Chronic Sleep Eater! Help!

Kabuhtu
Kabuhtu Posts: 85 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
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?!?!

Replies

  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    When you wake up at night, don't go to the kitchen.
  • vicky_b329
    vicky_b329 Posts: 24
    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
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    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
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    So you wake up and eat? That doesn't sound like "sleep eater" to me.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    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
    blondageh Posts: 923 Member
    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
    tripledipped13 Posts: 78 Member
    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
    Iklepink Posts: 3
    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
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    erased (sorry, I should have read earlier comments first).

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