Insomnia and middle of the night eating

mcandi2011
mcandi2011 Posts: 13 Member
in Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
I have insomnia which is getting better but I also have restless legs syndrome (RLS). I usually wake up from RLS after about an hour of sleep and then I have to get up and wait out the RLS which is sometimes 2-4 hours of being awake. I have been binging during this time on the most unhealthiest of foods :( usually around 1-5am.

I am struggling with this and I know that if I am able to sleep through the night, I will not eat which is my goal but RLS is preventing this. I take gabapentin and magnesium for it along with lamotrigine. I am going off of mirtazapine which can cause RLS and my hope is after I am off of it completely, the RLS should stop. But the waiting is hard and I have no patience lol!!!!

Does anyone else struggle with middle of the night eating (binging)? How do you cope?

Replies

  • InterestingRadish
    InterestingRadish Posts: 1 Member
    Hi there! I am in the same boat as you. I actually wake up multiple times at night. I have no clue what wakes me up, but I surely wake up full of energy to run a marathon during the night. Usually 1 1/2 hour after I fall asleep and every 2-3 hours then on. I eat within seconds of waking up, as if I am programmed to go to the fridge/cupboards. I eat unhealthy as well during the nights. But I have tried removing "unhealthy" foods, and I still continue to binge whatever I can get my hands on. Seriously every day I feel worse and worse and hope it will change..
  • seriousjulie
    seriousjulie Posts: 2 Member
    I can relate to you all - this is something I have tried and it’s been working- a flavored diet soda.
  • Adventurista
    Adventurista Posts: 1,763 Member
    edited June 14
    Nods...

    I scheduled later dinner, bedtime snack and middle of night snack which i prepared earlier so it was easy to get and eat.

    If i did not need, i did not eat. This gave me the permission and relief to eat or not, and the middle of night eased off. Later, bedtime snack eased off too.

    For a long time, the crazy urges returned when life stress hit... so it is important to practice non-food solutions to non-food needs/urges to eat extra.

    My calories for the day began after i got up for the day for breakfast. Middle of night eating, i consider post-dinner eating, same day as dinner.
    .
  • poodle_whisper
    poodle_whisper Posts: 14 Member
    edited August 24
    old wives tale that some say will work for restless legs....put a bar of Irish Spring in the bottom corners of your bed under the sheets.
    if you suffer from cramps...tonic water...keep a glass by the bed. the quinine in the tonic water stops cramps within a minute or so.
  • Corina1143
    Corina1143 Posts: 3,624 Member
    Yes. I haven't had a problem until lately.
    I started taking a blood pressure medication about 18 months ago. Was sick and off kilter for about 6 months. Stopped them last month. I think my problem is withdrawal from the pills.
    I've been waking up an hour or two after I fall asleep. I snack for 2-3 hours, then give up and have a meal.
    As much as 2000 calories between 1 and 5 am-- more than I eat most days. I have gained a lot of weight. But I hope I have rounded the corner. Fingers 🤞. I slept 8 hours the last 2 nights and ate reasonably the last 2 days.
    I see easier times ahead!
    Hang on!
  • FayeStingel
    FayeStingel Posts: 1 Member
    I wake up several times during the night too. Trying to drink H2 water before bed (but bathroom breaks help get me up too). I’ve also tried taking magnesium glycinate before bed. I don’t eat in the middle of the night, the blessing of the 2nd floor bedroom.
  • mcandi2011
    mcandi2011 Posts: 13 Member
    I had about two months of 4-6 hours of sleep for most nights and the night time eating/binging had stopped during that time and had lost a few pounds as a result. However, the insomnia has started again. And the restless leg syndrome. I have been going for weekly massage on my legs which seems to be helping a little but if I wake up to go to the bathroom during the night, I have troubles falling asleep again because of my legs so I get up to wait it out, which then turns to eating because, by then, I am hungry. I have new medication that is not to aggravate the legs so the Dr thinks that, in turn, I should then be able to sleep but I still have the insomnia to be treated as well. I am doing my best to not to eat during the middle of the night, but some nights it is damn near impossible!!!!

    I appreciate all your suggestions and support and it is helpful to know I am not the only one with the middle of the night eating. Although I wish none of us had to go through it 😊😊😊

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