Is it better to go to bed hungry or with a little extra fuel in the tank? Source: Supplied

Both nutritionists news.com.au spoke to said it’s better to go to bed hungry.

“I’m very firmly in the ‘go to bed hungry’ camp,” nutritionist Dr Joanna McMillan told news.com.au. “People are scared of being hungry. It’s not like you’re going to die overnight if you’re hungry.

”It’s really good for your body to empty out the tank and then refuel. If you fast overnight then your body is using up its carb sources and emptying them out so when we have our toast or cereal or muesli in the morning it replenishes those stores.”

Dietitian and nutritionist Susie Burrell agrees.

“I would argue that in general, we rarely feel really, really hungry,” Ms Burrell said. “There’s a big difference between being really hungry to the point of feeling nauseous and feeling just a little bit hungry, like ‘Oh, I wouldn’t mind a biscuit right now’.

“It’s actually good for us to be hungry and it’s a reminder that we should be eating when we’re really hungry and stopping when we’re mildly full. Ideally we would say have 10-12 hours without food overnight.

“I routinely see people eating a large meal at night, waking up still full and not having any breakfast. Which is bad for your metabolism and not a good cycle to get into.

“Also, the kind of foods we eat late at night don’t tend to be healthy. We’re more likely to tuck into a biscuit or ice cream. Have you ever eaten vegetables at 11pm?”

If you routinely feel hungry after dinner, Dr McMillan says you’re probably not eating enough at dinner or throughout the day.

“Eat a more substantial lunch so you’re not having a rich dinner that’s going to take longer to leave your stomach and more work to digest.

“Ironically the idea of not having carbs after a certain time actually doesn’t work for some people. If you’re tucking into a biscuit or a hot chocolate late at night you’re being counter intuitive.

She says we should be eating dinner at least a couple of hours before going to bed.

“It’s a really good rule to get into the habit of. Also, clean up the kitchen after dinner, so then it’s kitchen closed. It stops you from that unnecessary grazing and snacking that most of us don’t need.

“Ask yourself if you’re truly hungry or if you just have an appetite. Telling me you’re hungry for ice cream means you’re not actually hungry at all.”