The early signs of true hunger may include mild hunger pangs, a feeling of emptiness in your stomach, and stomach rumbling. However, if you haven’t eaten in several hours and are experiencing signs of physical hunger, you’re probably hungry and need to eat a meal or snack. If you recently ate a balanced meal and are craving more food, the craving is likely psychological. As such, it’s important to eat when you’re hungry - not wait until you’re ravenous. Some people skip meals when they’re trying to lose weight, which is often counterproductive, as waiting too long between meals may lead to overeating. True hunger and thirst feel different than boredom.īear in mind that you need to fuel your body regularly to maintain your health and provide energy to get you through your day. Several factors may increase your susceptibility to psychological hunger, including stress, social pressure, advertising, poor sleep, hyperpalatable foods, and boredom. For this reason, many people struggle to regulate their intake of these foods - even when they’re not physically hungry ( 12, 13). This means that they’re designed to taste delicious and immediately reward your brain. Hyperpalatable foodsĬertain highly processed items like potato chips, candy, and fast food are considered hyperpalatable. Some studies show that adults who don’t get enough sleep eat more calories, snack more, and are more likely to gain weight ( 10, 11). Sleep may have a powerful effect on your eating habits. In fact, some research suggests that advertisements depicting people eating are more likely to trigger cravings than other methods of showcasing food in ads ( 9). If you’ve ever had a food craving triggered by a television commercial, you know that advertising can be a powerful trigger for psychological hunger. One small study in 65 college students found that those seated with someone who got a second helping of food were 65% more likely to get seconds themselves than those seated with someone who didn’t get seconds ( 8). When people around you are eating or drinking, you may be more likely to do so - even if you’re not hungry. Such hormonal changes may cause people with excess weight to be more susceptible to stress-induced food cravings ( 6, 7). StressĬhronic mental stress may alter your hunger hormones, triggering food cravings ( 5). In fact, boredom eating may be even more common than other types of emotional eating, such as stress eating.Īdditionally, people who are prone to boredom may be more likely to overeat or emotionally eat ( 1, 2, 4). Boredomīoredom is one trigger for psychological hunger. Here are some of the most common psychological hunger triggers. For example, stress, poor sleep, and easy access to junk foods may make you more likely to eat out of boredom. Whereas physical hunger is triggered by an empty stomach and driven by your body’s need to procure more energy, many factors play into psychological hunger.īoredom eating may not only occur as a result of boredom but also various triggers outlined below. Conversely, psychological hunger is associated with cravings, emotional eating, and boredom eating. Physical hunger is true hunger, which is characterized by an empty feeling in your stomach and discomfort that can only be relieved by eating. It may manifest as a craving for dessert despite feeling full from a meal, or a desire for a specific item or type of food.Ĭontrast this sensation with physical hunger, which can be satisfied by any food at all. Psychological hunger occurs when you have a desire to eat but feel no physical signs that your body needs food. If you don’t eat, you may experience low blood sugar levels and feel weak, unfocused, or fatigued. With this type of hunger, your stomach feels empty and may rumble. This type is true hunger, in which your body needs food so it can create more energy. Physical hunger can be defined as your body’s drive to eat for survival, while psychological hunger is based more on cravings or external cues. Generally speaking, there are two types of hunger - physical and psychological ( 3). Hunger can be difficult to define, as it involves a complex interplay of hormones, biochemical processes, and physical reactions.
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