Is it harmful to eat at night: a harmless habit or a full-fledged disease. Why can you eat at night?

Content

Night raids on the refrigerator are far from uncommon in our world. With all the understanding that this is bad, not everyone is able to overcome themselves and refuse such meals. In order to wean yourself from snacking at night or at night, you need to have an idea of the reasons why this behavior may be caused.

Reasons

The causes of night eating syndrome can be different:

Night trips to the refrigerator may be due to the fact that a person simply does not eat enough during the day - skipping breakfast, lunch or dinner. If he manages to do this during the day, then by night his self-control noticeably decreases and he can no longer cope with the irresistible desire to empty the refrigerator. Such a diet can gradually turn into a habit, and the night eater finds himself in a vicious circle.
Late-night snacking may be due to the fact that a person is trying to relieve tension in this way (the problem of stress eating). Such a patient, having opened the refrigerator, is not looking for sausage or something else, but is trying in this way to get rid of the negative emotions that have accumulated during the day.

Nighttime meals can act as a means to suppress their fear for those people who are afraid of the dark. After turning off the lights, such a person cannot fall asleep due to a feeling of discomfort and anxiety. At some point, he finds himself in the kitchen and finds a way to rid himself of unpleasant sensations. Having safely had a snack and feeling a certain security, such a person can finally fall asleep peacefully.
One should not discount the more serious cause of nighttime overeating, which lies in the occurrence of real stomach problems, for example, gastritis. It makes sense to consult a doctor, because it often happens that the patient has no idea about such an illness.

The harm of night overeating

At night, our body works somewhat differently than during the day.

As night approaches, the functioning of the digestive system slows down somewhat. What you eat before bed remains almost unchanged until the morning. During sleep, this mass begins to gradually decompose, resulting in the formation of toxins. In the morning, half-rotten food begins to be processed and all the substances accumulated during the night enter the blood.

It is important to remember that heavy meat foods, as well as fast food, take even longer to digest than plant foods, thereby creating additional stress on the digestive canal.

A full stomach at night begins to put pressure on nearby internal organs. The result is a decrease in the amount of oxygen and nutrients supplied to them, which, in turn, can cause poor sleep.

During sleep, the human body is motionless, which means that the carbohydrates contained in food are not spent on performing any actions, but safely replenish fat reserves. As a result of eating a large dinner and nightly raids on the refrigerator, the risk of developing obesity significantly increases.

Eating foods before bed can negatively affect hormone production. As a result of decreased melatonin production, sleep quality deteriorates, and changes in cortisol levels accelerate the aging process.

Night hunger promotes renewal and restoration of the body.

If you want to eat at night, then it is enough to remember at least some of the listed reasons. Perhaps such a prospect can stop someone.

Ways to overcome the urge to snack at night

People who know about this pressing problem first-hand are concerned with the question: what to do if you feel hungry at night.

At night, the body needs rest; it should sleep, and not digest the treats eaten before bed. In the event that night trips to the kitchen are not caused by stress, but are based on habit, it is necessary to mobilize all efforts to normalize metabolic processes. To do this, it makes sense to follow certain rules.

Increasing the amount of protein consumed

Fish, turkey, cottage cheese, cheese, and lean meat contain quite a lot of tryptophan, which is converted into melatonin and serotonin inside the body. The pleasure hormone can be obtained from healthy products, which will help normalize hormonal balance and overcome nighttime stress, avoiding night trips to the refrigerator.

Breakfast is a must!

If you snack before bed or at night, you usually don’t want to have breakfast. However, you should definitely eat in the morning, even if you don’t feel like it. A hearty breakfast is the basic rule of a healthy diet. The morning meal should contain about 30% of the daily calorie intake. If you drink one coffee for breakfast and have a salad for lunch. But at night your feet will carry you to the kitchen. Porridge is the best type of breakfast. Rich in fiber, this dish helps improve intestinal function. By the way, if you learn to have dinner at least 2-3 hours before bedtime, then in the morning you will definitely want to have breakfast

The trouble for many is that they crave sweets at night and it’s not easy to cope with this desire. In this case, you can afford to try a low-fat light dessert after dinner. This could be a milkshake with frozen berries, yogurt ice cream, dried fruits, an apple, low-fat cottage cheese, jelly, meringue.

