What are sleep-related eating disorders (SRED)?
Sleep-related eating disorders are disorders characterized by
abnormal eating patterns during the night.
Although it is not as common as sleepwalking, nocturnal
sleep-related eating disorder (NS-RED) can occur during
sleepwalking. People with this disorder eat while they are asleep.
They often walk into the kitchen and prepare food without a
recollection for having done so. If NS-RED occurs often enough, a
person can experience weight gain and develop Type II diabetes
mellitus.
A closely related disorder, known as night eating syndrome
(NES), is diagnosed when a person eats during the night with full
awareness and might be unable to fall asleep again unless he or she
eats.
Symptoms of NES include:
- Little or no appetite for breakfast
- Eating more food after dinner than during the meal
- Eating more than half of daily food intake after dinner
hour
- A persisting pattern for at least two months
NS-RED and NES differ in that people with NES eat when they are
conscious. However, the disorders are similar in that they both are
hybrids of sleep and eating disorders. Both of these conditions can
interfere with an individual's good nutrition, cause shame,
and result in depression and weight gain.
Who is at risk for sleep-related eating disorders?
Both men and women can have these disorders, but they are more
common among women. About one percent to three percent of the
general population appear to be affected by the disorders. Ten
percent to 15 percent of people with eating disorders are affected.
Many of these individuals diet during the day, which might leave
them hungry and vulnerable to binge eating at night when their
control is weakened by sleep. In some cases, people with
sleep-related eating disorders have histories of alcoholism, drug
abuse, and other sleep disorders.
How are sleep-related eating disorders treated?
Treatment of nocturnal eating behaviors begins with a clinical
interview and might include an overnight stay in a sleep
laboratory, where brain activity is monitored during the night.
Medicine sometimes can be helpful for these disorders; however,
sleeping pills should be avoided as they can increase confusion and
clumsiness that can lead to injury. Additional treatments might
include methods to release stress and anxiety. Examples of these
methods include stress management classes, assertiveness training,
counseling, and a limited intake of alcohol and caffeine.