Does anyone else experience sleep eating? I’ve tried eating dinner really late, hoping it would make me feel full through the night, but there’s still evidence that I’ve been eating while asleep. I’ve even woken up halfway through eating a tub of ice cream, and that was my breaking point. It’s mostly sweets that I’m eating.
I first noticed this because I’d wake up feeling super sick and nauseous with stomach pain. My husband wakes up before me and told me he’s been finding wrappers all over the pantry floor in the mornings. He thought I knew I was doing it and was just being lazy with the wrappers, which doesn’t make sense since I’m a clean freak. For about a month, he was just throwing the wrappers away, so I didn’t realize what was happening.
I stopped buying sweets that are easy to grab, like granola bars, cookies, and chips. I even started eating dinner about an hour before bed, even though I know it’s not great to lie down right after a meal. But still, I found myself waking up three nights ago halfway through a tub of Ben & Jerry’s, with the rest of it spilled all over my comforter. Last night, I woke up in the kitchen halfway through a gallon of ice cream. My stomach ache was so bad it woke me up, and I ended up throwing up once I was fully awake.
It doesn’t make sense to me that my body would keep eating even though it’s making me sick. I’m not starving myself, and I’m not going to bed super hungry. I’ve started taking melatonin, and it’s helped me sleep, but I still wake up fully conscious every couple of hours during the night. My doctor prescribed Trazodone for sleep, but I’m scared to take it because I read that it can be habit-forming.
Has anyone else ever dealt with something like this? I know a lot of people get the occasional midnight snack, but this feels more extreme because I have no memory of getting the food. I even found wrappers behind my bed when I was cleaning. It’s like I’m asleep but still eating and not bothering to clean up. At least it seems to be improving a little with the melatonin.
@Ari
Seems a bit extreme to wake your husband every time you grab a late-night snack. But if you lock the fridge, don’t be surprised if you wake up one night with a welder’s mask and blow torch… ‘Forum, I’m at the end of my rope. Turns out I’ve been sleep welding in the kitchen for over a month, and my husband thought it was normal.’
I do this too! I’ve eaten my kid’s snacks while asleep and even choked on peanut butter. It’s wild. I’ve stopped buying certain things because I know I’ll eat them in my sleep. I haven’t met many people who do exactly what I do, so this is crazy relatable! I don’t have a solution, but I’ve learned to laugh about it. It’s worse when I’m stressed.
@Crosby
Do you ever wake up with a stomach ache or even throw up from it? My husband and I laugh about it too, but sometimes it gets serious when I feel really sick. I’ve gained a lot of weight, like 50 pounds, from this. I used to be 170, and now I’m 220. Did this just start randomly for you? Because I never used to do this until about two years ago.
@Ari
Mine started after I got sober about nine years ago. Sometimes I wake up in pain depending on what I’ve eaten. It’s almost like an adventure each morning, figuring out what I ate. I’ve tried cameras, bells on the fridge, locking the fridge, and even leaving snacks out that I wouldn’t mind eating, but none of it worked. Stressful days make it worse. I even managed to eat in my sleep right after shoulder surgery. It’s wild, but you’re definitely not alone.
@Crosby
Wow, thank you for sharing. It makes me feel less alone. It wouldn’t bother me as much if it didn’t make me sick. I just don’t get why my body keeps eating sweets until I’m literally sick to my stomach…
I thought I was the only one who did this! I’m menopausal, so I wonder if it’s hormone-related. I’ve gained 40 lbs and have a hard time losing it. It’s only been happening for the last 2-3 years. I’ve tried everything from oatmeal before bed to drinking lots of water, but nothing works. I’ve been on sleep meds for years, but now I’m waking up at night and going straight to the snack cabinet.
@Paz
That’s weird because it’s only been the last two years for me as well. Maybe it is hormonal? My periods were always regular, but in the past year, they’ve been all over the place. I’ve also gained 40 pounds, and I get terrible heartburn from it too.