Fractional meals during the day

Eating less, but more often is a win-win solution to all diet problems. Gradually, the body will wean itself off nighttime gluttony and the habit of snacking. Fractional nutrition is not a diet or any course of treatment, it is simply a useful regimen. By eating more often, you simply won’t have time to get hungry. Eating 150-200 grams of food every 2-3 hours will help avoid a state of absolute hunger. The body will work well during the day, but at night it will not at all want to get another portion of food.

The last meal should be taken 3 hours before bedtime.

You need to try to reduce your consumption of unhealthy foods and replace them with healthy ones.
Before going to bed, you can drink a glass of fermented baked milk or kefir. It is better to always have a supply of this product in the refrigerator, because once you don’t find it, you will want to try something else.
It is recommended to drink plenty of water throughout the day. At night, it is also better to keep fruit drink, tea or water next to you in case you get thirsty and to avoid going to the kitchen.

Experts recommend walking more in the fresh air and doing fitness.
Brushing your teeth before bed reduces your nighttime appetite.
It is important to train yourself to go to bed on time. You shouldn’t stay up late doing some “pleasant” things, such as watching TV or playing computer games. The result of this behavior will be the problem of lack of sleep and the desire to snack.
It makes sense to make an effort and create a comfortable atmosphere around yourself.

If you have an irresistible desire to eat something before going to bed, try tricking your brain - drink a glass of water. This technique will create a feeling of heaviness in the stomach and it will be easier to fall asleep.

Often the desire to eat is not caused by a feeling of hunger, but by some psychological reasons. It is important to learn to recognize real hunger from imaginary hunger and train yourself to eat only when you really want it. Sometimes it is not so easy, but you need to work on your strong-willed qualities.

Having an idea of how to curb your appetite in the evening will help you avoid the problem of overeating. Remember, if life is filled with positive emotions and there is no room for stress, then the habit of eating at night will disappear by itself.

Many people, especially those experiencing various diets, are concerned about the question of why they feel hungry at night, and in the morning this feeling may no longer be so strong. There can be many reasons for this condition, ranging from insufficient food intake during the previous day to serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is important to understand that the patient will not be able to independently determine the reason why he wants to eat in the evening and at night. In this regard, if this problem persists for several days, it is necessary to seek medical help and undergo the prescribed examination methods.

Night trips to the refrigerator are not a harmless thing

Possible reasons

The reasons why you really want to eat at night vary significantly among individual patients. However, there are conditions and diseases that are most often accompanied by such sensations.

The simplest reason is poor nutrition during the previous day. If a person was unable to have a good breakfast, lunch or dinner, then his body may want it during the night, which is perceived by many people as a symptom of the disease. A similar situation occurs in pregnant women, since during pregnancy the need for nutrients is constantly at a high level.
The second most common reason why you want to eat at night is chronic or acute stressful situations that can occur both in a person’s personal and professional life.
Psychology has a certain significance, since some people have a fear of the dark, and they try to drown it out with the help of sweets or other pleasant-tasting foods.
It is important to understand that the reason why you crave sweets at night may be associated with organic diseases of the digestive system, for example, gastritis. In this regard, it is necessary to consult a doctor if such symptoms appear.

If a person wants to eat at night, then you should not immediately panic about the presence of serious diseases. In most cases, the causes of this condition are related to poor nutrition or stress in life.

Psychological stress is one of the main factors that increase appetite in people during a night's rest.

Why shouldn't you eat at night?

Even if you really want to eat at night (especially sweets, fruits, bread, etc.), it is better not to do this for a number of reasons. Food received at night is poorly digested, which is associated with a decrease in the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. As a rule, during rest, the peristalsis of the small and large intestines slows down, and the pancreas and liver practically do not secrete their secretions into the intestinal lumen. A bolus of food can linger in the lumen of the organs for a long time, disrupting sleep, which manifests itself in the morning by drowsiness and a feeling of weakness.

