Night Eating Syndrome anyone?

I do this if- and only if- there is a box of Reese's Puffs cereal in the pantry. But like you, if I know it's there, I can't stop...and it's always around midnight that I'll crave it and then eat 5 servings. It's the only food I have no willpower over, no matter how much I think I can get over it.

So the solution I've found? And it IS the only solution I have found...Don't even have trigger foods in the house. If it's not there during the day or night, you'll never be tempted to eat it at midnight because...you can't eat something that isn't there!

Another thing that I do just to help over-eating at any time of the day is to never leave things in their original packaging, if there are multiple servings in a package. Sometimes this is wasteful, like using tons of Ziploc baggies (though I try to use re-usable little containers), but it helps with portion control and time management, too. Usually this is an issue with breakfast cereals (my favorite food ever), and snack-type food like crackers and potato chips, so pre-sorting it into individual servings really helps cut down on accidentally eating the whole bag in one sitting. And on the flip side to this, it makes eating veggies really easy-- I take a box of grape tomatoes, baby carrots, broccoli florets, and whatever other veggies I have around and put a mix of them into single-serving-size containers for a few days' worth of no-preparation snacks at work during the week!

I have suffered from this for years as well and it is the most frustrating thing! I have the exact same problem that I have control during the day and do not even crave the kinds of foods that I eat during the night but during the night it feels like I do not have control over what I eat. The severity of it comes and goes with me and I think it may be linked to how stressed I am at the time. It is so frustrating because it definitely hinders weight loss. It is also difficult to talk about the problem with others because if they have not experienced the problem, they do not understand it.

I have suffered from this for the longest time! I completely feel your pain. I get up, and I'm in a haze, not sleepwalking because I'm aware, but totally unable to control what I'm doing. It's like I'm on autopilot for the pantry and it's always carbs I'm after. I have discovered mine is mainly stress related. My doctor had to put me on something for anxiety, and it helped tremendously with the NES! I can't say I never do it anymore, but maybe once a week compared to a couple times a night. I also notice the nights it does happen, are ones where I've eaten something sugary late in the day. I know how frustrating and emberassing this can be, so I'm sorry you're having to go through it too.

Snack on a very hot pepper (Chili pepper or hotter, or I suppose whatever you consider hot). I don't mean a pepper that you bite and say, "ohh, that is spicey!" I mean a pepper that you bite into that makes you go, "ARBLURGGGGG HOT!!!" A few bites and the intense burn should stop you from want any food. It does for me.

Plus you might begin to enjoy the burn.

I have done this intermittently for years too!! My friends used to make fun of me for it. I am lucky that I don't do it consistently and it usually is when there are really bad foods around for snacking, like Halloween candy, Valentines candy, Easter candy, etc. Guess mine is mostly a sugar craving. The main thing that has helped is that I take Melatonin and Benadryl before bed so I sleep better and I'm not waking up in the middle of the night. If I don't wake up then I don't snack It is good to know that I'm not the only crazy person that does this.

I leave calories open for a snack at night. I used to be the queen of the night binge, but for whatever reason, if I actually allow myself that night munch, within my calories goal, I don't feel that need very much any more.

As regards the sleep issue, you should definitely see a doctor.