Hungry? What Is My Body Really Asking For?
Reviewed by Dr. Peter Rawlek, MD and Dr. Scott Rollo, PhD
It happens way too often. I have been sitting for a while, studying, reading, or just staring at a screen, then, I start to feel a little unsettled, a little stressed or mentally tired, and commonly I find my first thoughts are to reach for food. Not because I am necessarily hungry, but because I do it for comfort (we will explain that later), or I think I need a quick boost of energy, or is it simply a habit, or really, is my body just telling me it really just needs some movement?
You've likely experienced this same thing before also.
And yes, it is common.
When we feel stressed, tired, overwhelmed, or uncomfortable, I, like many of us, naturally look for something that feels comforting. Often, that something is food. (We will explain why later.)
So, here is the thing. You may not actually be hungry.
There is a possibility you may be:
Dehydrated and thirsty
Feeling stressed or experiencing a degree of anxiety
Sitting too long and your body is craving movement
Mentally tired and needing a break
Following a habit you have developed
Learning to understand ones body's signals is an important part of food literacy.
The Question:
The one question you need to ask yourself is:
"What is my body telling me?"
Food does more than provide energy. It can also make us feel calmer and more comfortable. Later in this post, we will explore the why behind this. We will also explore something surprising.
An important note is if you have been sitting for long periods of time, your body is often asking for something, but that something is likely not food. Sometimes that urge to eat is actually your body's way of asking for movement. Your body was designed to move, not to sit. It has legs, arms, muscles, and a brain that all work better when they are active. After sitting for long periods of time, your body is commonly just asking for something, but that something is a small bout of activity.
Action item:
The next time you are sitting and feel the urge for food, try an experiment. Drink a glass of water and go for a quick walk or do 5 minutes of movement. Then ask yourself: Do I still feel hungry?
The two mysteries we are about to solve:
Why does food feel comforting?
Could my body actually be asking me to move instead of eat?
So, Are You Actually Hungry?
Now we get to the interesting part. One of the reasons hunger can be confusing is that your body sends many different messages that can feel surprisingly similar. Sometimes the message really is hunger. Your body needs energy and is asking to be fed. Other times, your body is asking for something entirely different, but the message gets mixed up and interpreted as hunger.
I like to think of this as two different types of hunger.
Physiologic Hunger
What is Physiologic Hunger? This is the body's true hunger signal (1). It is your body saying, "I need energy." This type of hunger usually develops gradually. Your stomach may feel empty. It may growl or rumble. You may find yourself thinking more about food. If you have gone a long time without eating, you may notice your energy dropping or find it harder to concentrate. When this type of hunger shows up, your body is asking for fuel, and eating is exactly the right response.
Mixed-Messaging Hunger
The second type is what I call Mixed-Messaging Hunger. This is where things get interesting.
With Mixed-Messaging Hunger, your body is still sending a real message. The feeling is real. The urge to eat is real. The difference is that the message may not actually be about food.
Your body may be asking for water.
It may be asking for movement.
It may be asking for a break.
It may be responding to stress.
It may simply be looking for comfort.
The challenge is that many of these messages can feel remarkably similar to hunger, especially when we are busy, tired, stressed, or distracted.
Different drivers behind the desire to eat?
Think about this for a moment. Food does much more than provide energy. Eating can feel comforting. The act of chewing, swallowing, and eating activates communication pathways between your brain and body. One of the major players is a nerve called the vagus nerve, which helps activate your body's "rest and recover" system. This is one reason eating can help us feel calmer.
That should not surprise us. From the very beginning of life, feeding has been connected to comfort, security, and feeling cared for. As infants, feeding did more than provide energy. It also helped settle us when we were uncomfortable. While life becomes much more complicated as we grow older, that connection between eating and comfort never completely disappears. This helps explain why stress, boredom, frustration, loneliness, long periods of sitting, and mental fatigue can sometimes increase our desire to eat, even when our body does not actually need more energy. Sometimes what we may be looking for is comfort, a break, movement, or relief from stress.
The important thing to understand is that this is not a weakness or a lack of willpower. It is part of how human beings are wired, and that connection begins early in life.
The skill is learning to pause long enough to ask:
"What is my body really asking for right now?"
Learning the difference will not always tell you exactly what to do (2), but it will help you better appreciate what your body may be asking for. Sometimes the answer will be food. Sometimes it may be water, movement, rest, or a break. Harvard's “Intuitive Eating” (3) resource specifically discusses recognizing and responding to physical hunger cues, recognizing fullness, and coping with stress, boredom, and emotions without automatically using food.
Mindful Eating
This brings us to a concept called mindful eating.
Mindful eating means paying attention to the messages your body is sending (4). It means slowing down long enough to notice whether you are hungry, thirsty, tired, stressed, bored, or simply eating out of habit.
The goal is not to be perfect. The goal is to better understand what your body may be asking for.
Try It Yourself
For one day, before eating a snack, ask:
Am I hungry?
Am I thirsty?
Am I bored?
Am I unsettled?
Thought Question: What did you learn?
Time to Reflect
What signs tell you that you're hungry?
Have you ever mistaken thirst for hunger? (I have)
When are you most likely to snack?
What helps you feel satisfied after eating?
Action Item (for a second time)
The next time you are sitting and suddenly feel the urge for food, try an experiment. Drink a glass of water and go for a quick walk or do 5 minutes of movement. Then ask yourself: Do I still feel hungry?
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29366626/
Davis J. Hunger, ghrelin and the gut. Brain Res. 2018 Aug 15;1693(Pt B):154-158. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.01.024. Epub 2018 Jan 31. PMID: 29366626.https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/intuitive-eating/?utm
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28848310/
Nelson JB. Mindful Eating: The Art of Presence While You Eat. Diabetes Spectr. 2017 Aug;30(3):171-174. doi: 10.2337/ds17-0015. PMID: 28848310; PMCID: PMC5556586