When a person goes to bed and at the same time, getting up at night, consumes carbohydrates and other foods, this leads to an increase in the level of insulin, which is already at a fairly high level during periods of night rest. This physiological phenomenon is associated with the answer to the question of why you crave sweets at night. This phenomenon can lead to the development of a prediabetic state, which can progress to diabetes mellitus. In addition, consuming carbohydrate foods during periods of low physical activity leads to an increase in fat reserves in the body.

Increased consumption of carbohydrates leads to impaired tissue sensitivity to insulin, which can cause the development of diabetes mellitus and other diseases.

Wanting to eat at night is a physiological phenomenon, however, normally a person never wakes up due to this feeling, but feels it only at the moment of awakening. If you eat all the time before falling asleep or at night, this can lead to the problems described above.

Medical assistance

“Nocturnal appetite” requires appropriate examinations and recommendations from specialists

When a person wonders why he doesn’t want to sleep at night, but there is a constant feeling of hunger, he needs to turn to specialists. Experienced doctors will be able to identify the main causes of increased appetite at night and select the optimal treatment measures. It is best to visit the following doctors.

A psychotherapist who can provide psychological assistance to a person in cases where changes in appetite are associated with anxiety, fear, stressful situations and other internal factors.
A nutritionist who resolves issues of adjusting diets and approaches to nutrition. This specialist is indicated in cases where a person has a lack of nutrients, irregular meals, etc.
If there are suspicions of organic causes for such changes, i.e. If diseases of the digestive system, endocrine system, etc. are possible, then you need to visit a general practitioner who will conduct an initial examination and choose further diagnostic tactics.

Timely seeking medical help allows you to identify possible causes of the development of this condition and choose methods for correcting the feeling of hunger at night for each person.

In addition to seeking medical help, the patient should follow the following recommendations to combat the existing problem.

It is necessary to normalize your approach to nutrition: it should be regular (at least 4 times a day), and also contain varied and healthy foods.
Immediately before bedtime, the patient can drink a glass of fermented milk product (kefir, fermented baked milk, etc.) in order to reduce a possible feeling of hunger during sleep. For the same purpose, a person can drink a mug of ordinary water to fill the stomach.

Before going to bed, it is useful to drink a glass of kefir

It is necessary to drink enough fluids during the day, since thirst is often the main reason for waking up at night, followed by a feeling of hunger.
Normalizing your daily routine by setting a constant time for waking up and falling asleep allows you to adjust your body to this rhythm. Why is this necessary? Behavioral reactions, including hunger, depend on brain activity and the level of hormones in the blood. A regular sleep/wake cycle improves these body reactions, adapting them to human life.

Following these simple tips allows you to quickly overcome nighttime overeating in most cases. However, it is important to remember that the cause of this condition may be damage to internal organs, in which no advice will lead to recovery without effective therapy.

The main goal of treatment is to adjust the diet and lifestyle to ensure healthy sleep and prevent the development of organic diseases.

An increased feeling of hunger at night occurs in many people. Most often it is associated with insufficient food intake in terms of volume and calorie content on the previous day or with psychological problems, for example, with chronic stress in a person’s life. Combating nighttime overeating requires seeking medical help and adjusting your lifestyle and diet.

Some people suffer from a constant desire to eat at night. Everyone knows that this is not very useful. But what to do?

When darkness falls and ordinary people go to rest from the labors of the righteous, THEY go out hunting - some openly, some secretly, making their way to their hunting grounds, where silent prey awaits them. Having finished with it, THEY fall asleep, some serenely, and some in tears, but each of THEM knows: several hours or several days will pass and they want to repeat it again, writes women.itop.net.

Hunting for food is underway

According to dry statistics among people who are overweight or obese, almost half regularly overeat in the evening, and some even raid the refrigerator in the middle of the night. However, people do this in different ways: someone steals a piece of sausage every ten minutes, someone eats a pan of pasta at once. The fact is that the reasons for nighttime gluttony may be different, and the ways to solve the problem will also be different.

