What is nocturnal appetite syndrome?

Night appetite is one of the varieties of eating disorders. It is thought to be caused by a disruption in the body’s circadian rhythms. Those who suffer from it often experience severe hunger late in the evening or late at night, as if their biological clock has gone astray.

Two main symptoms:

• You, on average, consume more than 25% of your total daily calories after dinner.
• You eat at least 2-3 times a week at night (staying up late or waking up at night to eat).

To make a diagnosis, three more of the following symptoms must be present:

• You have no appetite in the morning.
• Late in the evening or at night you are very hungry.
• You think you won’t fall asleep until you eat.
• You have developed depression or a feeling of hopelessness.
• You have difficulty falling asleep.

It is believed that 1-2% of the population suffers from night appetite syndrome, and among obese people – 10%. It is not necessarily accompanied by a tendency to overeat, although these problems often occur together.

Circadian rhythms and nocturnal appetite syndrome

The body’s circadian rhythms are our biological clock. According to them, the body at certain periods of the day produces the necessary hormones, waiting for awakening, going to bed, eating. These rhythms help the body stick to a set schedule.

It must be understood that these rhythms are regulated by external stimuli. If you regularly eat at a certain time, the body will adapt to this regimen and will expect food at the usual time. The same applies to sleep patterns. One of the most important factors that governs circadian rhythms is the amount of blue light, abundant in sunlight, entering the eyes at certain times of the day. After sunset, the body gradually begins to prepare for sleep by increasing the production of melatonin (in addition, other hormonal changes occur).

If the eyes are exposed to artificial blue light from light bulbs, screens of electronic devices all evening, this can disrupt sleep patterns. This light seems to deceive the body, forcing it to believe that the day is still going on. The result is often insomnia.

As for food, we often involuntarily accustom the body to a certain diet – we almost do not eat during the day, but we have a hearty dinner and continue to eat after dinner – until late at night. As a result, during the day, our appetite begins to be suppressed by hormones, and “wakes up” at night.

As studies show, in those suffering from night appetite syndrome, sleep rhythms often remain normal, and sleep is disturbed only due to improper eating rhythms. Simply put, one part of their body thinks it’s time to sleep, and another part thinks it’s time to eat. According to scientists, this phenomenon is most likely due to the desynchronization of the circadian rhythms of eating and sleeping.

What can be done?

For starters, it’s worth trying to “reset” the circadian rhythms. They are mainly regulated by external stimuli. If we change the environment, the body will have to adapt to new conditions. Here are some ideas:

Sleep rhythms

Among insomniacs, special glasses are gaining popularity that block the blue light emitted by electric bulbs and screens of electronic devices. In the modern world, we are unlikely to be able to completely stop using them after dark. With protective glasses, we can continue to use electronics in the evening without disturbing our sleep patterns. Personally, these glasses helped me sleep better. I used to rarely fall asleep before 2-3 am, but a week after I began to wear goggles after 6 pm, I began to feel sleepy as early as 10-11 pm.

Rhythms of food

Try to eat regularly, eat more in the morning and eat nothing a few hours before bedtime. Night appetite syndrome occurs due to the desynchronization of the rhythms of sleep and nutrition. Most sufferers of this syndrome intuitively understand that their biological clock is off. You need to understand that it is in your power to fix it.