When I used to study for exams, I would also just eat all day.

And a lot of people have told me the same thing!

So I started to wonder: why can't we stop snacking?

And, perhaps, is there a way that I can kick the habit?

First of all–snacking isn't always bad.

If you're hungry, you should eat.

But we reach for snacks when we're not hungry at all.

And often, it's simply because the food is there.

We're "opportunistic" eaters, and snacking at the sight of food might be a leftover survival instinct.

Because there's an evolutionary psychology explanation for everything!

But research does suggest that our brain is put on high alert just at the sight of high-carb and high-fat foods.

In one study, people were shown photos of food and kitchen utensils.

Straight after a photo, a circle would appear, and people had to tap a key to say if the circle was above, below or opposite the item.

When participants saw a high-energy food, like a slice of pizza, they hit the keys more quickly than when they saw cucumber or a fork.

The researchers suggested that, our brain can analyze the energy content in food just from a brief glance and ramp up our decision-making speed.

Of course packaging and advertising can nudge us towards certain snack foods.

But other than these external cues, our feelings can drive us to eat as well.

We often crave high-fat or sugary foods when we're sad, angry or stressed or even just bored.

We've all experienced that!

But this emotional eating isn't driven by the feelings themselves.

It comes from how people cope with their emotions.

And we've seen this in research, too.

In a series of studies, one group of people was asked to suppress their reactions during a violent movie scene.

After the movie, these people ate more comfort foods than other groups who could react spontaneously.

And everyone ate equal amounts of bland food.

In this case, bottling up emotions led people to eat more sugary and fatty snacks.

Of course, we don't just snack when we have these feelings.

Sometimes, we snack out of tradition, like having popcorn at the movies.

Snacks are not inherently bad. But, in excess, they can contribute to overeating or binge-eating or other related problems.

But luckily, we know why snacks hold this power over us.

And there are some steps that we can use to take back control.

If you're in the mood for a snack, first ask yourself, "Am I actually hungry?"

Take a second to assess, so you can avoid eating when you don't need to.

Try to avoid keeping your house stocked with snack foods, like I do.

Remember you often eat because it's there.

Try swapping out comfort foods for healthy snacks.

So a sweet piece of fruit or handful of nuts could be enough to satisfy a craving.

And, try to get more sleep!

Research suggests that being sleep deprived might increase your desire for fatty, high-carb foods.

If it is a continued problem, try to keep a food log.

If you have to jot down every snack you eat, you'll think more about when and why you're eating.

And if you suspect your snacking might be part of a larger problem, don't be afraid to ask for help.

Now, remember that snacking is not always bad.

But in my case, I've come to realize that I was snacking constantly as a distraction

because it was way easier to go and find food than to deal with what I was actually meant to be doing.

Simply realizing that can really help if you do want to switch from mindless grazing to mindful eating.

And in my case, I'm getting through a bit more work,

but most importantly, I still have room for dinner.