Attention to Unconscious Eating Symptoms During Sleep!

Üsküdar University NPİSTANBUL Brain Hospital Neurology Specialist Prof. Dr. Barış Metin shared important information about waking up at night and unconscious eating symptom.

Experts state that waking up at night and eating unconsciously is caused by the problem in the control of sleep and wakefulness of the brain, and this situation is compared to sleepwalking. This problem, which is mostly seen in young women and is a sleep disorder, can cause the person to gain excessive weight. Experts warn that the person can be poisoned by eating dangerous foods while sleeping, stating that this situation can be eliminated with medication.

Eating unconsciously in a dream state

Stating that waking up at night and eating unconsciously is a problem, Prof. Dr. Barış Metin said, “There is a problem in the control of sleep and wakefulness of the brain in people who have this problem. The person wakes up and starts looking for food, but at that moment the brain is still asleep. In fact, it is about unconscious eating in a dream state. The cause of the disease is not understood, but it can be said that there is a disorder in the mechanisms that allow us to sleep motionless. Interrupted sleep of the person and experiencing wakefulness can also trigger the disease. " said.

Excessive weight gain

Stating that individuals with this disorder wake up from night sleep and eat plenty of food, Prof. Dr. Barış Metin said, “There is excessive weight gain due to these binge eating. Patients generally eat unconsciously, that is, when they awaken from sleep, seek and eat, they are unconscious and the brain is still in a state of sleep. " he spoke.

You should go to the sleep specialist

Emphasizing that the most important symptom of this disease is waking up from sleep at night and eating unconsciously, Prof. Dr. Barış Metin said that excessive calorie foods are generally consumed. Underlining that this situation is not a psychiatric disorder, but a parasomnia, that is a sleep disorder, Prof. Dr. Barış Metin said, “Some individuals may even try to consume inedible or toxic substances. Since the person does not eat with his own will and consciousness, he is not expected to recover with psychotherapy. This disorder is a sleep disorder. Some patients may experience depression and helplessness due to overeating and weight gain. Since this situation is treatable, it should be preferred to enter a sleep specialist instead of feeling helpless. " He advised.

It is more common in young women

Stating that this situation is similar to walking asleep, that is, sleepwalking, Prof. Dr. Barış Metin explained that in sleepwalking, people wake up and walk unconsciously. Prof. Dr. Barış Metin continued as follows: “In sleep-related eating disorders, people are typically unaware that they are eating, and patients can often have restless leg syndrome, periodic movement disorder during sleep, and sleep-wandering. Individuals with this disease are usually women of a young age. They wake up from sleep and unconsciously go to the fridge and eat. What they eat can often be very strange foods. I've even had patients eating frozen food from the freezer, eating food packaging. Patients usually don't remember they ate, and I even had patients who locked the fridge because they could not control themselves, ”he said.

Drug therapy is being administered

Noting that this disease can be treated, Prof. Dr. Barış Metin said that drug treatment was applied and that there were drugs that could control this situation. Dr. Barış Metin emphasized that patients with sleep-related eating disorders can become obese without treatment and said, “In addition, they can be poisoned by consuming dangerous foods. Therefore, the ailment must be treated. In addition, it is necessary to investigate whether there are any other accompanying sleep disorders. If there is a disorder such as sleep apnea that disrupts sleep integrity, it must be treated. " warned.