Hungry AF in the evening time? Put it down to stress hormones

We're prone to blaming that belly bloat and break out of chin blemishes on hormones, but now it seems that they can impact your appetite too. 

According to a study, those of us who are inclined to eat late in the evening could blame it all on the hormones.

A report published in the International Journal of Obesity examined the connection between late eating and hormonal spikes and dips. 

In fact, the report found that the hunger hormone levels rise and satiety hormones drop in the evening, which can lead to stress eating.

'Our findings suggest that evening is a high-risk time for overeating, especially if you're stressed and already prone to binge eating,' said Susan Carnell, Ph.D, who conducted the study. 

'The good news is that having this knowledge, people could take steps to reduce their risk of overeating by eating earlier in the day, or finding alternative ways to deal with stress,' she said.

The participants fasted before undergoing a stress test, after which they were presented with a buffet. 

Those who over ate at the buffet had spikes of corresponding hunger and stress hormones in their system.  

So, if you're finding yourself snacking into the night, you may want to check your stress levels and practice some mindfulness.