Night- Eating Disorder
Night- Eating Disorder is characterized by a lack of appetite in the morning & overeating at night. Those who suffer from the incontrollable urges to eat ate night often report experiencing agitation & insomnia. Those who suffer from night-eating disorder raid the refrigerator & cupboards for high-carbohydrate snacks, sometimes up to four times a night. Night eating is not like binge eating disorder, which is done in relatively short episodes. Instead, night-eating disorder often involves continual eating throughout evening hours.
Night-eating disorder is thought to occur in approximately 10% of the population who are obese, which represents 10 million people suffering from binge eating. However, Night Eating disorder can also be present for normal weight individuals, but often their night eating episodes are less frequent or severe. Night Eating Disorder is believed to be stress related, and has been correlated with depressive symptoms.
The patterns below may persist for months or years, often leading to significant weight gain and obesity.
- Signs and Symptoms of Night Eating Disorder
- The person has little or no appetite for breakfast.
- Postpones eating upon waking for several hours, and may skip several meals.
- Claims he or she is not hungry during the day.
- Feels regretful and perseverates on how much was eaten the night before.
- Feels tense, anxious, upset, or guilty while eating.
- Typically consumes more food after dinner than during any of the main meals.
- Consumes more than half of daily food intake after dinner but before breakfast.
- He or she may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
- Night Eaters typically eat high carbohydrate foods.
- He or She may wake up frequently to eat.
- May engage in sleep-walking style eating behaviors, where he or she does not remember the details of their night eating episodes.
- Night Eating behaviors often produce intense guilt and shame, and are not considered pleasurable.
What are the Causes of Night- Eating Disorder:
Recent research has linked hormonal disturbances as well as neuro-endocrine abnormalities as being a culprit. Findings have noted that night-eating syndrome occurs among those with distinctive changes in hormones related to sleep, hunger & stress. Night eating may be a way for night-eaters to medicate themselves, since large amounts of carbohydrates can lead to increased serotonin in the brain which in turn, leads to sleep.
Treatment for Binge Eating Disorder:
Behavioral Nutrition’s Treatments for Night-Eating involves a multi-disciplinary approach of group work with individual coaching and nutritional therapy. Treatment occurs in both group and individual sessions. Group work is scheduled on evening hours of the week.
Group Treatment Programs Include:
- Nutrition Evaluation & Consultation
- Weekly Group Meetings that integrates Behavioral Techniques, Nutritional Counseling and Lifestyle Medicine.
Our Group Treatment Program:
Adult Group Binge-Eating & Night Eating Program- Adult Males and Females who suffer from binge-eating and night-eating disorder.
