No Sense of Satiety: Causes and Remedies

You’re always hungry and you could just eat all day? Where this comes from and what you can do about it, you can find out here.

Introduction

While some people are barely hungry and almost have to remember to eat enough at all, others are constantly plagued by increased appetite.

Especially the usual feeling of fullness after meals does not occur at all or only to a small extent in the latter case. You can now find out to what extent diseases, a diet or mental processes in the brain play a role as a cause.

6 possible causes

1. Diet: If you constantly change your diet or implement it in an extreme way, the metabolism can be restricted in its functioning so that your hunger does not decrease and your body does not send signals to the brain that there is enough food stored in reserve.
2. Eating disorder: In connection with a diet or independently of it, an emotional eating disorder can be present in which you do not develop a healthy relationship with food due to a feeling of fear, anger, stress, sadness or tension. The body cannot maintain a functioning appetite-saturation system due to overlapping feelings.
3. Obesity: People with obesity often suffer from ravenous appetite and a constant appetite. It is not yet clear to what extent overweight is a problem for the feeling of satiety, but it can be assumed that a problem with the satiety mechanism makes it even more difficult for severely overweight people to lose weight.
4. Large stomach: People who eat permanently beyond hunger risk that their stomach expands and therefore meals can be larger without the brain reporting a feeling of satiety when eating.
5. Too little sleep: The neurotransmitter orexin increases when there is a lack of sleep, so that hunger sets in. You may also have noticed that you are usually much hungrier when you have slept for four hours instead of eight.
6. Thyroid gland: Diseases can also be a reason for not feeling full. In particular, problems with the thyroid gland, for example in the form of hyperthyroidism, can be associated with constant hunger. The hyperthyroidism causes a higher energy consumption in the body, so that you also feel more hungry.

What can I do about it?

• Conscious eating: If your constant hunger is related to a disease, you should first consult a doctor and adjust further treatment accordingly. But what you should do in any case: eat consciously! Chew slowly and do not eat between the door and the hinge. The body needs about 20 minutes to process the feeling of satiety, while many meals are finished after five to ten minutes. As a result, you give your body too little time and simply continue to eat, even though your calorie requirements have long been met.
• Small portions: Many of us have been brought up to eat one meal at a time, so that the plate is empty. Take smaller portions, for example by using smaller plates. In this way, you get your body and especially your brain used to the fact that you are already full even with less food. This is especially important for people who want to lose a few kilos or who are on a diet. If you combine this tip with conscious eating, you are definitely on the right track.
• Drinking: We often confuse hunger with appetite. Who says no to chocolate or cake? Drink a large glass of water first when a supposed feeling of hunger arises, so that you fill your stomach. Most of the time you will feel much less hungry afterwards and you will realize that you have confused hunger with appetite.
• Calorie-dense foods: If you choose foods that are high in volume but low in calories, you can eat a lot without gaining weight. For example, salad and vegetables are very good for getting really full and filling your stomach without eating too many calories.