Sleep-related Eating Disorder

Definition:
People with a sleep-related eating disorder have frequent episodes of compulsive eating while sleepwalking during the night. The person has impaired consciousness while preparing food and eating it, with little or no memory of these actions the next morning. A sleep-related eating disorder can cause dangerous use of kitchen appliances or injury from eating something toxic.

Symptoms:
Little or no appetite for breakfast, Eating more food after dinner than during the meal, Eating more than half of daily food intake after dinner hour, A persisting pattern for at least two months.

Statistics:
The patient is a 51-year-old African American woman with past medical history of hypertension, mild obstructive sleep apnea, hyperlipidemia, and depression. Previous diagnostic polysomnogram revealed an apnea-hypopnea index of 10 events/h. Medications included paroxetine 20 mg once a day, extended release metoprolol 25 mg twice per day, and simvastatin 40 mg once a day. History for alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drug use was negative. The patient reported no personal or family history of sleepwalking or other parasomnias.