14 DAY TRIAL // In broad daylight, finishing off an entire pizza or cheesecake usually proves an impossible feat. Under the cover of darkness, however, the most endowed of fridges doesn't seem enough.
According to a team of researchers with at Brigham Young University, it is their brain that people should blame for their habit of getting up at night and snacking till there is nothing left to snack on.
In a study in the journal Brain Imaging and Behavior, the specialists explain that, according to their investigations into the matter at hand, the brain no longer perceives foods quite as satisfying come nightfall.
The result is that, to get the same kick from eating, people must gulp down not one but two sandwiches, maybe even three. Apparently, it's especially fast food that people no longer find rewarding at night.
“You might over-consume at night because food is not as rewarding, at least visually at that time of day. It may not be as satisfying to eat at night so you eat more to try to get satisfied,” explains study lead author Travis Masterson.
In a series of experiments, the researchers showed that, during daytime, the brain experiences activity spikes when presented with images of food, high-calorie treats in particular. During nighttime, these neural responses vanish.
The specialists plan to continue investigating these differences in how the brain responds to food during daytime and during nighttime in the hope to find a way to help people curb their appetite and stay in shape.