Chronic Sleep Eater! Help!

Kabuhtu

I dont know what to do... Almost everynight I wake up and eat. Last night I woke up, ate potato chips and two bowls of cheerios! I also get in trouble by eating things i am not supposed to. Like my fiance's ice cream or the last of it, anyways.
My mother used to do this too. Is it a learned behavior?
How do I stop?!?!

jwdieter

When you wake up at night, don't go to the kitchen.

vicky_b329

So you're not actually asleep when you're eating, you just wake up, get up, and eat? I don't know how much control you have over your situation, basically. If you're fully conscious and doing this, then I would say it's a matter of willpower, actively choosing not to do it.

If you're still asleep or only semi-conscious when it's happening (or if you are awake, but you think the cause is something serious and psychological), then I might suggest seeing a psychiatrist about it.

nomeejerome

I dont know what to do... Almost everynight I wake up and eat. Last night I woke up, ate potato chips and two bowls of cheerios! I also get in trouble by eating things i am not supposed to. Like my fiance's ice cream or the last of it, anyways.
My mother used to do this too. Is it a learned behavior?
How do I stop?!?!

Are you taking any medication for insomnia?

KenosFeoh

So you wake up and eat? That doesn't sound like "sleep eater" to me.

jennifershoo

If you suffer from insomnia, I'd see a doctor or workout so hard in the day that you get really tired and crash at night (i'm really really not a fan of sleeping pills. They just mask the problem).
If you think about food and wake up to eat, it's a bad habit and/or a food obsession. Go brush your teeth and go back to bed.

blondageh

It's called Nocturnal Eating Syndrome (NES) and it is a very REAL disorder that overpowers even the strongest willed. I am going to my doctor tomorrow for a follow up. I've had it for years and yes, my parents have it too. I think it is biological.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_eating_syndrome

Honey, you are not alone. At all.

tripledipped13

I have to agree with one of your post. This could very well be NES...seems after researching it that it could be a type of OCD almost--where you have to do it in order to decrease the anxiety.......if you don't know what OCD is, there is a very good episode of "Scrubs" with Michael J Fox in it and he has OCD...I know this may not be any help but I would talk to my doctor if I were you.

Iklepink

You really aren't alone.
I sleep talk, walk, eat and cook! My arms are covered in scars from leaning on hot cake tins and pans, and from cutting myself on cans and knives. I would get to your doctor and see if they can help or refer you to a specialist. It's soul crushing to stay within your calories for the day and then wake up to find the remnants of your sleep binge (mine are usually around 3000kcals!).

nxd10

erased (sorry, I should have read earlier comments first).