Types of Hunger

Before we start eating, it's important to know if your body really wants it right now. Is it really hunger? Is it just hunger because it's upset about something? Often, hunger is your body's way of telling you that it needs some peace or comfort. In general, there are 2 types of hunger:

1. Physical Hunger

Physical hunger indicates that your body is really hungry and needs food to produce more energy. The signs of physical hunger are an empty stomach and rumbling. The feeling of hunger intensifies when you don't eat. As a result, symptoms such as weakness, lack of focus, or difficulty concentrating appear.

Physical signs of hunger are rumbling stomach, low energy, weakness, lack of focus, and increased intensity if you don't eat.

2. Psychological Hunger

Psychological hunger occurs when you have the urge to eat but don't feel the physical signs that your body needs food. Generally, this hunger causes you to want to eat certain foods and will only be satisfied if the food is actually eaten. If you are physically hungry, you will be satisfied with any food.

Therefore, try to identify what you feel when the hunger pangs arise and find the emotions that accompany them. If it's stress, then find something that relaxes you. If it's boredom, then find something that keeps you entertained. If it's because you haven't eaten since morning, then eat something.

Hunger Triggers

Physical hunger occurs when your body has not received food as a source of energy, for example not focusing on meetings because you haven't had breakfast. However, psychological hunger isn't just caused by boredom. There are many factors that can trigger it, such as the following:

1. Boredom

People tend to eat more when they are bored and this is the most common factor. 

2. Stress

Hormonal changes that occur when a person is under stress will trigger food cravings.

3. Social

A person is more likely to eat when people around them are eating or drinking, even though they are not hungry.

4. Advertising

People tend to feel hungry when they see advertisements depicting other people eating.

5. Poor sleep quality

The longer the time awake, the more likely a person is to eat, even though they are already full at dinner.

6. Appetizing food

There are many foods that are designed to satisfy because they taste good and refresh the brain, such as fast food, chips, or sweet snacks.

Boredom is one of the most common triggers of psychological hunger

Tips to know if you're really hungry

Simply put, physical hunger and psychological hunger are very different. If physical signs are present, then it's a sign of physical hunger, so you need to eat or snack. However, if you've just had your main meal and are craving for more, then it's most likely psychological hunger. 

1. Ask Yourself

Trust yourself to know how your body feels when hunger arises. Ask questions like "how am I feeling right now?", "am I bored, sad or upset?", "when was the last time I had a big meal or snack?". The important thing is that you don't hold back until you're really hungry and miserable.

2. Drink a Glass of Water or Distract Yourself

Sometimes, the hunger cues you're feeling could be cues that your body is just thirsty and wants a drink. Try drinking a glass of water if you're unsure whether it's hunger or just thirst. If you feel hungry again afterward, then go ahead and eat. 

Also, to confirm whether it's really physical hunger or a psychological condition, try to distract yourself for a while. For example, listen to music, stretch, or do something relaxing. Sometimes, the hunger pangs are short-lived and will go away on their own.

So, physical hunger is characterized by a rumbling stomach, low energy, and its intensity increases when the body is not fed. Meanwhile, psychological hunger is not characterized by physical hunger, but tends to only refer to certain foods. How do you identify hunger?

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