Hello:

Question
My reason for asking this question to you is that I don't have a family doctor at the present moment...my doctor died about 4 years ago and there is a real real lack of family physicians where I live.

Anyway, I am a 44 year old male, in good health, 80kg (175 lbs).  I have had a bad habit of eating late night snacks for years now, not anything big but eating some chips or nachos in moderation with a pop while watching T.V.  It has never prevented me from sleeping... actually it has helped on some occasions if you can believe.  Now I don't know if it's really bad to be doing this but I've been wanted to break this habit anyway.

It's been about about one month now since I quit eating at night...I was taken some benadryl at first because I couldn't sleep without eating...(of course come midnight my stomac was expecting food but none was coming)...so it was real hard at first.  I still have my occasional relapses but I am determined.

What I am wondering though is this: since I stopped eating at night, I now usually get quite thirsty for water 2-3 hours after diner (which I now have at around 7pm instead of 5pm like I use to...only because it seems to help when I eat my last meal of the day at a later time.  The problem is that now I find it's worse than when I use to eat at night...now I really can't sleep because I'm bloated with water...I try not to drink to much but I get so thirsty at night and I NEVER got thirsty before when I use to eat at night. Diabetes does not run in our family and actually, I don't pee often, my eyesight is good and I'm not overweight.  Do you have any thoughts on this?  By the way, I don't drink that much water at night but it's alway enough to keep me from sleeping...I feel like I might as well go back to eating at night instead because at least I was able to sleep well and don't feel like I was having any ill effects from this habit...though I wonder what all that sugar was doing to my body (even though I always drank only diet sodas.  Thank you so much.

Cordially,
Germain Brunet
P.S.  I heard it said that the body doesn't differentiate betwwen sugar and aspertane...that it turns aspertane into sugar anyway...is this true.

Answer
Hi Germain,

It may help you to eat a small meal or snack at night if it does not raise your glucose levels too high.  You are aware of how your glucose levels run, if it is normal than you should consume a snack.  It is not unusual for diabetics to do this.  

The question concerning Aspartame is incorrect.  Aspartame is an artificial non-nutritive sweetner.  This means that it will not have any affect on your glucose levels.
Concerning regular sugar the correct quote is your body does not differentiate between sugars found in candies, honey, some starchy fruits, and starchy vegetables, etc.
Artificial sugar does not raise your glucose levels.

Best Regards,

Helen

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