Mental Health

Emotional Eating

6.4

Emotional Eating: Why you eat at night, and how to stop the cycle.

5 sections, about 8 minutes in total

Human

Eating for comfort is a normal human pattern, not a character flaw.

Restriction

Restriction is the most common cause of night-time eating.

~3%

About 3 percent of people experience binge eating disorder in their lifetime. It is the most common eating disorder, and it is treatable (NIMH).

Section 1 of 5:

Start with the signs

The signs of emotional eating.

These are the common signs of the restrict and overeat cycle. Tap the signs you have to see why they happen.

Nothing you tap is stored. This is a mirror for you, not a form for us.

Section 2 of 5:

What the evidence says

What helps with night eating, and what does not.

Most night eating happens because you ate too little during the day. Eating enough works better than willpower, banning foods or a new diet. Comfort eating is normal. Binge eating disorder is different and can be treated.

The beliefMore willpower is the fix.
What the evidence saysNo. If you ate too little during the day, your body pushes back at night. Food rules make it worse. Willpower cannot hold that off for long. Eating enough during the day is what takes the pressure off.
The beliefBanning my trigger foods will stop it.
What the evidence saysNo. Banning a food makes you want it more. Allowing all foods, in normal amounts, makes the craving fade over time.
The beliefComfort eating means something is wrong with me.
What the evidence saysNo. Almost everyone eats for comfort sometimes. It is not a disorder. Binge eating disorder is different. It means repeated episodes of eating that feels out of control, about once a week, for months. It can be treated.
The beliefThe right diet will finally fix it.
What the evidence saysNo. Another diet restarts the same cycle. Restricting on Monday is linked with overeating later in the week.
The beliefEating enough in the day stops the night eating.
What the evidence saysYes. Eating regular meals with enough food is the most reliable way to stop night eating, because most night eating comes from not eating enough during the day.
Section 3 of 5:

How the cycle works

How eating too little in the day leads to eating too much at night.

The cycle has four steps. It starts with restriction, not with the night eating. Click through to see each one.

Tap a step to open it. Each one carries the detail.

Where the cycle breaks

Willpower does not break the cycle. Two things do. First, eat enough at regular times, with no banned foods, so the pressure does not build. Second, have more than one way to deal with a hard feeling, so food is not the only option.

Section 4 of 5:

When to get help

Emotional eating, or binge eating disorder?

Emotional eating is common and coaching can help.

Emotional eating

  • Eating to soothe or numb, sometimes past comfortable fullness, with choice still present somewhere in it
  • Tracks with stress, restriction, and the loop above. It softens as eating gets regular and rules relax
  • Uncomfortable and worth changing, but not ruling your life

Binge eating disorder

  • Recurring episodes that feel out of control, like being a passenger: typically eating large amounts fast, past fullness, often alone, followed by marked distress
  • Happening weekly or more, for months. That is the diagnosable pattern (NIMH), affecting about 3% of people in their lifetime
Section 5 of 5:

The habits that help

Six habits that break the cycle.

None of these is a diet. Each one either lowers the pressure to eat or gives you another way to handle a feeling. Eating enough during the day does the most. Tap a habit to see what to do.

Tap a tab to open it. The detail lands here.

Keep going

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