Why am I always hungry?

Question

It seems like no matter how much I eat during the day, I’m always hungry! No matter how big or small the meals are or what time of day I eat them, I just can’t get full. I’m worried that something might be wrong, and it’s extremely frustrating. It also worries me that I’m going to gain too much weight because I’m always hungry and end up eating more than I should. Why do I have such a large appetite?

Answer 1

Think about dehydration. If your body is in need of fluids, hunger might be your body’s way of tricking you into getting what it needs. This confusion between the feeling of hunger and the need for fluids happens in the hypothalamus part of your brain, which regulates appetite and thirst. When dehydration first sets in, the signals in your brain get crossed and can be responsible for making you think you’re hungry when you’re actually thirsty. Being hungry all the time could be an important sign of dehydration, so you should try to drink more water and see if this improves.

Answer 2

I think a very common reason behind your question “Why am I always hungry?” is that you are eating too fast. I feel the same when I’m eating too quickly. When you eat extremely fast, your stomach might be full, but your brain hasn’t been given enough time to register that sense of fullness. And this keeps your appetite heightened, so you continue to eat, even though you don’t need to do so. You can curb this hunger by eating slower and allowing yourself more time after eating before deciding if you’re still hungry or not. I know it’s a sound-easy-hard-to-do thing, but keep practicing and you’ll find it really works.

Answer 3

If you found yourself asking “why am I always hungry”, you can check if you are a restless sleeper. Cuz getting poor sleep or not enough rest can affect two hormones that are linked to influencing your appetite. “Not enough sleep causes rising levels of ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, and lowers levels of leptin, which causes feelings of fullness.” This is what I read from a medical article. Also according to this article, it’s believed serious fatigue also creates a hunger response in your system as a way of getting extra energy from the food you consume. You might be hungry all the time because you’re not getting enough sleep, but aiming for about 7 to 8 hours a night should get both your hormones and energy levels back on track.

Answer 4

Did you experience a lot of stress lately? Or are you more easily stressed? When you’re tense, your system increases the production of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. This tricks your system into thinking it’s being threatened and therefore needs more energy, which it tries to get through consuming more food. Stress can also reduce the levels of serotonin in your brain, which can make you feel hungry, even though you aren’t. You might have an increased appetite because of the amount of stress you experience, but this can be helped by participating in stress-relieving activities like yoga or listening to soothing music on your way home from work.