Sleep-Eating Disorder: Scientific Insights, Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options
Health
Published on: 11-May-2024
10 min read
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Anushka Tripathi
Sleep-Eating Disorder: Scientific Insights, Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options
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Eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, or geographic location. You might not be a late-night snacker, but you could be experiencing a condition called Sleep-related Eating Disorder (SRED). While not as common as sleepwalking, SRED can significantly disrupt your sleep and overall health.
Sleep-eating disorder in adults is a complex sleep disorder characterised by episodes of eating or attempting to eat while partially or completely asleep. Also known as Nocturnal Sleep-Related Eating Disorder, it can lead to a range of health concerns, including weight gain, malnutrition, and even injuries sustained while sleepwalking to eat.
This blog delves into the fascinating world of sleep-related disorders. We'll explore the science behind SRED, uncovering its symptoms, causes, and most importantly, effective treatment options. Join us as we shed light on sleep-eating disorder and empower you to reclaim a healthy night's sleep.
Table Of Contents
1. What Is A Sleep-Eating Disorder?
2. Nocturnal Sleep-Related Eating Disorder: What Does Statistics Say?
3. Symptoms of SRED
4. What Are The Causes of Sleep-Related Eating Disorder (SRED)?
5. Treatment Options For Sleep-Eating Disorder In Adults
6. Dietitian’s Recommendation
7. The Final Say
8. FAQs
9. References
What Is A Sleep-Eating Disorder?
Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) is a type of parasomnia (abnormal behaviour that occurs during sleep). This causes people to cook and eat food while they sleep. When they wake up, they have little or no memory of what they did. People with SRED fall asleep normally and are partially awake to eat or drink.
People with sleep-eating disorders may consume foods and substances that can cause the illness, including pet food, salt, cleaning products, and raw meat. They may also attempt to cook while partially asleep. Most people with sleep-eating disorders experience eating episodes almost every night. Dreaming about eating can happen at any time during the night. During the sleep-eating disorder, you eat very quickly. The entire episode may only last 10 minutes. This includes the time it takes to get from bed to the kitchen and back to bed.
Sleep-eating disorder may occur from taking certain medications, such as sedatives, that help you sleep. This can also happen to people with other sleep-related disorders, like restless legs syndrome (RLS). SRED is dangerous because it can cause injuries such as burns and cuts while cooking. Some people with this condition also ingest non-food substances that may be toxic.
Experts don’t know exactly how many people suffer from sleep-eating disorders, but it may affect up to 5% of the population. This sleep disorder is much more commonly reported in women. Doctors treat SRED by stopping the receptors that cause SRED.
Nocturnal Sleep-Related Eating Disorder: What Does Statistics Say?
Sleeping and eating are two of the most important activities for sustaining life. People typically fast the longest after dinner, exercise for a few hours, and sleep until they wake up (7 to 12 hours). Chronic lack of sleep continues to be a serious problem, and the number of people who eat late at night or consume excessive amounts of food at night is increasing, as per the latest study.
Sleep-related eating disorders were first reported in 1955 with the report of nocturnal eating syndrome (NES), which refers to eating more than 80% of daily calories before going to bed at night. People with NES overeat in the evening and skip breakfast because they are rarely hungry in the morning, resulting in the circadian eating cycle being delayed.
In a self-report study targeting college students, 4.6% of respondents, 16.7% of the inpatient eating disorder group, and 8.7% of the outpatient eating disorder group were found to have SRED symptoms. Women were more likely to have SRED than men. Between 60 and 83% of cases were reported in women, with the most common age group for sleep-eating disorders being 20 to 30 years. SRED has a chronic course with symptoms appearing for up to 15 years at the time of diagnosis.
Symptoms Of SRED
The main symptom of a sleep-related eating disorder is waking up and eating or drinking without being fully aware. This condition may include some additional signs and symptoms. Let’s have a look at them:
Consumption of inedible substances | People with SRED may eat and drink raw, toxic, tasteless, or inedible foods, including pet food, cleaning products, and cigarettes. They may also eat raw meat, frozen foods, or other strange food combinations. |
Cook while you sleep
| Some people with sleep-related eating disorders try cooking during their episodes. Doing so may result in injury or burns. |
Feeling irritated when interrupted | People with sleep-related eating disorders often have difficulty waking up during sleep. When an episode is interrupted, they may become worried or angry. |
Lack of awareness or complete absence | In most cases, a person cannot remember what he got out of bed, what he ate, what he drank, etc. Some people may vaguely remember having an episode, while others may not be aware of it during the episode but remember it the next morning. |
Consuming toxic or non-food substances | Sometimes, people with SRED eat or drink non-food items, such as coffee grounds, bleach, or cigarette butts. You may also eat frozen or raw foods, which can cause food poisoning. |
Accidental Injury | Because you are sleeping or partially asleep during a seizure, you may suffer cuts or burns. You may leave the heat on while cooking or set the oven temperature too high. |
Eating frequently while sleeping | Episodes usually occur every night but may occur only three or four times a week. It may happen several times during the night. |
What Are The Causes Of Sleep-Related Eating Disorder (SRED)?
