Q) Hey Andy, I usually feel hunger pangs halfway through my sleep after peeing in the middle of the night. The hunger pangs disrupt my sleep and make it hard for me to fall back asleep.

Do you have any suggestions for preventing the hunger pangs?

— Brian

A) Hi Brian,

Thanks for the question — what you're describing is surprisingly common.

It’s tempting to look at the hunger and night-time bathroom trips as separate issues, but they’re likely connected. So, rather than fixing them in isolation, here’s the order I’d suggest we troubleshoot:

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1. Are you losing weight too fast?

This is the first thing I’d check. Hunger is normal when dieting, but it shouldn’t be so intense that it wakes you up.

If you’re losing more than 0.5–0.75% of your body weight per week, that’s too fast for most people. Dial things back.

👉 Add back ~250 kcal for every 0.5 lb you're overshooting the target rate.
👉 You’ll feel less hungry and probably pee less too (more on that shortly).
👉 Wait a full four weeks before assessing progress (you can track it here).

If you don’t have enough data to assess that yet, move on to…

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​2. Are your food choices smart?

Are you making the most of your calorie budget?

If your current meal plan would thrill your 8-year-old self (Pop-Tarts, cereal, sausages, etc.), that’s your sign.

Swap highly-processed, calorie-dense foods for fruits, veggies, and lean proteins.

👉 You'll get to eat way more food.
👉 Hunger drops.
👉 Fiber increases, water gets absorbed better, and you’ll likely stop waking to pee.

(Just note: your body weight may rise a little from the increased gut content. Totally normal.)

Still struggling?

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3. Try tapering your fluids in the evening.

Front-load your water intake earlier in the day.

Make sure you’re hydrated for your workouts, but reduce the fluids in the evening — especially in the few hours before bed.

Still waking up?

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​4. Add more carbs to your evening meal.

Carbs are stored with water in your liver and muscles as glycogen — your body’s nighttime energy supply.

If your evening meal is low in carbs, your liver glycogen may drop too low while you sleep, triggering hunger.

👉 Keep within your calorie budget.
👉 Try shifting some of your daytime carbs to dinner.
👉 Reduce fats in the evening meal to make room, if needed.

Finally…

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5. Drink to thirst — not by some arbitrary rule.

The "drink a gallon a day" advice? Well-meaning, but not ideal.

Your hydration needs vary with body size, climate, diet, and training.

👉 Make sure you’re well-hydrated before workouts.
👉 But drink based on thirst otherwise.
👉 Overdrinking can contribute to the very issue you’re experiencing.

A final note from our upcoming book, The Muscle and Strength Pyramid: Nutrition (3rd Edition):

Hope that helps, Brian. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions. Always happy to help.

Thank you for reading. 🙏