Night eating syndrome is a disorder that combines overeating at nighttime with sleep difficulties. With night eating syndrome, you eat so much after supper, have problems in sleep, and eat when you awaken at nighttime.
It’s not clear what causes it. Medical professionals believe it might be related to disorders with the sleep-wake cycle and some hormones.
You’re more prone to have night eating disorder when you’re overweight or have other eating disorders. A medical history of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse are more common in individuals with night eating syndrome.
Night eating syndrome affects at least one in 100 persons. For those who are overweight, there’s a 10% chance that you could have it.
Researchers have determined that there may be a link between night eating syndrome and genetics. There’s a gene called PER1 that has a role in controlling your body clock. Scientists think that a defect within the gene could cause night eating syndrome. More studies are required.
