Finals bring problem of late-night binging

The words on the page blur and concentration melts away as another long night of studying for finals begins to take its toll.\nNeeding a distraction, the hard-working student sees a half-finished bag of potato chips and gulps down the last few crumbs.\nEating unhealthy foods and overeating can come as a result of the late nights and stress of finals, health experts say. \nBut taking a few simple steps can help prevent nocturnal hunger urges, they say. \nTake time for meals\nHeather Chamberlain, a dietitian at the Health Center, said taking the time to eat breakfast is one important part of preventing late-night hunger pangs. \n"Try to have regular meals, learn to trust and listen to your body," she said. \nEating a well-balanced breakfast, such as cereal with fresh fruit, gets a person's metabolism moving in the morning, Chamberlain said.\nHave healthy foods on hand\nPreventing yourself from eating unhealthy foods, like cookies and candy, can be as simple as keeping healthier choices handy. \n"People usually choose unhealthy foods to eat at night," Chamberlain said. "It's a big misconception that eating at night causes you to gain weight faster than eating during the day. It all has to do with the foods you choose, not when you eat them."\nInstead of harboring bags of potato chips, Chamberlain suggested students keep more nutritious foods like cereal, fresh fruit, vegetables or bagels on hand. Substituting yogurt with low-fat granola for an ice cream sundae is a healthy choice. \nKeep busy\nSophomore Adrienne Cleveland said she and her friends often order breadsticks late at night out of boredom. \n"Sometimes when you're bored and doing homework and stuff, ordering food gives you a good study break," she said.\nMany students eat late at night, not necessarily because they are hungry, but as a distraction from stress and studying, Chamberlain said. \n"Studying during high school is a lot more structured," she said. "That all changes abruptly in college."\nBut there are other ways to take a study break. \n"I like to sit around and talk with my friends when I need a break," junior Lauren Barclay said.