Night eating syndrome is a condition where the patient binge eats late during the night. The patient wakes up 3 to 4 times in the night and consumes biscuits, chips, cakes or other high-calorie foods. This can lead to improper sleep, stress, and obesity. Hormone imbalance, anxiety and depression can be the reasons behind eating during the night.
What Causes Night Eating Syndrome?
People eat during the night for a variety of reasons. Depression, anxiety or mood problems may make few people to eat. Hormone imbalance i.e., fluctuations of the appetite-controlling hormones such as leptin and melatonin can also make people to eat during the night. Some people eat food to help them to fall asleep.
Characteristics of Night Eating Syndrome:
- Waking up in the night to eat high-calorie food
- Irregular eating pattern during the day
- Skipping of breakfast
- Sleepiness during the day
- Stress and anxiety
Although people with this disorder do not overeat during the day, they may eat high-calorie food during the night. In this way, they might be eating 500 calories in excess. This can lead to obesity.
Treating Night Eating Syndrome:
Researchers found out that few people experienced a decrease in the hormone levels of leptin and melatonin and an increase in the stress hormone cortisol. In such cases, treating the hormone imbalance can help in decreasing the problem.
If this syndrome is caused due to anxiety, depression or stress, counseling or psychotherapy may be given to treat this syndrome.
Night eating syndrome is a clinical disorder. If you experience this problem, do consult your doctor for proper treatment, as this disorder can result in obesity and can affect the performance during the day.
