they also found that the brain gets more excited when it registers images of high-calorie food (ice cream, baked goods...oh oh, I'm getting hungry...) than when it is presented with pictures of low-calorie foods (vegetables, grains, fish).
The practical value of the findings may be limited. We can tell ourselves that we don't need these snacks and that our brain is tricking us, but logic doesn't stand much of a chance when pitted against a big bowl of ice cream. Probably the best solution still is not to have that kind of food in the house in the first place.
