Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) is a sleep disorder marked by bizarre eating behaviors during sleep. People with SRED have episodes of sleepwalking in which they consume food, but have no recollection of it when they awaken.
Many people with SRED experience nightly episodes of eating. These can take place at any point in the evening, with it being possible to have multiple sleep-eating events over the course of one night. This can happen even if you are neither hungry nor thirsty.
Those with SRED often have a preference for rich, sweet, and energy-dense items, like peanut butter or syrup. Your cravings during sleep-related events may be different from the ones you usually prefer. Alcoholic drinks are not typically consumed.
During a sleep-related eating episode, you tend to consume food rapidly. The entire period may last just ten minutes from the time you leave your bed to the moment you return.
At these functions, you are likely to be careless when dealing with food. Whether it is hot or cold dishes, you might not handle them properly, potentially resulting in cuts and injuries from knives and other utensils. Not to mention the danger of fires or scalds due to careless cooking.
SRED can manifest itself in a few different ways. It may start suddenly with intense eating binges, or it may progress gradually over time. In either case, it has a tendency to persist and doesn't seem to diminish with time. This disorder may contribute to feelings of depression and shame due to the inability to stop bingeing. People suffering from SRED might attempt to compensate by avoiding food during the day and working out excessively.
Problems resulting from SRED include the following:
- Eating strange forms or combinations of food, such as raw bacon, buttered cigarettes or coffee grounds
- Eating or drinking toxic substances, such as cleaning solutions
- Eating foods to which you are allergic
- Insomnia due to sleep disruption
- Sleep-related injury
- Loss of appetite in the morning
- Stomach pain
- High cholesterol
- Excessive weight gain and obesity
- Worsened control of diabetes