If you are a representative of the tribe of Night Food Hunters, then first you need to understand: what exactly drives you to the refrigerator, how and how much you eat in the evening or at night, what happens after raiding the kitchen? To make it easier to navigate, get acquainted with several of the most common cases.

"Second Dinner"

Good advice not to eat “after six” helps a lot of people, because in the evening the digestive system does not work as efficiently as in the morning and during the day. Only those who resort to this method do not always act correctly, because, wanting to lose weight as quickly as possible, they not only refuse dinner, but also have a very meager breakfast and lunch. It is not surprising that in the evening, in a body that has been underfed during the day, a ravenous hunger appears. An attempt to satisfy this hunger with boiled cabbage or cucumber salad is almost always doomed to failure.

As a result, following all the rules of dietary nutrition during the day, in the evening a person breaks down and arranges a second dinner for himself, usually from completely non-dietary products. Then comes pangs of conscience and promises to myself to stop eating in the evenings tomorrow. As a rule, self-persuasion does not work and after a day or two everything repeats itself again, forcing the disappointed and tormented Night Stalker to look for other ways to lose weight.

Perestroika

In such a situation, everything is solved very simply: you just need to properly plan your meals during the day, because the absence of dinner presupposes fairly complete breakfasts and lunches. For example, for breakfast a person can easily afford to eat porridge or an omelet, cheesecakes or a couple of sandwiches - thereby providing himself with the calories necessary for a working day. Of course, for those who are watching their weight, it is better not to add sugar to porridge, it is not necessary to add sausage and cheese to an omelet, and for making sandwiches it is best to use whole grain bread. But in general, breakfast can be hearty and satisfying.

Don't forget about lunch either. If you are overweight, it is quite possible to refuse side dishes, rich soups and hearty salads. On the other hand, a large portion of fresh vegetable salad and a piece of boiled or baked meat (fish, poultry) will not hurt at all. Finally, when X hour approaches, after which it is no longer worth eating anything, it is worth making a snack. You can eat 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese or natural yogurt, or fruit salad. Boiled or steamed vegetables will be absolutely harmless: green beans, zucchini, bell peppers, all types of cabbage. These dishes are not very high in calories, but they are good for getting rid of hunger.

Thus, if you are on a diet that requires no dinner, proper nutrition plays a very important role and makes it easier to go without eating in the evening.

Stress eating

Another very common situation for night trips to the kitchen. Stress eating is typical both for people who have recently experienced a strong emotional shock, and for people who are in a state of permanent stress, of whom there are not so few in today’s crazy world. In this case, food is used as an antidepressant, a means of distraction from problems and a kind of simple entertainment.

The stress eating mechanism can be triggered at any time of the day, although most often it triggers in the evening, when the human nervous system is most vulnerable. By the way, it is stress eating that often becomes the cause of excess body weight gain in lonely people, people who have lost loved ones and those who have a “black streak” in their lives.

It’s easy to understand that you are a stress eater: firstly, you want to “eat up” any emotionally intense situation (even if we are talking about positive emotions!). Secondly, the choice usually falls on very specific products. Although many people claim that they don't care what they eat, this is not entirely true.

Nocturnal stress eaters tend to choose foods with strong flavors because... Against the background of stress, the sensitivity of the taste buds of the tongue decreases. For example, a stress eater would rather choose smoked sausage than boiled chicken. The “victims” of this group of Night Food Hunters often include sweets rich in glucose or foods that increase the production of serotonin (the joy hormone): cheese, chocolate, white bread, bananas. Such products have the properties of natural antidepressants, but, unfortunately, most of them are hypercaloric, which cannot but affect the figure.

It is possible to help stress eaters, although a person cannot always cope on his own; in some cases, the help of a psychologist is required.

It is important to monitor your diet: it is advisable to have 2-3 small snacks per day in addition to main meals.

You should try to make the evening a time of psychological peace: meditation, yoga, baths with aromatic oils or herbs, and spa treatments are very helpful.

You can also resort to more intense exercise: aerobics, dancing, swimming - which contribute to the intensive consumption of “stress hormones”.

