Could stress be causing you to eat in your sleep? Here's what to do
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
If you've ever woken up to a (newly) empty pantry, you know something about sleep-eating. Explore the link of these late night binges to your mental health and how to treat it.
Walking into your kitchen in the morning to find food missing is unnerving. Your first thought might be that you forgot to put away your snacks before you went to bed — or maybe that someone’s ransacked your home.
But then, another thought might cross your mind, and this one that might be the most frightening of all: “Did I do this?”
If this sounds familiar, you might be experiencing sleep-eating, which is a sleep-related eating disorder (SRED). And while it may seem like a funny story to tell your friends later, it can actually be pretty serious — affecting your health, safety, and peace of mind.
Luckily, there are ways to manage this disorder. Here’s what you need to know.
What is sleep-eating?
Sleeping and eating are two of life’s greatest joys, but together, they can cause problems.
Sleep-eating—also called sleep-related eating disorder (SRED)—is a condition that may cause you to wake up in the morning not knowing that you ate during the night. During an episode, it’s common for people to eat large amounts of junk food or odd combinations of food, making the condition feel funny or quirky to some.
Are there dangers involved with sleep-eating?
No matter how silly or harmless it seems, sleep-eating should be taken seriously. Here are some of the risks that it can carry:
Physical health issues: People who sleep-eat can tend to consume unhealthy foods, leading to weight gain and also issues like high blood sugar. In some cases, people might even eat spoiled food or raw meat, which can make them sick.
Increased risk of injury: Some people handle knives or use the stove when they sleep-eat, which can lead to burns, cuts, or other accidents.
Sleep disruption: These episodes can interrupt your sleep, and leave you feeling tired the next day. Over time, poor sleep can cause stress, mood swings, and even depression.
Emotional toll: Waking up to find food gone or a messy kitchen can feel embarrassing or frustrating, and this lack of control can potentially cause you to feel guilty or anxious.
Impact on relationships: If you live with others, this condition might create tension.
8 symptoms of sleep-eating
Because SRED happens while you’re asleep, you might not remember it, making it an especially tricky condition. If you’re worried that you might be dealing with sleep-eating, here are some common signs to look out for:
Unexplained food disappearance: Finding wrappers, crumbs, or evidence of cooking in the morning, even though you don’t remember eating, could mean you had an episode.
Strange food choices: It’s common for people who sleep-eat to consume unusual combinations. So if you wake up to find things like a frozen pizza and soup missing, this could be a sign.
Weight gain: If you’re suddenly gaining weight and you don’t know why, this might mean you’re sleep-eating.
Morning fatigue: This condition can disrupt your sleep. If you wake up feeling tired, it’s possible that you ate while sleeping.
Physical evidence: If you wake up to find a strange taste in your mouth or that you have small injuries from kitchen tools, this could be a signal you have this condition.
Upset stomach: Bloating, nausea, and other digestive problems could mean that you ate unsafe or undercooked food while you slept.
What causes someone to sleep-eat?
The truth is, experts aren’t fully sure why sleep-eating happens. It’s believed to be influenced by a mixture of physical, mental, and lifestyle factors including the use of certain medications and other sleep disorders. The condition is also more commonly found in women, starting in their 20s and carrying on throughout their life.
Here are some of the potential contributing factors of SRED.
Stress and anxiety
High stress levels and anxiety can disturb your sleep and increase your chances of behaviors like sleep-eating.
Sleep disorders
Conditions like insomnia, sleep apnea, or restless leg syndrome can interrupt your sleep and possibly trigger unusual sleep behaviors like sleep-eating. Sleepwalking seems to be the most common sleep disorder related to SRED, and many people with it were also sleepwalkers as children.
Medications
Some medications like sleep aids (particularly Ambien), antidepressants, and antipsychotics can cause you to have side effects like sleepwalking or sleep-eating.
Genetic predisposition
Parasomnias (unusual sleep behaviors) like sleep-eating can sometimes run in families, so genetics could play a role in why you have this condition.
Hormonal imbalances
When hormones that regulate your hunger and sleep (like leptin, ghrelin, and melatonin) get disrupted, so are your body’s natural rhythms. This can lead to you unconsciously eating.
Mental health conditions
Conditions like depression, anxiety, and eating disorders (like binge-eating) can also increase your risk of sleep-eating.
Substance use
Drinking alcohol or using drugs before bed can disrupt your sleep cycle and make it easier for sleep-eating to happen.
Poor sleep habits
Staying up late, having irregular sleep schedules, or using screens before bed can negatively impact sleep and increase your likelihood of sleep-related behaviors.
Diet-related factors
Skipping meals and dieting too strictly during the day can also leave your body craving food at night, even while you’re asleep.
How to treat sleep-eating: 5 tips to help you cope
Finding out that you talk in your sleep can feel a bit embarrassing. But when you do things like eat in your sleep, it can come with real consequences for you and others in your house.
