Do Cravings Feel Uncontrollable?                                                                                    

Do you find yourself often getting to a point where cravings feel extremely difficult to manage? And are there certain foods that are at the top of your cravings list? There may be various factors actually increasing these cravings and making it more challenging to manage them.

Sleep and stress

Research suggests when the body is sleep deprived, hormones can shift, including both the hunger hormone (ghrelin) and the appetite-suppressing hormone (leptin). The specific shift thought to occur is an increase in ghrelin and decrease in leptin, resulting in increased overall hunger. Furthermore, when the body is experiencing chronic stress, studies have suggested this may also contribute to increased cravings, and specifically cravings of hyper-palatable foods (high-fat, high-sugar, high-sodium, or high-carb foods that trigger the brain’s reward system). The potential association comes from the disturbance of communication within the brain, contributing to a release of cortisol, ultimately increasing cravings and overall appetite.

Inadequate intake during the day

Do you find yourself going extended periods of time without eating? Fueling your body every 3-4 hours with balanced nutrition can help manage level of hunger level and cravings, prior to getting to the point of feeling overly hungry. Once the body has reached a ravenous state, it can be more challenging to manage cravings and result in higher calorie consumption compared to more consistent, balanced intake throughout the day.

Has it become a learned behavior?

It could be that your body has started to associate certain foods with an event or environment and ultimately, increase cravings of that food item in certain settings. For example, craving potato chips in the evening while you watch television. If so, it can be beneficial to acknowledge that learned behavior and actively work to interrupt the behavior for a period of time. Once that food or snack-type is reintroduced, consider doing so in a different setting, in moderate amounts, and remaining intentional to not develop it as a consistent habit. Focusing on eating in environments that support mindful eating can also be helpful such as, eating at the dinner table without the television as a distraction.

References: PubMed, Harvard Health