Emotions and feelings are really weird, weird in the sense that you can quite often mistake one for another. Of all of them, hunger is something that you can quite often assume is happening when in fact there is another feeling going on entirely. It’s good to get a hold of how this can manifest in your own body, because it can save you a lot of excess calorie consuming! Here are nine feelings that you can mistake for hunger.
1. Tiredness
Have you noticed that your snacking tends to happen in the mid-afternoon or right before you go to bed? That is because you are mistaking hunger for low energy. You tend to be at your most tired during these periods of the day, but you can avoid unnecessary snacking if you improve your sleeping cycle.
2. Stress
When you are stressed, it can cause adrenaline and cortisol to pump through your body which in turn causes things like high blood sugar levels. It it’s a one time event it should be no biggie, but if it is chronic stress, then you are likely to turn to snacking as a way to deal with your blood sugar spikes.
3. Thirst
You would be amazed by how many people mistake thirst for hunger! Make sure that you don’t have to deal with this confusion by staying nice and hydrated throughout the day. If you get a pang, drink a glass of water and see how you feel five minutes later.
4. Sadness
When you eat foods you like, it can release the same kind of pleasure in your body as something like sexual arousal. So it makes sense that when you are feeling sad, your body tries to tell you to eat in order to raise your mood in that way.
5. Routine
Routines can often make you feel like you have to eat, even when you don’t want or need to. Something like going to the movies, for example, you might have just eating a full dinner, but your brain will trick you in to thinking that you need popcorn because you are at the cinema. It’s wild!
6. Food Awareness
You could be working completely happy and fine, and then someone walks by you in the office with a big cookie. It’s only then that you start to feel hungry, but not because you actually are, more because you have been made aware of the possibility of snacking!
7. Medication
It might be completely out of your control. If you are taking medications, it’s worth having a read through the possible side effects to see if feelings of hunger are listed.
8. Hormonal Changes
Depending on the time of the month, a woman can feel one way in the morning, and a completely other way in the afternoon! Hormone surges are very common throughout all stages of the menstrual cycle, and one way that you might be tempted to deal with it is through comfort eating.
9. Nostalgia
You might be thinking back to a time when your grandma used to make the best biscuits in the world and all of a sudden you feel the urge to eat some, not because you are hungry, but because you are craving nostalgia!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can thirst be confused with hunger?
- Yes, sometimes your body signals thirst as hunger, so try drinking water before eating.
- How can I tell if I'm actually hungry?
- Check if your hunger builds gradually and is accompanied by physical cues like stomach growling.
- Does boredom trigger false hunger?
- Absolutely, boredom often makes people eat out of habit rather than true hunger.
- Can emotions make me feel hungry?
- Yes, feelings like stress, sadness, or anxiety can mimic hunger and lead to emotional eating.
- Is tiredness sometimes mistaken for hunger?
- Sometimes fatigue causes cravings, but it’s better to rest or take a break before eating.
- Do hormonal changes affect hunger feelings?
- Yes, hormones like those during menstrual cycles can make you feel hungry even when you aren’t.
- Can cravings be different from real hunger?
- Cravings usually focus on specific foods, while true hunger is more general and open to choices.
- How can mindful eating help with distinguishing hunger?
- Paying attention to your body's signals helps you recognize true hunger and avoid unnecessary snacking.
- Are sugar crashes often mistaken for hunger?
- Yes, after a sugar crash, your body can signal hunger to replenish energy quickly.
- What’s a quick way to check if I’m really hungry?
- Try waiting 10-15 minutes and see if the feeling grows stronger or fades away before eating.