You can just take a walk or do your favorite hobby, the most important thing is that all this happens away from the kitchen.

It is better to avoid watching TV in the evening, especially when it comes to action-packed films, scandalous talk shows, sports or news programs. The very flickering of a television screen greatly excites the nervous system, not to mention the very content of such programs. Therefore, for those who want to spend a relaxing evening at home, it is better to choose comedy films or educational programs; in addition, melodious music or an audiobook can be an alternative to TV.

Another technique for weaning a stressed eater from eating at night: you need to make it as difficult as possible for him to get to the kitchen. For example, place a heavy ironing board across the kitchen door, a couple of chairs in front of it, and a basin of water on them. And don’t consider this advice a joke: imagine what it’s like to dismantle such a barricade every time you want to steal a piece of something tasty from the refrigerator?! What if it happens at night and everything has to be done in the dark and quietly so as not to wake up the whole house?

By the way, this advice is also good for those who eat in the evenings “out of nothing to do”: as a rule, these are lonely people, or people who feel lonely, who can also be classified as stress eaters.

Hungry stomach

There is another variety of Night Hunters who are driven to the refrigerator not by stress or diet, but by a real, full-fledged feeling of hunger. These are people who suffer from chronic gastritis or peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, and some of them do not even know about their diagnosis.

As a rule, in such a situation, a person in the evening, often closer to the night, begins to be bothered by a feeling of hunger: from a slight sucking sensation in the pit of the stomach to severe hunger pain in the stomach. Moreover, the choice of products will also be special: often patients with gastritis instinctively choose products that reduce acidity or are neutral for the stomach: warm milk or kefir, white bread, dry cookies, cereals. Just a few sips or pieces help the stomach calm down and allow a person to fall asleep. But this peace is only an appearance: on the one hand, the flow of food into the stomach prevents it from being irritated by gastric juice, on the other hand, the operation of the digestive system at inopportune times does not at all contribute to its health. Therefore, if you belong to this category of night eaters, it is better to consult a gastroenterologist, because well-chosen treatment will not only save you from evening pangs, but also from overeating at night.

In the area of special attention

Those who are not satisfied with a small amount of food also make night raids on the refrigerator - so they eat a lot at once. Sometimes the process of food absorption is poorly controlled and a person comes to his senses next to an empty frying pan or pot that contained food prepared for the whole family for several days: literally everything that comes to hand can be eaten. A food orgy often ends in remorse and tears, but is subsequently repeated again with varying frequency. As a rule, such people suffer from severe overweight or obesity.

Those who can classify themselves in this category of Night Hunters should pay special attention to their state of health. After all, food orgies are not the result of a lack of willpower or intemperance, but a consequence of severe hormonal disorders. Usually we are talking about deregulation of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus - endocrine organs that “command” almost all processes occurring with the participation of a variety of hormones. For example, their malfunction may be accompanied by a sharp drop in blood sugar levels, which gives rise to poorly controlled hunger and episodes of overeating.

To somehow protect yourself from an eating disorder in this case, use a few tips:

You should always keep some low-calorie foods in stock. Low-fat yogurt, Chinese salad, white cabbage or sour apples should be at the forefront of the refrigerator so that they are the first to be available.

Eat such foods slowly, in small pieces, chewing thoroughly, which helps to survive the hormonal surge, which usually does not last a very long time.

Do not try to experiment with diets on your own, because this is a serious problem that only a specialist can help with.

Get examined by an endocrinologist as soon as possible - this is the main advice in this case.

Based on materials from: e-news.com.ua

Do you keep finding yourself in front of the refrigerator at night? You are not alone. Many people abuse late-night snacks, even fully realizing that this will not be beneficial. Let's figure out why we are so desperately drawn to the kitchen when we should already be in bed.

Reason #1 – malnutrition

You feel like eating at night because you didn’t eat enough during the day, or maybe even skipped a meal. And the closer the evening gets, the weaker the self-control. Sometimes it can get to the point that, waking up in the middle of the night, you go to the kitchen to eat a huge piece of cake or a whole pot of soup, that is, eat thoroughly. Afterwards you calmly go to bed. The next morning you may not want to eat breakfast, and that's understandable. Gradually, night snacks become a habit, and you become stuck in a vicious circle when you don’t feel like eating in the morning, but at night you make up for it.

