Why does emotional eating get worse in the evening?
Emotional eating often intensifies in the evening because the nervous system is under strain after a long day. Stress accumulates, structure drops away, and mental resources are depleted.
A key mechanism here is stress-related cortisol activity combined with fatigue. Elevated stress hormones and low physical and mental energy reduce the brain’s ability to regulate impulses, making comfort-seeking behaviours more likely later in the day.
Many people also under-eat earlier, intentionally or unintentionally. This increases biological hunger, which blends with emotional fatigue and amplifies cravings. Evenings are also when distractions fade, allowing unprocessed emotions to surface.
Evening emotional eating is not a flaw. It is often a signal that the day has demanded more than the system could comfortably manage.
Evidence and research
Research in stress and eating behaviour shows that fatigue and prolonged stress can increase impulsive food choices later in the day.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Coach Alan is a qualified ITEC Level 3 Personal Trainer with over nine years of experience supporting adults with sustainable fat loss, strength training, and long-term behaviour change.
He is also a psychotherapist in training with the Irish Institute of Counselling and Psychotherapy (IICP), where his work is informed by evidence-based principles from exercise science, nutrition, and psychology. His approach focuses on realistic habit formation, emotional awareness, and non-pressurised lifestyle change.