The Brain-Gut Disconnect: Why Am I Always So Hungry? (Dr. Ankita Aneja)

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September 5, 2025
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What is GLP-1 and how does it work?

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The EARLY Perspective

Conclusion

About the Author

References

Ready to lose weight for good?

“I am always hungary.”

Did you just have a hearty lunch, quinoa salad, grilled veggies, maybe even a protein smoothie to top it off? But by 3 PM, you’re back in the kitchen, poking around the fridge for something… anything. Sound familiar?
You’re not alone. Many health-conscious individuals (especially women navigating hormonal imbalances, thyroid conditions, or PCOS) often feel like they’re fighting constant hunger. But this isn’t just about willpower or portion sizes. The root cause is much deeper. It’s about your gut, hormones, and brain.
Let’s understand why your hunger switch might always be “on” and, more importantly, how to reset it gently.

Brain-Gut Axis

Your gut and brain are actually connected, and they converse with each other. There is a kind of two-way communication system. Doctors often tag this as the gut-brain axis. This plays a crucial role in regulating hunger, fullness, mood, and even motivation.
Here’s how it works in simple terms:
Ghrelin:- This is our “hunger hormone,” and it is released when our stomach is empty. It tells our brain to eat something.
Leptin:- This is our “fullness hormone,” which is secreted by fat cells to tell our brain about how filled our stomach is.
Cortisol:- This is our stress hormone, and this can hijack the system and make you crave quick energy like carbs, which is unhealthy.
In a healthy system, this feedback loop works perfectly. But the issue comes when our gut health is bad and hormones are imbalanced, or stress is chronic. If so, sadly, the result is that you feel hungry even when your body doesn’t actually need more food

Brain-Gut Disconnect

You can actually imagine your hunger signaling system as an alarm clock. When the alarm is ringing on the right time, things are working well, and everyone works clearly. But when there’s stress, gut inflammation, or hormone confusion, alarms get lost, delayed, or misinterpreted.
Here are the most common things that can lead to brain-gut disconnect:
1. Poor Gut Health
An inflamed or imbalanced gut (eg: bloating, constipation, IBS) can interfere with the production of hormones like ghrelin and leptin. It can also impair vagus nerve signaling, the superhighway connecting your brain and digestive system.
2. Leptin Resistance
If your brain doesn’t hear Leptin’s message about your stomach being full, it keeps thinking you’re starving. Even if you just ate. Leptin resistance is especially common in people with insulin resistance, PCOS, or a long-term dieting history.
3. Thyroid & Metabolic Issues
Low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) can slow digestion and metabolism, which can confuse hunger cues. Your body may send out hunger signals not because it needs food, but because it’s trying to improve your sluggish system.
4. Chronic Stress
Cortisol, released during stress, encourages the body to seek energy-dense foods. Even if you’re not actually hungry, cortisol can make your brain crave sugar, starch, and comfort foods.
5. Sleep Disruption
Lack of quality sleep throws ghrelin and leptin out of balance. You can notice how much hungrier you feel after a short or restless night.

The Hidden Hormones (Especially for Women)

Hormones don’t just affect your mood and periods. They’re deeply tied to hunger regulation.
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome): This often comes with insulin resistance and elevated androgens, which can increase appetite and reduce satiety.
Perimenopause: Fluctuating estrogen can lead to changes in leptin sensitivity and metabolism, making you feel hungrier than usual.
Thyroid disorders: As mentioned, a sluggish thyroid slows digestion and metabolism, both of which impact how and when hunger is triggered.

Hormonal hunger can feel relentless, like a bottomless pit that won’t be filled. But the good news is: once you rebalance your hormones and heal your gut-brain connection, your appetite can start to regulate itself again.

Top 5 Ways to Rebalance

Here’s where things get practical. These gentle, evidence-informed habits support your natural appetite control by restoring gut health, reducing inflammation, and improving hormone signaling.

1. Prioritize Gut-Friendly Foods

Focus on high-fiber, prebiotic-rich foods to feed good gut bacteria and reduce inflammation:

Cooked vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and beets
Fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut)
Soaked chia seeds, flaxseeds, oats
Bone broth or collagen-rich soups

Pro Tip: Aim for 25–35g of fiber per day to support the gut-brain axis and hormone balance.

2. Practice Mindful Eating

Eat without distractions. Slow down. Chew thoroughly. These small tweaks help your brain register fullness signals and reduce “phantom hunger.”

Try this:

Put your fork down between bites
Take 3 deep breaths before starting a meal
Check in halfway through: “Am I physically hungry, or just stressed?”

3. Manage Cortisol with Sleep & Stress Tools

You can’t control stress, but you can support your nervous system. Daily regulation helps reduce stress-induced cravings.

Ideas to try:

Gentle yoga or walks after meals
Magnesium-rich snacks (almonds, bananas, dark chocolate)
No screens 30 minutes before bed
Guided meditation (even 5 minutes counts)

4. Support Your Circadian Rhythm

Eating at consistent times and getting morning sunlight exposure can regulate hunger hormones.

Try to eat meals within a 12-hour window (e.g., 8 AM–8 PM)
Get sunlight on your face within an hour of waking
Avoid caffeine after 2 PM to support better sleep

5. Gentle Movement for Gut & Hormones

Movement improves digestion, insulin sensitivity, and mood , all of which impact appetite.

Choose things that feel nourishing, not punishing:

Post-meal walks (10–15 min)
Rebounding or low-impact dance
Slow flow yoga or Pilates
Stretching with deep breaths

Truth?

If you’ve been feeling like your hunger is out of control, you’re not lazy, greedy, or lacking willpower. Your body is likely sending distress signals that something deeper needs attention, and your hunger is just the messenger.
Instead of ignoring it, it’s a good idea to question yourself:
“What am I really needing right now?”
“Is this physical hunger, am I actually hungry… or its an emotional hunger?”
“Could this be a hormone or gut imbalance that needs healing?”

When you tune in (instead of fighting back), you can shift from feeling out of control to feeling connected and calm in your body.

Stop Feeling Hungry All the Time

If this sounds like you– hungry all the time, battling cravings, unsure whether it’s in your gut, hormones, or stress levels, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
We’re here to help you decode what your body’s trying to say.
Explore the root cause of your constant hunger by the MetabolicTtpe quiz on our website
Learn simple, personalized strategies to regulate appetite by booling our Metabolic Diagnosis Test
Get clarity on next steps , no pressure, just real support

About the Author

Dr. Ankita Aneja

Dr. Ankita Aneja has 8+ years of experience in treating obesity, diabetes, PCOS, and other metabolic disorders, she brings deep clinical expertise and a patient-first approach. Dr. Aneja has trained and worked at some of India’s most reputed institutions including Safdarjung Hospital (VMMC), R.M.L. Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Karnataka. A member of the Endocrine Society of India, her work is rooted in clinical excellence and research-backed protocols.

References

Aragón, Jerónimo. n.d. “The Role of Molecular and Hormonal Factors in Obesity and the Effects of Physical Activity in Children.” MDPI. Accessed July 12, 2025.
Bowden, Rodney G., and Andrea Buchholz. n.d. “A Review of Weight Control Strategies and Their Effects on the Regulation of Hormonal Balance.” PubMed Central. Accessed July 12, 2025.