Why Do We Overeat and Binge at Night? Understanding Nighttime Cravings & How to Stop Them
Do you find yourself “good” with food during the day, but once the evening comes, it feels like your brain rebels? You’re not alone. Nighttime overeating and binge eating are some of the most common struggles when it comes to food and weight loss.
In this episode of Solve the Overeating Puzzle, Eugenia, founder of Unlocks You – The Eating Psychology Clinic, explains why overeating at night has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with how your brain and body work.
We’ll dive into:
The survival response to restriction — why dieting or eating too little during the day backfires at night
Decision fatigue — how your brain runs out of willpower and why chocolate feels irresistible after 9pm
Dopamine seeking — why your brain craves comfort and reward after a stressful day
Cortisol drop — the stress hormone crash in the evening that makes you want soothing foods
Conditioned habit loops — how your brain learns that “evening = snack time” and how to break the cycle
You’ll also learn practical tools and strategies to:
Stop binge eating at night without relying on willpower
Eat in a way that leaves you satisfied, not deprived
Build simple routines to reduce cravings and overeating
Create calming rituals that actually help your brain and body relax
If you’ve ever asked yourself:
“Why do I always binge at night?”
“How can I stop emotional eating in the evening?”
“Why do I lose control with food after dinner?”
👉 This episode will give you the answers.
Want personalized support to stop overeating, feel normal with food again, and lose weight without crazy diets? Work with me in 1:1: coaching setting. Send me a message to inquire to: Eugenia@unloxu.nz
FREE RESOURCES:
- free workbook: 13 underlying and hidden reasons for food cravings, overeating and binge eating: https://unloxu.nz/overcome-overeating-binge-eating-food-cravings/
00:00 – Introduction
Why overeating at night is so common and why it’s not about willpower.
02:00 – Survival Response to Restriction
How dieting, restriction, and food rules trigger the brain’s survival mode in the evening.
👉 Tools: Eat balanced meals, avoid skipping, focus on nourishment.
12:10 – Decision Fatigue
Why willpower runs out at night and how the emotional brain takes over.
👉 Tools: Pre-plan meals, simplify food choices, reduce daily decisions.
20:25 – Dopamine Seeking
How stress and lack of joy during the day push the brain to seek comfort through food at night.
👉 Tools: Build non-food rewards, create enjoyable evening rituals, practice mindful eating.
26:30 – Stress and Cortisol Drop
What happens when cortisol levels naturally crash in the evening and why this triggers cravings.
👉 Tools: Calming rituals (breathing, yoga, showers), soothing foods, grounding techniques.
31:50 – Conditioned Habit Loops
How nighttime snacking becomes automatic through learned patterns.
👉 Tools: Portion snacks, change environment, replace with new evening habits.
35:15 – Summary & Practical Takeaways
Key strategies to break nighttime overeating: eat enough during the day, reduce decision fatigue, add rewards, calm stress, and create new habits.
36:57 – Closing & Coaching Invitation
Encouragement, final thoughts, and how to get 1:1 support with coaching.