SLEEP-EATING
Have you ever woke up finding your kitchen a mess or, in my case, finding bowls, silverware and plates in bed with you? Maybe you’ve noticed food missing or you just aren’t losing weight. Maybe your heart burn is out of control or you feel like your stomach is in pain causing you to feel sick. These can be signs of sleep eating.
What is sleep-eating
(SRED- Sleep Related Eating Disorder)
Sleep-eating is a parasominc disorder- “a disorder characterized by abnormal or unusual behavior of the nervous system during sleep”. While sleepwalkers will engage in other activities, sleep eaters seem to be focused on food; they’re not likely to drive or buy and what not.
When it comes to this disorder, men and women are both affected. In my family, my dad and I both sleep eat. However, women are more like to suffer from this. “Females represent about 65% to 80% of SRED patients. The average age when it first occurs is 22 to 29 years. It tends to be an ongoing and long-lasting problem.” www.sleepeducation.org
The crazy thing about sleep-eating is you might not even go to bed hungry. Your brain doesn’t have any red flags of needing sustenance however you seem to consume lots of food. Sometimes it is toxic non food items, or weird combinations of food.
What causes this disorder?
There are quite a few factors that can cause this disorder. Have you been under a lot of stress? Maybe you decided to change your diet. Maybe you are already suffering from depression or other mental illnesses. You could also have a substance problem or might be ending a substance abuse, maybe other medical problems; it could even be a medication you take or actual sleeping pills.
Sleep-eating is a serious problem that can potentially dangerous. Some people try to cook food and burn their hands or start fires. I know I’ve woken up with burns on my hands and cuts on my fingers from trying to chop up foods. Some people, such as myself have dietary issues and heart burn. You can raise your blood sugar, mess with your cholesterol. Aside from edible items, some people eat or drink things not meant to be. I had a friend who drank window washer fluid. I’ve heard of people eating cigarettes.
If you aren’t a sleep eater but live with one, don’t try and wake them up. Don’t interact with them. Best thing is to encourage and support them in getting help when they are awake. Its hard to get someone out of one of these episodes. If you see them doing something dangerous, try and steer them out. Sleep-eating is mostly you go eat and then return to bed. Not so much wandering, driving, engaging in adult activities (yes- it happens). Sleep eaters, when being messed with during the event, can get pissed off.
When they reach for the bleach to pour on their chocolate chips, try and be quick about snagging it away.
Think you have a SRED? GET HELP!
I’m no doctor, I see a psychiatrist and therapist regularly to keep all my disorders in check. If you have even the slightest feeling you are sleep-eating, go to the doctor. Get a sleep test done, talk to a dietitian, talk to a therapist. This is a medical problem and should be treated as such.
I can’t even begin to stress the importance of getting proper help to treat this. Your life and quality of life depends on your health and you only get one life. If you have depression or some sort of mental illness and don’t feel worth getting better; you are worth it.
You are special and deserve to be healthy. Being that I suffer from mental illnesses, I have had a long and difficult journey, everyday is still filled with battles. But its worth living. Sometimes it doesn’t feel that way, but I can assure you that once you escape the dark pit, you’ll get to enjoy the sun.
