There is a particular eating disorder called night eating syndrome (NES). The majority of food consumed by those with the illness is eaten at night, sometimes even causing them to awaken from sleep.
It's common for people with NES to eat because they think it will make their sleep better or enable them to fall asleep again. These people usually skip breakfast since they don't have much of an appetite in the morning. They often feel embarrassed and guilty about what they eat.
Albert Stunkard, a psychiatrist, initially identified NES in 1955 and described it as a behavioral form of obesity. This has led to it being researched most frequently in relation to obesity research. NES has less study as compared to other eating disorders.
If you or someone you know is struggling with night eating syndrome, it's important to seek professional help. Online counselling can be a convenient and effective way to receive support from a licensed therapist. Additionally, if you're located in India, you may want to consider finding the Best Psychologists in India who specialize in eating disorders. They can provide personalized treatment and support to help manage the symptoms of night eating syndrome. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength and can lead to a healthier and happier life.
Signs and Symptoms of Night Eating Syndrome
Some indications in the house may be noticed by those who have NES or who share a household with someone who does. They would discover missing food or kitchen messes, for instance, which would indicate that someone had been up and eating in the middle of the night. These symptoms suggest that one of the family members may have night eating syndrome.
Night eating syndrome can be identified by three major symptoms:
It is common for patients with the illness to eat at least 25% of their daily recommended intake of food after their evening meal for at least three months. Over the course of three months, at least twice per week, these bouts of midnight eating have also occurred. People with NES may graze or binge eats—that is, consume a significant quantity of food quickly while feeling out of control.
People who have NES appear to have a disturbance in their circadian rhythm, the biological mechanism that controls sleep and eating schedules in accordance with the regular cycle of light and dark.
Humans typically eat between the hours of early morning and early evening, roughly corresponding to their prime periods of alertness. People with NES still have a regular sleep cycle, but their eating habits are delayed.
NES could also be a reaction to dieting. The desire to eat later in the day is a typical reaction to dietary restrictions when people limit their food intake throughout the day and their bodies are experiencing physical deprivation. Eating at midnight as a self-care behavior may evolve over time.
Hormonal imbalances that change eating patterns may also have an impact on night eating syndrome. It could also happen as a result of a lifestyle of eating and staying up late, which is frequent among college students. It might be hard to quit this behaviour once it has been formed.
One of the most effective therapies for eating problems is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The underlying cognitive patterns that fuel the disease are the focus of CBT. Psycho-education regarding the ailment as well as self-monitoring to comprehend the problem and sustaining elements are frequently included in psychological treatment for NES. It will involve less dieting. Meal planning and routine eating structure are examples of behavioural therapies that are similar to different eating disorders. To better match eating habits with sleep and waking cycles, NES therapy places a special emphasis on moving meal times earlier in the day. Breakfast is used to reset eating habits.
Cognitive restructuring and behavioural experiments can aid in altering ideas and behaviours since the disorder is sustained by harmful beliefs. Identifying tactics that target particular thoughts and behaviours can help therapists treat night eating episodes.
Examining the moment the individual initially began to consider wanting to eat might be useful after an incident of night eating. They would next examine each step involved in getting to the meal, selecting it, and then eating it, as well as what transpired as a result. People may handle future circumstances by taking a look at these stages and considering where this sequence of events could be altered.
The most extensively studied form of therapy for NES is psychotropic medication. There is not much evidence to back up the use of psychiatric drugs to treat eating problems in general. However, the instance of NES provides some evidence in favour of doing so since the interruption of the circadian rhythm points to a more significant biological component. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), such as paroxetine (Paxil), fluvoxamine (Luvox), and sertraline (Zoloft), have been examined and utilised as medications.
