Ghrelin is the “hunger hormone” that rises before your usual meal times—not because you’re running low on energy, but because your body expects food. Research by Cummings showed ghrelin peaks preprandially, before meals, not in response to fuel depletion. Crucially, hunger comes in waves: ghrelin spikes, peaks, then recedes on its own within about two hours. If you wait out the wave, it passes. You can also retrain ghrelin by changing eating patterns.
This companion covers ghrelin’s role, the learned schedule, hunger waves, the circadian connection, and practical implications. (4 min read)