Reason #2 – stress

Those who often go on diets know that food is a great way to relieve stress. That is why it is so often “seized” by stress, and the consequence is obesity. Perhaps you want to eat at night not because you are hungry, but because you want to get rid of the negativity you experienced during the day. Despite the fact that you went to the refrigerator, you woke up in the middle of the night - you were tense. By the way, if in the morning you don’t remember that you had a snack at night, this is not surprising.

Reason #3 – fears

It’s not just stress that can “eat up,” but also fear. Did you know that many adults, consciously or subconsciously, continue to be afraid of the dark? You went to bed, turned off the light, but you were somehow worried. And now you are already in the kitchen, found food in the refrigerator, ate and calmed down. This way, a nighttime snack will give you a sense of security so that you can fall asleep peacefully.

Eating at night is harmful!

Night is a time for sleeping, not for eating. No wonder nutritionists advise having dinner no later than 2 hours before bedtime. Otherwise, the gastrointestinal tract places a serious burden on digesting food.

If the desire to have a snack is persistent, it is better to get by with something light, for example, a vegetable salad or something dairy (kefir, milk). Or you can just drink warm tea. And no sweets, flour or fried foods!

What experts say

Clinical psychologists working in nutrition centers advise, first of all, to establish a normal diet so that, having eaten enough during the day, a person does not want to eat at night. You shouldn't go on restrictive diets - because of them, people often start snacking at night. As the evening progresses, it becomes more difficult to control yourself, and eventually you give up.

It is also worth taking psychological recommendations into account. Find a way to relax during the day. Make sure that stress can be relieved not by food, but by some pleasant activity.

It’s good if a person realizes that there is a problem - the desire to eat at night. This pushes him into the need to watch when he eats. He has a desire to understand his needs and emotions. He is working on himself, as a result of which the tension that provokes night snacks goes away. You should not expect instant results - the bad habit of eating at night will disappear over time.

Today I am publishing the first part of a story about personal experience in dealing with “night eating syndrome”, written by Yulia Lukina.

Julia wrote to me and her story seemed to me not only interesting, but also very important. There is everything here - the plot, the intrigue, the denouement: you will read how Yulia “fell ill”, how it all innocently began, how she was diagnosed, what steps she takes to get rid of the night eating syndrome. Today I am publishing the beginning.

Three o'clock in the morning. I tear off the blanket, my hands are shaking, cold sweat breaks out. There is neither time nor opportunity to think, to assess the situation. We need to run away urgently. Right now. At the level of instinct comes the realization that this is already a matter of life or death. And, jumping up, I run...to the refrigerator. And 30 minutes later I guiltily trudge back to bed, trying not to wake up my household and not be caught in all my shame. Yes, that's how it goes for me 4 nights a week for the last three years. And for three more nights, I woke up “to go to the toilet” and just sluggishly but stubbornly gobbled up something on the way there, and sometimes back.

What is “night eating syndrome”?

Night eating syndrome(Night Eating Syndrome, hereinafter referred to as NES) was first described by an American doctor Albert Stunkard in 1953. The manifestation of the disease boils down to the fact that a person wakes up abruptly in the middle of the night, experiencing an obsessive desire to eat. The most unpleasant thing about this is that, as a rule, only an hour or two passes from the moment you fall asleep. Of course, later in the history of SNE there were any variations on the theme: someone can wake up in 10 minutes, and someone in the morning, some do not remember their “road of shame” to the refrigerator at all and can judge that something is wrong only in the morning by a pile of wrappers on the table (it’s quite offensive somehow), there are those who eat only forbidden foods, there are those who only eat before falling asleep (literally - about 5 minutes before).

