Night eating syndrome (NES)

Sneaking late night snacks might just seem like an unhealthy habit, but the truth is that night eating syndrome (NES) ? and a related syndrome called sleep related eating disorder (SRED) ? are actually diagnosable conditions for some people. NES is technically classified as disordered eating [2], but researchers believe it?s also related to sleep disorders, making it a sort of hybrid condition. In both NES and SRED, people consume significant amounts of food after dinner; usually about 35 percent or more of their daily calories are eaten late in the evening or in the night. The main difference is that folks with NES are fully conscious of their night eating, whereas those with SRED are usually completely or partially asleep when they are eating at night. Figuring out which of these sounds most like what you're experiencing might be the first step to seeking treatment. Since you?re specifically curious about NES, read on to hear about causes and treatments (but, if you?d like to know more about SRED, check out Mayo Clinic?s site [3]).