If you do, you ’ ra not alone .
There are a number of reasons why we do this. Oftentimes, it ’ sulfur because we have more entree to food at night, or we are relaxing at home .
Some of us eat more than we would like to at night, possibly as a way to be social or relax after a long day. Others may have unlike reasons.
When night eating is a problem
several studies suggest that those who struggle with night eating habits tend to become anxious or agitated in the even, becoming physically hungrier because their “ hunger ” hormones increase at night. Night eating helps them feel calm, possibly even “ numb ” them, and helps them feel tire enough to try to fall asleep .
We spoke with several patients who sought treatment for night eating syndrome at Eating Recovery Center to get their carry on how their night eating habits developed .
Alum Vivian* shared her floor with us :
“I was working long hours in a demanding position, and I was always putting work first. I’d skip breakfast entirely in my rush to get to the office, and I wouldn’t stop for lunch until early afternoon. By the time I got home in the evenings, I was exhausted and ravenous. Dinner would almost always be a binge, because it felt like the first opportunity I’d had all day not just to eat, but to relax. Those two things became so connected to me. Food was my number-one way to relax.”
What is night eating syndrome?
If you struggle with eating besides a lot in the flush hours, you may think you have no self-control or miss self-control. alternatively of blaming yourself, consider that you may have an eat perturb .
Night eating syndrome ( NES ) is a distinctly singular eating perturb caused by an underlying “ dysregulation ” of body clocks that impact appetite, sleep/wake times, and overall department of energy levels. thus, it is considered a combination of a temper, consume, and sleep disorderliness .
Eating at Night vs. Night Eating Syndrome
It ’ second not uncommon for people to snack or eat at nox, for respective reasons. For those with night eating syndrome, you will overeat at night and have sleep challenges, frequently consuming a one-fourth of your casual calorie intake after dinner. There are specific factors to help determine and distinguish consume at night versus night eating syndrome, and form an accurate diagnosis .
Binge Eating Disorder vs. Night Eating Syndrome
For those with orgy eat, it is more likely that they will “ gorge ” or eat a bunch in a single sitting – rather than eating smaller amounts during the night. A hallmark trait of gorge eating disorderliness includes eating an unusually large measure of food in a specific timeframe .
Sleep-Related Eating Disorder vs. Night Eating Syndrome
For those with sleep-related eating disorderliness, you may not remember that you ate the night before. With night eating syndrome, you will likely remember that you ate .
Does your mood affect your appetite?
Alum Shari discusses how her low made her night eating worse :
“My depression made it hard for me to get out of bed in the morning. I often got out of bed at noon, and then my eating just got pushed back for the rest of the day. I’d be eating dinner around 9:00 p.m. and I’d stay up for several hours grazing before going to bed. It felt like a vicious cycle I couldn’t break out of.”
Night eating syndrome is not a long-familiar eat disorder. While much underdiagnosed and undertreated, it is fairly prevailing. Around 2 percentage of the population has NES, making it 2 times more common than anorexia nervosa and about american samoa prevailing as orgy eating disorder ( BED ). furthermore, one of the symptoms of NES includes a lower mood that worsens during evening hours .
What are the causes of night eating syndrome?
We do not however know what causes NES, although some attest indicates that it may be related to hormonal or sleep-wake cycle issues. You are more likely to have NES if you have a co-occurring eat disorderliness, or contend with fleshiness. Those with NES often struggle with mental health conditions and comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, and message consumption disorder or addiction.
Symptoms of Night Eating Syndrome
nocturnal corrode behaviors are common ; many people binge eat, on juncture, at night. In order to meet the full diagnosis for night eating syndrome, there must be at least 3 of the following 5 criteria :
- “Morning anorexia” — skipping breakfast or not eating until 12:00 or later on four or more mornings per week
- “Evening hyperphagia” — eating more than 25 percent of one’s total daily calories (possibly in the form of continuous “grazing”) between dinner and bedtime
- Having difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Experiencing mood or anxiety symptoms that get worse at night — leaving one feeling more agitated, irritable, or depressed in the evening
- Believing that one must eat to go to sleep or return to sleep
Alum David shared his own fight regarding eating in the middle of the night with us :
“I lost my mom and it was incredibly difficult to deal with. I was grieving and struggling with both anxiety and depression as a result. It was difficult for me to get a good night’s sleep. I got into a pattern where I would consistently wake up between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m. with my mind racing, and I felt like I needed something to eat in order to get back to sleep. I even started keeping snacks on my night stand for immediate relief.”
Medical Impacts and Health Effects of NES
While data indicates that there is some correlation coefficient between NES and fleshiness, it remains indecipherable if and how fleshiness causes or affects NES. Studies have demonstrated that those with NES will struggle to lose system of weights ; in general, sleep issues are a contributor to weight reach. Some people with NES are susceptible to health issues including high blood atmospheric pressure, diabetes and senior high school cholesterol .
The struggle to eat less at night
many patients overlook the possibility that the might have night eating syndrome because they :
- Feel “in control” during the day and thus, attribute night eating to losing “motivation” or “willpower”
- Expect that having NES means that they must wake up in the middle of the night and eat to go back to sleep; in actuality, only a small percentage of NES sufferers do this
People who struggle with night eating behaviors much have feelings of dishonor and guilt ; they attribute their eat patterns to “ habit ” and become “ practice to ” having poor sleep and climate issues .
Gabriela tells us :
“I always woke up with the intention of ‘being good’. I was super vigilant about my food choices and calorie intake for the first half of the day, not knowing that I was really underestimating how much my body needed. By mid- to late-afternoon, the bakery across the street or the vending machine in the hallway would be calling my name, and I would feel like I was ‘caving’ and abandoning all my good intentions. By the time I got back into bed at night, I’d be feeling over-full and guilty, swearing I’d be good again the next day.”
How to Treat Night Eating Syndrome
Can we do anything about night eating behaviors ? The solution is YES. Interventions like the follow can be helpful :
- Try spacing your meals out throughout the day — even if you have a lack of an appetite during daytime or morning hours. Here at the Binge Eating Treatment and Recovery Program, we work with patients to slowly increase their food intake earlier and earlier throughout the day.
- Establish a different nighttime routine. Switch to a routine that can help you relax and wind down. This often includes things like turning off screens earlier, establishing habits that signal sleep (i.e. reading in low light and drinking decaf tea or journaling before bed) and getting into bed only when you are sleepy; our patients leave their beds if they are awake for specific time intervals so as not to “train” their bodies to lay awake or be awake in bed; we want you to associate your bed with sleep. Sleep is so important in recovery.
- Incorporate interventions like limiting light in the evening and increasing exposure to bright light in the morning.
While there are no specific evidence-based treatments for NES, some clinicians have experienced success with cognitive behavioral therapy and respective antidepressants .
Like many eating disorders or mental health conditions, most people wait excessively long to get avail or assume that avail is not available. If you are struggling with night eating syndrome, we encourage you to get avail preferably rather than former .
But night eating syndrome is treatable, and most patients will respond well to relatively simple interventions.
To learn more, view an educational video about Night Eating at the Binge Eating Connection Facebook page featuring Dr. Julie Friedman, Vice President of the Binge Eating Treatment & Recovery ( BETR ) Program at Eating Recovery Center .
We thank jean Curran, registered dietician and professional relations coordinator for ERC ’ s Binge Eating Treatment & Recovery Program and Robyn Cruze, National Recovery Advocate and online community coach for Eating Recovery Center for their contributions to this piece .
*All affected role names have been changed .
