Sleep-related eating disorder

Do you eat while you are asleep? I don’t but it appears that some folks do. Sleep eating is apparently just another sleep disorder that affects people.

According to about.com, “Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) is characterized by repeated involuntary episodic eating that occurs during nighttime sleep. It is more than a midnight snack, and individuals with this disorder remain largely asleep while they are eating.”

And if eating while you are asleep is strange it seems than what some folks are eating at night is even weirder, odd combinations of foods such as salt, sugar, flour and even, this is disgusting, cat litter. Foods that are high in calories (I don’t know what the calorie content is for cat litter) are also prevalent.

What makes this happen?

This usually occurs in people that have other sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea and periodic limb movements. There also seems to be a link between Confusional arousals and SRED. The demographic for this is women in their 20’s.

I have also read that there can be a link between sleep medication, like Ambien and Trizolam, and this sleep disorder

The first step of course is going to your doctor and scheduling a sleep study which will determine which sleep disorders you have or don’t have. Treatment can include sleep hygiene and possibly medication.

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