Contents:
- Medical Video: How to Treat a Sleep Eating Disorder | Eating Disorders
- What is eating during sleep?
- What causes eating disorders during sleep?
- What symptoms are seen if you have a disorder sleeping eating disorder?
- Impacts that can arise from eating syndrome during sleep
- Then, how do you handle it right?
Medical Video: How to Treat a Sleep Eating Disorder | Eating Disorders
Maybe you are more familiar with sleep disorders sleepwalking or the habit of sleeping while walking. But did you know that there are other types of sleep disorders with unusual behavior, namely eating during sleep which is also done unconsciously? Consider the following review.
What is eating during sleep?
Eating during sleep or commonly referred to as Nocturnal Sleep-Related Eating Disorders (NS-RED) is one of the types of sleep disorders characterized by abnormal eating patterns at night. People with this type of disorder can eat unconsciously even though he is sleeping.
Most of them don't even remember getting up at night, walking to the kitchen, preparing food and then eating it. Although this incident is not as common as sleepwalking, but sufferers of eating disorders during sleep often occur during sleepwalking.
What causes eating disorders during sleep?
Actually, it is not known exactly what causes eating disorders can occur. But reported from the Huffington Post page, this condition is associated with several things, namely:
- There are other sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea, sleepwalking, narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome
- Take sleeping pills, such as ambient, halcion, intermezzo, and zolpimist. As well as several other drugs such as antidepressants and antipsychotics
- Take other drugs that affect the brain's work such as lithium and ziprexa
- Alcohol consumption, smoking, and in the process of stopping consumption of prohibited substances
- Having sleep deprivation
- Have a family history of eating-related disorders while sleeping or walking while sleeping
Besides that, eating conditions during sleep can also be caused by mental health disorders such as acute stress, anxiety, even depression; or is on a daily diet, and has eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia.
What symptoms are seen if you have a disorder sleeping eating disorder?
Be aware of eating disorders during sleep, if you experience these things:
- Almost every night you wake up from sleep unconsciously, then eat and drink uncontrollably
- Not experiencing awareness when preparing and eating food
- The next morning, I didn't remember anything that had been done last night
- Generally, often consume foods with high carbohydrate and fat content, as well as unusual food combinations
- In some cases, you can eat something that cannot be eaten or toxic materials, such as frozen food, coffee grounds, and cigarette butts
- Not easily awakened during the "episode" of eating during sleep
- Experiencing negative effects on body health due to eating habits at night while sleeping
Impacts that can arise from eating syndrome during sleep
Even though it doesn't seem very dangerous, this syndrome still causes problems such as:
- Experiencing health problems, such as drastic weight gain, cavities, increasing the risk of various diseases such as obesity, diabetes, etc.
- Unconsciously use dangerous kitchen utensils, experience burns, fall unconsciously, choke while eating, or hurt because they eat something that is not edible or toxic, and eat something that makes allergies
- Feel guilty for not being able to control eating habits unconsciously while sleeping
- Feeling tired during the day due to disturbances to sleep at night
Then, how do you handle it right?
The most important first step is to consult a psychiatrist to find out and treat this sleep disorder. Next, you must manage stress, anxiety, and depression by following counseling, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding caffeine.
Avoid using sleeping pills even if you need them. Sleeping pills will only worsen your syndrome. So, you should look for other ways to make you sleep fast without using drugs. If it is very disturbing and you do not find other ways, you should consult a doctor.
