Sleep Eating!

Sleep eating disorder discussed.
The New York Times (4/8, Epstein) reports, "Sleep eaters 'make a beeline for the kitchen' and tend to binge on sugary, high-calorie snacks, sometimes five times a night, said Dr. John W. Winkelman. ... Some go for bizarre food combinations like peanut butter and pasta, and even the occasional nail polish or paper." Experts say that the "consequences of nighttime eating can include injuries like black eyes from walking into a wall or hand cuts from a prep knife, or dental problems from gnawing on frozen food. On a deeper level, many sleep eaters feel depressed, frustrated and ashamed." About "10 percent of adults suffer from some sort of parasomnia, or sleep disorder, like sleepwalking or night terrors," but "no one knows what triggers these nocturnal escapades." Most sleep eaters are women. The New York Times (4/7, Parker-Pope) "Well" blog also discussed the disorder.