If you had told me three years ago in April 2011 that I would eat at night, I would have simply laughed. All my life I had dinner no later than 7 pm. During the day I had excellent, nutritious meals two or three times. After pregnancy I wanted to lose weight. This is also completely understandable and normal. Of the 7 kilograms I gained, 3.5 went away quickly and unnoticed, and the second 3.5 declared their rights on my body. I had to overcome them. Armed with literature, I decided to increase my sports activities (I must say that I already spent a lot of time in the gym) and reduce calories, primarily from fats, and then from some carbohydrates. The plan worked - the weight went down.

The only side effect of the new regime was, so to speak, morning insomnia. The fact is that I usually had breakfast around 9 am. And then I started waking up at 5:30, maximum 6. No matter what time I went to bed. And when I woke up, I definitely wanted to eat. Having eaten, I could no longer afford to go to bed. This is how my day began at that time. Frankly, it was not easy, because I wanted to sleep all the time. And after a couple of months, exhausted from lack of sleep, I decided to go back to bed right after breakfast. That dream was sweet and deep. Soon this pattern of behavior became part of the system. I lost weight, ate enough and got enough sleep. What to worry about?

Only morning activities naturally shifted to “after lunch.” The evening became two hours longer for me and gradually faded into the night. Already now I understand that this was a strategic mistake, because all my life I have been a 100% early riser. Having betrayed my biological rhythms, I got a lot of problems. But at that stage I found another positive in the new system of nutrition and sleep. Honestly speaking, I had some difficulties with flatulence. After eating something other than pure protein foods, I could often get a bloated stomach that would come to its senses and deflate overnight. Not without pleasure, I noticed that this does not happen if you go to bed immediately after eating. This was another key mistake. Instead of straightening out my schedule, I began to enjoy morning, and after a couple of months, night outings.

Night eating syndrome. Slowly I began to transform into a sociopath

A year later, my nightly appetite became brutal. I was no longer able to negotiate with myself or understand myself. Slowly I began to transform into a sociopath. Lack of appetite in the morning, skipped breakfast, increased appetite in the evening, evening and gluttony, waking up at night, getting up too early... out of the blue I got hatred for myself and my actions, feelings of complete exclusivity, however, with a powerful minus sign. I already canceled daytime meetings, I could miss school or work due to feelings of guilt, a feeling of heaviness in my stomach. Now I didn’t get enough sleep at all. Moreover, I was afraid to go to bed in the evening and delayed this moment in every possible way. Mistake after mistake, I led myself into the jungle of an eating disorder.

One morning my husband found me crying over my third cup of coffee (which, by the way, I had never drunk before). In the evening, he told me that he had conducted research and “congratulated” me on the fact that I have a rare disorder called NES - night eating syndrome, which we immediately renamed to the less threatening-sounding Nessie (now instead of “eating at night again?” it was decided ask: did I feed Nessie today). Together we found two books about night eating syndrome - one for a wide range of readers, and the second for medical practitioners. Plus we dug up a couple of US forums on the Internet. It turned out that there are not so few people like me. That everyone has their own story, but many at the beginning of the disease were involved in sports or on diets, that some are helped not to wake up from hunger at night by antidepressants, that one must accept one’s disorder and not blame oneself for it, but slowly begin to look for ways to get rid of SUDs. Although, to be fair, I have not found a single case of a miraculous cure for this scourge. Remission - yes. But they say that if you were once overweight and lost weight, then you, too, are just in remission, which can last a lifetime.

To be continued: in the second part, Julia will talk about her struggle with this problem.
Maybe someone recognized themselves in this story. I read this text with a pain in my heart - I had a long period of night eating - before going to bed, I fell into a trance and in this state I could eat some wild amounts of food until my stomach hurt. When in the morning I found traces of my night gluttony, I even cried. I experienced side effects of antidepressants in this way, but it took a lot of time to figure it out...
I am also guilty of the fact that in my old posts I attributed this behavior to food debauchery (and I insist that it exists, but, of course, what Yulia writes about is, it seems to me, a mental disorder).

It seems to me that this topic is very important and I hope that you will share your stories, talk about how you struggled with this complex problem, how others perceive it - it’s no secret that sometimes those closest to you make fun of “night gluttons,” adding them suffering.