Night Eating

Although Night Eating is not an official eating disorder, there is still cause for concern as it is widely assumed to be cause for obesity. Night Eating is also much more common across the general public than other eating disorders. Night Eating is seen as being connected to stress. It appears to be an extension of a sleeping and mood disorder. More specifically recent research has indicated that those suffering from night eating actually have reduced amounts of plasma melatonin, leptin, and cortisol. These hormones regulate and control sleep, eating levels, and mood.

At first glance night eating seems to affect no more than 1-2 percent of the population, yet it is not clear how much of the populace really is affected by certain aspects of night eating. For example 5 percent of obesity patients admit to having symptoms mirroring those of night eating.

Knowing the signs and symptoms of night eating is an important part of controlling and treating it. Night eating symptoms include:

• * Excessive eating during night hours
• * Passing over breakfast at least four times per week
• * Conuming more than half of ones daily calories after 7pm
• * Irritability during night time hours
• * Insomnia
• * Mood swings