Uncontrolled Eating At Night

Nocturnal eating syndrome is essentially an eating disorder associated with a shift in the circadian rhythm of eating. It differs from the overeating syndrome, although the affected people also show a tendency to eat a lot. In the latter case, however, the need for food exceeds the amount taken, which is not necessarily large and rarely requires adherence to certain diets.

The disease affects approximately 1.5% of the population. Men and women are equally affected by a slight predominance of women.

What characterizes night eating syndrome?

People with this eating disorder are more likely to be overweight or obese. They feel out of control over their eating behavior and eat secretly, even when they are not hungry. At the same time, they are extremely ashamed and regret their behavior.

They often eat faster and in larger quantities than other people over the same period of time. In most cases, the need for food exceeds the physiological need itself, but they continue to eat, even if there is a feeling of fullness and discomfort. Fully aware of what is happening, they often eat separately from others to reduce their discomfort. A combination of guilt, depression, and aversion to one's own intolerance are characteristic of this eating disorder.

Most of the daily food intake affected by this disorder is taken in the evening or at night. They eat little or no breakfast in the morning, but wake up at night with an overwhelming need for food, which is often in the form of snacks, ie high-calorie food. In most cases, falling asleep again is impossible until the required amount of food is ingested.

Characteristic features of people affected by this eating disorder are:

• Overweight;
• Frequent adherence to all kinds of diets;
• Depression or anxiety;
• Alcoholism or other type of addiction - narcotic, drug, etc .;
• Perfectionism and strict weight monitoring;
• Negative self-esteem and high self-criticism.

What are the causes of this eating disorder?

The reasons can be varied, but often complex. Sometimes the habits of student life are carried over into adulthood and it is difficult to break the wrong regime. In other cases, the high engagement of the work environment is a prerequisite for the elimination of lunch, which can lead to overcompensation in the evening.

Paradoxically, on the one hand, the appearance of this disorder turns out to be precisely in response to the observance of various dietary regimes. This can be explained by the purely physiological need of the brain to get its necessary calories at night, when the will and restraints are more blunted in a sleepy state. Another possible cause is stress.

What is the therapy of night eating?

As with other types of eating disorders, therapy requires a comprehensive approach. First of all, it is important to be aware of the problem itself and to recognize the factors that determine or support it. Just acknowledging the problem and accepting the fact that those affected are not to blame for what is happening is the most important step towards healing.

Treatment includes optimization of eating habits and nutritional value of food intake, exercise and a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy and stress therapy.

The most important thing is the awareness of the presence of one's own strength and confidence to deal with this disorder in eating behavior.