Evening emotional eating: causes, serotonin, and how to manage it naturally
A
Alessandro La Rocca
3 min
The role of serotonin and the support of natural active ingredients.
How many times, after an intense day, do you find yourself looking for something to snack on in the evening, even without a real feeling of hunger?
This is so-called emotional eating, an eating behavior linked more to emotions than to physiological need.
It is a much more common phenomenon than one might think, especially in people who lead stressful lifestyles, who sleep little or who experience mood swings during the day.
Why does emotional eating mainly occur in the evening?
The evening is the moment when:
attention decreases after hours of activity;
accumulated tiredness and stress increase,
the ability to self-control decreases,
the body seeks something to “console” it.
At a biological level, two main factors come into play:
the decrease in serotonin, the neurotransmitter of well-being;
the increase in cortisol, the stress hormone.
The result? The brainlooksforsomething that can provide immediaterelief. And oftenthat "shortcut" iscarbohydrate-and-sugar-rich foods, whichtemporarilyincreaseserotonin…
but which then lead to a sense of guilt, bloating and difficultysleeping.
Serotonin: the well-beinghormonethatregulatesappetite and emotions.
Serotoninplays a keyrole in the control of:
mood,
eatingimpulses,
sleep,
appetiteregulation.
When its levelsarelow — often due to stress, fatigue, lack of rest or sleep-wakerhythmdisorders — the bodytries to compensatethroughfood, especiallysweets and carbohydrates.
Therefore, emotional hunger is not a lack of willpower, but a physiologicalsignal:the body is askingforbalance.
Thereareingredientsused in the nutraceuticalfieldthatact precisely onthesebiologicalmechanisms — supporting relaxation, emotional balance and more regular sleep.
Three of the mosteffectiveare:
Griffoniasimplicifolia
Rich in 5-HTP, the direct precursor of serotonin. What does that mean? It supports the natural production of serotonin, helping to:
reduce emotional food cravings,
stabilize mood,
alleviate evening hunger attacks,
promote relaxation.
It is one of the moststudiedingredients in the management of nervous hunger and emotional tension..
Chamomile
In addition to promoting relaxation, it has a calming effect on the nervous system. Its action helps to reduce:
agitation,
nervousness,
pre-sleep stress — another factor that triggers hunger attacks.
Melatonin
Melatonin does not "make you sleep": it re-establishes the natural sleep-wake rhythm..
Balanced sleep is essential because:
it reduces cortisol,
it stabilizes serotonin,
it decreases the desire for "comfort food",
it prevents nocturnal awakenings with hunger.
Those who sleep poorly have a much higher probability of experiencing emotional hunger in the evening hours.
When griffonia, melatonin, and chamomile are combined in a single formula, the support becomes more complete:
relaxation is promoted,
mood and emotional balance are improved,
it contributes to a more stable regulation of appetite,
the tendency for evening snacks is reduced,
sleep quality is improved.
If, furthermore, the formula is developed with Bio-Enhancer® gel technology, as in Plas Sleep, there is greater protection of the active ingredients, preserving their integrity during passage through the stomach, improving their bioavailability, meaning their ability to be truly absorbed by the body, and optimizing the effectiveness of the formula without increasing the dosage, making consumption gentler and more tolerable.
Plas Sleep is formulated with Bio-Enhancer® gel technology and contains Magnesium, Melatonin, Griffonia, and Chamomile.
Plas Sleep is a stick pack supplement useful for reducing the time it takes to fall asleep and controlling hunger pangs. Available in 20 stick packs of 10 ml.
