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In the evening you empty the fridge and in the morning you wake up feeling incredibly hungry? Make sure you don’t suffer from night eating syndrome!
Night trysts with a refrigerator
You don’t eat breakfast in the morning, and in the afternoon you also refrain from a larger meal, but in the evening you can’t stand it anymore and just attack the fridge? It looks like you may belong to a group of people with the so-called night eating syndrome (NES). Common symptoms of this condition are:
– sleep disturbances in the form of insomnia at least 3 times a week,
– excessive evening appetite (eating at least half of the daily food ration after 19:00); food is consumed compulsively, hunger is difficult to control,
– morning hunger.
The next day, the person does not remember that such an event (night meal) took place.
Who is most often affected by this problem?
Scientists still argue about who, women or men, are more susceptible to the disease. However, they agree that the occurrence of night eating syndrome is favored by diseases that cause sleep disorders (more precisely, its defragmentation), e.g. restless legs syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), periodic limb movement syndrome and symptoms after discontinuing alcohol, coffee, and cigarettes. pain medications. The occurrence of the disease is also favored by excessive exposure to stress. The causes of the disease have not yet been known. The occurrence of NES is probably genetic.
Night eating syndrome is a source of significant chronic stress. People suffering from this condition often complain of constant fatigue, guilt, shame, lack of control during sleep. Depression and anxiety disorders are not uncommon. Extra stress is the cause of low self-esteem.
I eat in my sleep
If a person eats while the disorder is still awake, we call it NSRED (Nocturnal Sleep Related Eating Disorder). There are some dangers involved in this condition. A sleepwalker often cooks while sleeping, which makes him more prone to various types of burns and injuries.
What is the relationship between sleep and appetite?
In people with night eating syndrome, disturbances in the daily secretion of 2 essential substances were observed: melatonin and leptin. Melatonin is involved in introducing and maintaining the body in the sleep phase. In people with NES, a decrease in the level of this hormone was observed at night. This caused numerous awakenings. Leptin has a similar problem. In NES, the body secretes too little of it during the night. Therefore, although leptin reduces appetite and plays a role in maintaining sleep when its concentration is normal, it can increase appetite in the case of reduced concentration.
How to cure night ravenous appetite?
If you experience any of the above symptoms, please see your GP. They can point you to your nearest sleep center. There you will need to perform the following tests: EEG (electroencephalogram – registration of your brain activity), EMG (electromyogram – registration of your muscles activity) and EEA (electroencephalogram – registration of the activity of your eyes). Depending on the results of the tests, your doctor will prescribe the appropriate pharmacotherapy.
Remember, however, that the effectiveness of treatment is increased not only by getting rid of unnecessary kilograms but also by observing the rules of sleep hygiene:
— reduce the time spent in bed (up to 6 hours)
— do not try to fall asleep by force
— remove the watch from sight in the bedroom
— get physically tired in the late afternoon
— avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
— lead a regular lifestyle
— have dinner 3 hours before bedtime (possibly a light snack in the evening)
— avoid strong light in the evening and dark rooms during the day
— avoid naps during the day.
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