The causes of Sleep-Related Eating Disorder (SRED) are not entirely understood, but several factors may contribute to its development. Here are the possible causes of sleep-eating disorders that you must know about:
Causes include sleep disturbances, such as sleepwalking or night eating syndrome, underlying psychological conditions like stress or anxiety, medication side effects, and disruptions in the body's natural circadian rhythms. Certain neurological conditions and genetic predispositions may also play a role in the onset of SRED.
SRED is linked to the change from non-rapid eye movement to awakeness during sleep, which usually happens during non-rapid eye movement sleep in the initial part of the night. Although the precise reason is uncertain, people who experience sleepwalking frequently exhibit it.
The use of sedative-hypnotics, particularly zolpidem, to treat sleeplessness can result in drug-induced SRED. These drugs reduce brain activity, which aids in falling and staying asleep. SRED can also be brought on by certain antipsychotics and antidepressants.
These medications alter brain activity, which could lead to some people doing things while they're asleep. You might be driving, cooking, or eating compulsively. When people wake up, most of them don't remember doing these things.
Treatment Options For Sleep-Eating Disorder In Adults
Adult sleep-eating disorders are often treated with a mix of lifestyle changes, therapy, and, in some cases, medication. Behavioral therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can assist address any underlying psychological reasons that contribute to the illness and teach coping methods for controlling overnight eating episodes. Creating a consistent sleep schedule and a soothing nighttime routine may also help. In some circumstances, antidepressants or anticonvulsants may be administered to alleviate symptoms and enhance sleep quality.
If you suffer from SRED, your doctor can recommend safety measures and precautions during an attack and provide advice to your family. A last resort to treat this disorder is for a sleep specialist to prescribe medication. The medication prescribed will depend on the cause of your SRED and your medical history.
Dietitian’s Recommendation
Sleeping and eating are two basic and necessary actions that most people do without thinking. For people with one or both disorders, maintaining mental and physical health can be a daily challenge. Make sure your sleeping environment is comfortable and reduce stimuli that may trigger eating.
Dt. Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
If you have a history of sleep-related eating disorders, it's crucial to consult your doctor to explore ways to address nighttime eating behaviours. Left untreated, these abnormal sleep patterns can lead to serious injuries and health issues. However, with appropriate treatment, including discussing any other sleep-related problems like RLS, snoring, or narcolepsy, you can effectively manage sleep-eating disorder symptoms and improve your overall sleep quality. Working closely with your healthcare provider ensures a tailored approach to treatment, promoting better rest and well-being.
FAQs
1. When should I talk to my doctor about SRED?
If you suspect that you binge eat while you sleep, call your doctor right away. Sleep-related eating disorders can be dangerous to the health of you and your family.
2. What is the outlook for SRED patients?
Lifestyle changes and medications may help people with SRED stop eating while they sleep. If you have SRED, you will need to visit your doctor several times a year for checkups. Regular checkups allow your healthcare provider to monitor your health and adjust your treatment or medications.
3. Can SRED be prevented?
You can reduce your risk of developing drug-induced EDS by not taking sedatives to help you sleep. If you are taking antipsychotic medications, ask your doctor whether these medications may cause SRED. It may not be possible to prevent SREDs and other parasomnias whose cause is unknown.
4. How does sleep-eating disorder affect adults?
People cook and eat when they are asleep as a result of it. They remember very little, if anything, of what they did when they woke up. Certain drugs, like sedatives that aid in sleep, might cause SRED.
References
https://sleepeducation.org/sleep-disorders/sleep-eating-disorder/
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/sleep-disorders/what-are-sleep-disorders
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21730-sleep-related-eating-disorders
https://medlineplus.gov/sleepdisorders.html#:~:text=Insomnia%20%2D%20being%20un
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