As Americans approach the end of Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, November 7, a new survey, conducted on behalf of sleep-friendly ice cream Nightfood, reveals anxieties about the impact of fewer daylight hours on diets and well-being.
Eighty-three percent of Americans say that they sometimes or always feel out of control about their nighttime snacking. And nearly eight in ten (79 percent) report that their nighttime cravings for snacks increase when it gets dark earlier in the evening.
Additional findings include:
• 91 percent of Americans snack between dinner and bedtime.
• The most-craved nighttime snacks for Americans are:
Ice cream (31 percent)
Cookies (24 percent)
Chips (21 percent)
Popcorn (11 percent)
Candy (9 percent)
Veggies (3.5 percent)
• Of the 83 percent of Americans who say they feel out of control about their nighttime snacking, 45 percent say they sometimes feel this way, while 38 percent say they always feel out of control about snacking at night.
"Being aware that these cravings occur below the conscious level can help consumers better manage their impact," said Sean Folkson, Nightfood CEO and founder, in a statement. "We've long known that less sunlight exposure leads to a drop in serotonin levels and can negatively impact mood and sleep. It's not surprising that fewer daylight hours could wreak havoc on people's snacking behavior before bed."
Related: Kind Founder Invests in Healthy Snack Brand; Category Spotlight: A Mixed Bag in Salty Snacks.