Night eating disorder, also known as night eating syndrome, is a condition where a person will tend to eat at least 25% of their daily calories after they have had their evening meal (hyperphagia ). The condition also results in disturbances in the person’s sleep pattern. A similar condition is sleep related eating disorder (SRED).
The difference in the two is that a person with night eating disorder is aware that he or she is waking up and eating throughout the night but a person with SRED is often oblivious to the waking and eating. A SRED individual can also eat items that are very dangerous for them because of the lack of awareness.
Who gets night eating disorder?
Both men and women suffer from the night eating disorder condition but …show more content…
The condition is characterised by the individual waking up from sleep to consume a brief snack or drink at intervals in the night.
They often see food as a way of achieving further sleep when they have woken up during the night. The food eaten each time is not especially high in the amounts of calories but on average in the region of 270 calories but the frequency of the act of eating is what makes the difference. There is a preference for carbohydrates. However, in the morning the person is not particularly hungry, meaning that they do not eat much at that part of the day.
A person with night eating disorder may suffer from a hormonal imbalance or contributing genetic reasons for their eating practices at night. The levels of melatonin, the hormone that helps to regulate sleep, may change dramatically during the night for a night eating disorder person. The level of melatonin is usually controlled by the body clock.
A person with SRED can also suffer from conditions such as restless leg syndrome which is an urge to move their legs. This has been linked to the chemical dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the body that contributes to
The difference in the two is that a person with night eating disorder is aware that he or she is waking up and eating throughout the night but a person with SRED is often oblivious to the waking and eating. A SRED individual can also eat items that are very dangerous for them because of the lack of awareness.
Who gets night eating disorder?
Both men and women suffer from the night eating disorder condition but …show more content…
The condition is characterised by the individual waking up from sleep to consume a brief snack or drink at intervals in the night.
They often see food as a way of achieving further sleep when they have woken up during the night. The food eaten each time is not especially high in the amounts of calories but on average in the region of 270 calories but the frequency of the act of eating is what makes the difference. There is a preference for carbohydrates. However, in the morning the person is not particularly hungry, meaning that they do not eat much at that part of the day.
A person with night eating disorder may suffer from a hormonal imbalance or contributing genetic reasons for their eating practices at night. The levels of melatonin, the hormone that helps to regulate sleep, may change dramatically during the night for a night eating disorder person. The level of melatonin is usually controlled by the body clock.
A person with SRED can also suffer from conditions such as restless leg syndrome which is an urge to move their legs. This has been linked to the chemical dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the body that contributes to