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This is waking up automatically in the middle of the night, usually two hours after I’ve gone to bed, to eat something. Sometimes I’m aware of what I’m doing. Sometimes I’m not, and I just remember in the morning. The funny thing is that I’ve been doing this for years, and the only time I was able to somewhat stop is when I went over seas for a few months. I don’t know why, maybe i reset my body’s internal clock. But when I came back home, so did the sleep eating! Weird!
Most of us have habit of sleeping late at night and than getting late in the morning. For some it has become regular schedule. Some of us have also observed and noticed that when we sleep late and get up early in the morning, than we feel tired and can not concentrate on our work properly. A normal grown up human being should sleep for 7-8 hrs daily. People who take proper sleep is more energetic, fresh and have full concentration on there work.
This behavior of sleeping late and not completing proper sleep cycle leads to sleep disorders like Insomnia. Insomnia is growing among all age groups and need to be taken care of. Insomnia is an inability to sleep. There are some factors associated with sleep disorders. Tension and depression are the main factors which causes Insomnia.
But now there is no need to worry about insomnia , we have sleeping pills to keep you out of this dilemma. There are so many sleeping pills available in the market but Ambien is the most prescribed drug. Ambien has cured millions of people in the world and is most preferred among all sleeping pills. There are some side effects of Ambien also. Some common side effects are drowsiness, dizziness and diarrhea, among all these one serious side effect is sleep eating. It has been observed recently that people start eating while they are asleep.
Sleep eating and Sleep driving are increasing after taking Ambien . In sleep eating patient get out of the bed and prepare food or sometimes take already prepared food and eat it there and go back to bed. They do not have any memories of all this. They wake up in the morning find crumbs of food in the kitchen or near bed. This is a serious problem because a person is not aware what he/she is doing and may cut fingers or may fall in some other serious problem. Another health problem related to sleep eating is Obesity. People take so much of fatty food in sleep and that fat makes them Obese.
All this must be amusing for normal person but this is not a matter of amusement. Person taking any sleeping pill or face sleep eating than consult doctor as soon as possible.
Sleep eating syndrome (called Nocturnal Eating Disorder, or NED) is a type of sleeping disorder in which the patient eats while clinically asleep. As a result of unconscious sleep eating, the patient often consumes extra calories and gains weight. In many cases, the type of food consumed during night eating is junk food, exacerbating the health problems associated with this sleeping disorder. This article will discuss nocturnal eating disorder: how to diagnose it, and what to do about it.
Because of a lack of judgment on the part of someone suffering from NED, the person may eat too much of what tends to be fat or sugar-rich junk food. This can lead to obesity. Another prominent risk of nocturnal eating disorder is the possibility of the patient cooking while asleep. The patient is not aware of cooking with fire, heat or sharp utensils.
Is nocturnal eating disorder considered to be an eating disorder? Technically, this eating disorder is not an eating disorder, but rather it is classified as a sleep disorder. What can you do if you suspect that you or someone you know suffers from nocturnal eating disorder? The most important thing is to get an accurate diagnosis. Visit your doctor so that they will conduct a physical examination and take note of all your symptoms. Your doctor may order you to spend a night in a sleep lab.
Once the doctor diagnoses NED, there are many treatment options available for this problem. Physicians recommend that patients follow several preventative measures in order to keep nocturnal eating sessions at bay. Here are some of the most helpful tips for anyone who might be suffering from NED; Exercise has been proven to be beneficial for victims of nocturnal eating disorder. Even just a few minutes of movement and exercise each day can make a significant difference. Easy exercises that you can try include walking, bicycling, and dancing. Making just a few simple changes in your everyday routine can help you become more active. Try parking further away from the store when you go shopping, and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Try to get in all your exercise in the morning. If you exercise in the evening, it might interfere with your ability to fall asleep.
Avoid caffeine and other stimulating substances. Don’t drink coffee; consume chocolate, soda, or other caffeinated or sugar-rich drinks near bedtime. Also, avoid any medications that you know interfere with your normal sleeping pattern. Many over the counter and prescription medications can interrupt with your sleeping pattern. Also, alcohol and nicotine can make it difficult for you to fall asleep. Instead of consuming anything that may be stimulating, drink warm milk instead.
Take a warm bath before bedtime. A warm bath can be relaxing and signals the body that it’s time to wind down for the day. However, showers should be avoided right before bedtime, as these can be stimulating.
Consult your health professional for medications that can help. Nocturnal eating disorder can be helped through the use of specific medications. These include medications such as anti-depressants, including the drug Wellbutrin. Certain anti-seizure medications have also proven beneficial for counteracting the symptoms of NED. However, sedatives should be avoided; these can worsen the condition.
Sleep is an ordinary routine for us all. It is an essential part in living as it contributes both to our physical and mental state. However, for those with sleeping disorders such as sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome, sleeping doesn’t come as easy as it normally should. There are treatments to counter sleeping disorders. Battling sleeping disorders, though, take time and patience.
Sleeping disorders may occur because of anxiety, physical pain, or a change in lifestyle (shift work change). Environmental noise can also contribute to sleeping poorly. Medications and drugs can also be factors. Sleeping poorly will lead to sleep debt, which is the effect of not getting enough rest and sleep. Sleep debt can cause mental and physical fatigue, and may ruin your personal and professional life.
To battle sleeping disorders, it is important to understand the cause of the disorder and to understand what sort of treatments you have to take. Sleep disorders vary in nature and degree. The worst of the sleeping disorders are dyssomnias or insomnia, hypersomnia (disorders of excessive sleepiness), and parasomnias or having abnormal behaviors during sleep.
Treatments for sleeping disorders also varies, from changes in your life style to taking in different medications. There is one thing that matters when treating all sleeping disorders, though, and that is to stick to a routine for sleeping. This routine will basically cover the following tips:
- Going to bed only when you get sleepy
- Sleeping time and waking time should be routinary and constant
- Don’t drink alcohol, or drinks with caffeine in the evening
- Exercise daily and improve on your physical activities
- Take a break and relax from time to time
- Condition your bedroom that it would be comfortable for you to sleep in (bed, room temperature, etc.)
- Close windows, remove distractions, and don’t bring in work in your bedroom to have a quiet sleep
- Take a hot or warm bath before going to sleep
- Eat early in the evening and don’t eat too late at night
- Take a night stroll or do some stretching exercises to relax your muscles
- Drink warm milk or some herbal teas
- Have a massage to get your body to relax
- Take calcium and magnesium supplements before bedtime
Stick to whichever tips from the list above and perform them on a daily basis. Making them routine in your life can contribute to a routine sleep in the future.
Many health organizations maintain that a person has to sleep around eight to nine hours to achieve optimal sleep benefits, including alertness, memory enhancement and problem and solving, overall health improvement, and a reduction in risks of accidents. Studies have shown that sleeping less than eight hours results in a decline in cognitive performances. There is also a study concerning a person’s mortality rate wherein experts insist on sleeping six to seven hours each night.
More studies show that either the lack of sleep or too much of it can contribute to cardiovascular diseases, weight issues, and death. Weight gain, hypertension, diabetes are some of the problems associated with sleeping less and more than six to seven hours every night.
Keeping in mind these simple tips and information, battling your sleeping disorder is possible. Even with the amount of time needed for it to be treated, the end result is that you will be able to finally sleep without any trouble.
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