[fellowtraveler]

Anyone else struggle with overeating at night when you're half-asleep?

[wishfulmuscle]

not while half asleep, but right before i go to bed. and it keeps me up all night.. its aweful

[Perna]

Are you on any meds? Some can cause/exacerbate night eating.

I sometimes wake and have indigestion or feel I'm hungry and will eat something like yogurt or a slice of plain toast. It's usually enough to make me feel better/cared for by me and I can get back to sleep.

Have you tried waking yourself up further and paying attention to what you are doing? Maybe it is hard to stop the night eating but you could substitute more healthful foods?

[Behindthemoon]

if you indulge yourself to over-eat for the first time,then the effect will build with time until you can't resist it before you go to bed...
Dont wait to fix the problem...your effort will build with time too.i guess you might eat some fruits while half-sleeping?

[JimWriter]

I too eat in the middle of the night. I wake up hungry about 2 many nights. I usually eat a bowl of cereal, but if there is something in the fridge that seems interesting I'll eat that instead.
My MD said I have a hunger for carbs, which is a part of my overeating problem. She recommended a book called, I believe, "The Glycemic Index" and a companion book by the same author.

[fellowtraveler]

Mine is definitely related to carb cravings, I think. One of my doctors suggested I eat low carb, high protein dinners, which is actually helping alot. I usually eat a big piece of meat and like half a plateful of either leafy greens (like spinach) or green beans. I know that I also eat to deal with stress/anxiety. Last night, I was up till midnight and felt like I was starving even though I ate a decent dinner. Only thing I can think was I didn't have much protein with dinner. I must also have been stressed but I can't figure out what about. I know I didn't wind down at all before bed so that is probably it. Sometimes it feels like there are so many factors to sort out. But I know if I can just get into better habits and keep them up it will help.

[fellowtraveler]

Tonight I am going to try resuming a nightly progressive muscle relaxation exercise that is supposed to help me relax and stay asleep....

[hlepmenowplz]

good luck on the meditation excersice. I usualy dont eat in the middle of the night. Unless I am having insomnia again. I always feel bad after too.

[fellowtraveler]

Thanks for the support! I did sleep much better (after the PMR), but still had some nighttime eating. Overall not a bad night for me though. The carb cravings seem to be worse when I've had simple sugars during the day, so today I will see how it goes without eating anything sugary during the day. Also walked/jogged two miles this morning, and exercise usually helps.

[marcelodlanod]

ehmm... i ussually plan the night to overeat. While everyone is sleeping i stay awake and do as if im watching tv and then i eat secretly. I do not wake in the middle of the night -just to pi- but sometimes i cant sleep. What i consume is regularly... whatever does not make sound while opening, and my favorite stuff are peanutbutter with jelly. Do you think when youre done that 'this wont happen again, tomorrow i'll be normal again?'

[fellowtraveler]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
marcelodlanod said:
Do you think when youre done that 'this wont happen again, tomorrow i'll be normal again?'

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Yes, I have felt that way. For me it has all the hallmarks of any other addiction. Shame, secrecy, regret, denial. 'Just this once.' I know that for me alot of the power of it has been taken away just by starting to talk about it to people. When I decided that I wouldn't let shame silence me... when I accepted grace for myself... I was able to reach out for some help.

By the way, yes, PB & J are typical for me too. High calorie & high carb comfort food. From what I've read on night-eating, that's typical.

You're not alone, marcelo. Have you been able to find support anywhere in your life for this?

[marcelodlanod]

No, i havent been able to find any kind of support, except for PC. Nobody knows about my condition, nobody could even imagine it, and lets face it i will never want them to know... Im trying to get better without professional help, and ... its kinda hard. Im trying a 'water detox'... and fasting... and movies buzz... stuff like that

please... please... becareful with the water detox...

you can get too much water... and it is intoxication.. and damages your system..

why not try... just... eating..

just please be careful

[marcelodlanod]

what are you talking about? water is gooooood, so goooood!! But you are right, and i learned that by the bad way... i got pretty heavy headaches and i got dizzy, my eyes felt tired...
But i couldnt complete the water detox, just two days of three.. i´ll try again.. dont worry!! carefully: 8 glasses, not further.

[fellowtraveler]

I'm not familiar with the idea of water detox. Does that mean drinking water instead of eating when you are hungry? And what is movies buzz... are you a movie junkie?

I totally understand your not wanting anyone IRL to know about your condition. I also understand not even wanting to tell a professional. It took me years of believing I could fix it on my own to get to the point where I realized that, in my case, that wasn't going to happen.

The thing that I think was most ridiculous in my case is everyone I ever lived with knew, of course. Food doesn't disappear at night without people noticing....

Got to go.... More later. Take care of yourself. Thanks for sharing. It is encouraging to know that others have similar struggles.

[fellowtraveler]

Here is the regimine/combination of healthy lifestyle changes that I have found most helpful in reducing carb cravings and night binging:

- Cutting out sugary foods as much as possible
- Sticking to whole grains and other high fiber foods (instead of starchy or processed carbs) as much as possible
- Including plenty of protein in all meals
- Regular moderate exercise (20 - 30 minutes of brisk walking - before dinner and 1st thing in the morning are my favorite times)
- High protein, high fiber, low carb dinner
- Daily practice of relaxation exercise (takes about 20 minutes) before bed
- Recognizing, owning and addressing unwanted feelings (instead of eating for comfort) - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is helpful with this
- Psychotherapy
- Spiritual counseling
- Social Support

I am not at all 100% on these things, but I do find that when I practice these things consistently, I get the best results.

[marcelodlanod]

Thanks for the tips!!, i guess the most important thing is to reduce sugar as much as possible.. (good bye chocolate.. buaaaaahhhhaha), the.. relaxation exercise, yes.. that might help.. it can be done.. and.. owning feelings... yes (thats gonna be hard..), social support-- its Working!! woohoo!! But the water detox helps too (watdet is: drinking a lot of water during the day -and very very green =and a few= small meals- taking baths and sweating for.. like three days, but there are variations..)
ehm.. Fellowtraveler?: really?, did everyone knew about the night eating?.. oh no, i hope thats not my case!! How did you know that they knew??

[fellowtraveler]

In my experience, people sometimes notice more than we like to think. I can't speak for your case.

I wonder, though, what are you afraid will happen if someone finds out about your restricting and binging? What is the worst thing that could happen?

[marcelodlanod]

The worse thing.. is hard to say: get kicked out of my house.. or get literally kicked without sending me with a pro (they think that people with this kind of disorders just want to call the attention and/or are very stupid)--that means, family will try to get the devil out of me by biting me up-- get hospitalized and recover the weight.. lose the opportunity of a scholarship... judgements and punishments for how i think about certain stuff (religion, sex, even politics!!) Trust me, all my life i've been censured and grounded for being myself.. so i tried to please them.. that didnt work... and know all the repressed things (...cause.. yes, there's plenty more..) are overwhelming my mind... and body... did i ever have a life? if i did, it is being f#ck&d as well...

[fellowtraveler]

It certainly does sound like a rough home environment! I'm so sorry that you have to endure that! Are you getting out to go to college or get your own place now that you are 18?

Stay strong!
-ft

[marcelodlanod]

In my country.. theres no need to move out your home to go study in a college.. unless.. you live far away from it... And i dont have permission to work... I will have to wait til i graduate, then i'll move overseas.. But, i do not have a plan... Im not sure if im going to pass through all the way, you know?...

[fellowtraveler]

Stay focused on that positive future! Take good care of yourself and I'm sure that it will come to pass!