Why You Get So Hungry When You’re Bored

If you get hungry when you’re bored, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. You’re trying to get through a dull task or you’re watching something blah on TV. What’s the first thing you do? You head to the kitchen to find something to eat.

Are you truly in need of nutrients? Maybe, but likely not. You get hungry when you’re bored, just like most people. In fact, boredom is one of the top drivers of overeating at times other than established meals.  Falling victim to this inclination can be a tremendous contributor to weight gain and, over time, obesity risk.

What’s the Cause?

So why is it that you get so hungry when you’re bored? After all, inactivity and a lack of mental stimulation really doesn’t have much to do with whether or not your stomach is full, right? So where is the connection? How is it that a simple lack of mental stimulation can make you want to consume food your body doesn’t actually need?

There are actually a number of reasons to explain why you become hungry when you’re bored. Most of them have to do with providing you with appealing sensory stimulation at times when you’re not getting enough of it from elsewhere. If you’re doing something unpleasant or monotonous, then your body will start to create signals to provide you with another way to feel happier.

Your Brain Makes You Get Hungry When You’re Bored

Eating and enjoying food is among the most basic ways for the body to experience pleasure, so it’s among the first signals your brain sends out to correct the unpleasant feeling of boredom and replace it with something more appealing. Moreover, this signal happens very fast. It takes about 15 minutes of a boring activity before your brain starts to send signals to do something – that is, eat – to improve the situation.

Therefore, while there doesn’t seem to be a direct link between watching something boring and digging into a carton of ice cream, your brain sees things differently. This is why it can feel as though you’re absolutely starving when what you actually need is for your brain to receive more stimulation.  Food – that is, taste, smell, and even touch through the textures of the foods – provides stimulation on many different levels.

What to Do with What You Know

By understanding that it takes only fifteen minutes of boredom for your brain to try to trick you into thinking you’re hungry, you can take action to help to overcome that problem. For instance, you can try to take frequent, small breaks from a boring task in order to gain new mental stimulation and overcome the boredom.

Every ten minutes, get up, stretch and use thirty seconds to their fullest potential. Run on the spot as fast as you can or play a very brief mental game with yourself. This can help to regain your interest and focus for the task and distract your brain from wanting to find fresh stimulation.

When Things Get Extra Boring

If you really can’t avoid long and boring tasks that drive you to eat, then at least be prepared. Get out the cucumber slices, carrot sticks and celery pieces and be ready to snack on those instead of something that will hack into your daily calorie total.

Try to add extra forms of stimulation that you may also find are helpful. Background music can make a mind-numbing and repetitive task go by much faster. An essential oil diffuser can also be helpful.  Just find out what type of stimulation you require and choose the essential oil to match that.  Lavender is great if you want to feel calmer. Peppermint is fantastic for focus while keeping stress down. Eucalyptus is terrific for energizing yourself.

Where to Find More Support

To give yourself an even greater advantage against making the wrong choices, try a diet pill with clinically researched ingredients that include focus enhancers so you can stay on top of your weight management strategy, and with energy boosters. These help you to take control over the benefits you can enjoy while you overcome your top struggles with hunger related to fatigue and a lack of focus.

Try a formula like LIPONITRO. This product contains all-researched ingredients, each of which have undergone clinical scrutiny.  This is a popular option for people who are already trying to take on a healthy lifestyle to control their weight, but who need additional support to get past their challenges and build the right habits over the long-term.