There is yet another new “syndrome” on the market..This one is called Night-Eating Syndrome and it is categorized as a “new” eating disorder.
Yes! I am a skeptic. How can I not be skeptical when I hear of a team of researchers, who are almost always funded by pharmaceutical giants, discovering a new eating disorder, of all things?
Being the skeptic that I am, I cautiously began to look into this new “syndrome” a few weeks ago, in an effort to discover the true reason behind it’s recent discovery. I must admit that the reason I was so skeptical of this new “syndrome” was because the first thought that crossed my mind as soon as I heard of it was, “OH NO! The “discovery” of a new “syndrome” can only mean that the market is going to be flooded with yet another miracle-cure-all pill promising to fix all that is wrong in our lives for the low price of $14.99 per bottle.”
But, I must say that after doing a lot of research on this topic I was pleasantly surprised. Night-Eating Syndrome appears to be a legitimate eating disorder that can also mask itself as a mood and sleep disorder.
But, lets not get carried away yet. Just because you raid the refrigerator a couple of nights a week it does not mean that you are suffering from Night-Eating Syndrome. Diagnosing this syndrome is difficult because of its relative newness. However, if you feel that your late-night-binging sessions are triggered by feelings of guilt, depression, anxiety, stress, or body image issues and are accompanied by insomnia than speak to your doctor. You might have Night-Eating Syndrome, which is a clinical illness…Or you could be suffering from Night Emotional Eating which is a learned behavior, and thus can be unlearned.
The following short video offers a few tips on how to manage nighttime emotional eating.
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April 7, 2010 at 4:21 AM
This seems to be very professional advice for someone who does not eat regularly, or sleep well.
However I find it disturbing that the behaviour is given a name and is the subject of professional advice. This can only impress gullible people that the problem is a disease that can be cured, rather than a natural reaction to unsuitable lifestyles, habits, circumstances, whatever.
I have been getting up at 2,3,4 o’ clock in the morning having ‘breakfast’, wasting my time visiting blogs, playing chess on-line, cleaning, etc. Then i go back to bed, maybe sleep a bit, get up at 11am or mid-day, feeling unwell. No big deal, but because I don’t wake up feeling fit, something has to be done.
I am old, and my self-imposed work routine renovating an old house, often tires me to the point of collapse.
Am I suffering from a syndrome? Of course I’m bloody not!
April 7, 2010 at 8:21 PM
Hi Bob
You’re absolutely right!!! You don’t have a “syndrome”. The only reason I decided to include that piece on my blog is because I, too, am highly skeptical of all of these new “syndromes” that are popping up recently. I am guessing it’s all somehow linked to the mentality of generation RX, “if you think it’s not right we have a pill to fix it”…..So, it’s only a matter of time before a pharmaceutical company comes up with a pill to cure this “syndrome”.
Thanks for the comments Bob
Please feel free to comment anytime you’d like…..I am enjoying these chats 
Paulin S.
January 16, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Good to see real expertise on display. Your conrtbiutoin is most welcome.
April 16, 2010 at 5:06 PM
Wow! Did that letter (and your response) hit home. I appreciate hearing someone admit to night time binging. Gross is the exact word I would use, also. I am a guilty of not eating properly during the day and suffering the “gross” consequences at night. Thanks for a plain spoken answer and thanks for not scolding. We do that enough to ourselves. If we were being nice to ourselves we wouldn’t have starved ourselves by skipping food and drinking coffee until 3pm each day. I think I’ll warm up a big bowl of soup for myself, right now! Thanks for the encouragement!
Looking in the mirror with a little tenderness …
Denise Burks
http://www.successinthesuburbs.com/