The good news is that there are strategies to help manage and reduce SRED episodes.Whether it’s through lifestyle adjustments, creating a safer sleep environment, or seeking professional support, you can take steps to regain control.
Here are five manageable tips that can help you cope with your sleep-eating and protect both your sleep and overall wellbeing.
1. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule
Aim to keep a regular sleep schedule to regulate your circadian rhythm. Consistently going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, this can help reduce your likelihood of sleep-eating. (And if you’re sleep schedule’s in flux, here are eight tips to get you back on track.)
Make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night (7–9 hours for most adults) to reduce the fragmented sleep that can trigger sleep-eating episodes. And limit late-night activities like scrolling on your phone or working out too close to your bedtime. This could keep you alert and awake longer than you’d like.
2. Practice mindfulness before bed
To help you relax, add mindfulness into your nightly routine. When you're less stressed and anxious, you’re less likely to sleep-eat.
Meditating and deep breathing for even just 5-10 minutes can help you unwind. Explore progressive muscle relaxation, where you tense and relax each muscle group in your body to help you release physical tension.
To clear your mind, you could also try writing down things that worry you before bed. This can make it easier for you to get a deeper, more restorative sleep.
💙 If the stress of potentially sleep-eating is keeping you up, listen to Tamara Levitt’s meditation Gently Back To Sleep.
3. Limit access to food at night
Take practical steps to minimize your nighttime eating episodes, like locking the cabinets and fridge. Also, consider putting tempting foods out of sight or in hard to reach places to reduce your likelihood of grabbing them in the night.
And if you’re someone who snacks in bed, consider switching your bedroom to a food-free zone. This rule can make it that much harder for you to find food while you’re sleeping.
4. Review medications with your doctor
If you’re starting to think that sleep aids, antidepressants, or other medications are causing you to sleep-eat, reach out to your doctor to have a conversation. Talk to them about adjusting your dosage or timing. Sometimes, a very small change in when or how you take your medication can be the solution that you need.
You can also ask your doctor about alternatives. There might be a different medication that works better for you and doesn’t cause you to sleep eat. As you make adjustments to your medications, document your sleep patterns. Keeping track of your behaviors can help you and the doctor make better decisions.
5. Create a calming bedtime routine
Having a bedtime routine that soothes you can really help prepare your mind and body for a restful night’s sleep. This can reduce your chances of sleep-eating. Dim the lights, play calming music, and maybe light a lavender-scented candle to help create a peaceful sleep space. (These nine tips can help you build your own routine.)
Also try to avoid screens and caffeine before bed. The blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and TVs can disrupt your natural melatonin production, making it harder for you to fall asleep. And stimulants like coffee and tea can interfere with your sleep quality and potentially keep you wired late into the night.
💙 To help get you more in the mood for sleep, listen to Dr. Eric López’s meditation Soothing the Body For Rest.
When should you see a doctor about sleep-eating?
Experiencing episodes of SRED is no laughing matter and should be taken seriously. If you suspect this is happening to you, reach out to your doctor as soon as possible just to be on the safe side.
And if you’re still not totally sure if you’re sleep eating, here are some signs to watch out for:
Episodes happen often: Sleep-eating that happens more than a few times a month can disrupt your sleep and seriously affect your health.
Physical health is impacted: Unexplainedly gaining weight or suddenly experiencing digestive problems could also be symptoms of sleep-eating that requires medical attention.
Safety becomes a concern: If you wake up to find burns, cuts, or other injuries because you handled appliances as you slept, this is a sign that you should seek help.
It affects your daily life: Regularly feeling tired or emotionally upset during the day because you got interrupted sleep the night before could also be a sign that it’s time to talk to a doctor.
You feel out of control: If you're starting to feel anxious, embarrassed, or frustrated by sleep-eating, consider reaching out to a doctor or therapist. They can help you regain a sense of control.
Medication may be involved: Talk to your doctor if you start to suspect that sleep aids or other medications are causing you to sleep eat. They can help adjust or switch your prescription.
Lifestyle changes haven’t helped: If you’ve tried to improve your sleep hygiene or manage your stress and these strategies haven’t worked, consider reaching out for medical advice.
Sleep-eating FAQs
Is sleep-eating the same as night eating syndrome?
Sleep-eating and night-eating syndrome sound a lot alike but they’re not the same. When a person experiences night-eating syndrome, they tend to be awake and aware that they’re eating. Also, night eating syndrome is usually linked to emotional patterns and habits.
Sleep-eating occurs when a person is asleep, and typically, they have no memory of the episode.
Can stress alone cause you to sleep eat?
When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol, which can disrupt your sleep cycle and increase your chances of sleep-eating. Stress can also make it harder for your brain to fully relax when you’re sleeping, which can lead to an episode.
And while stress alone is unlikely to cause you to sleep-eat, it can be a big factor in why you do it. However, relaxation techniques like deep breathing and mindfulness can help reduce your stress and—in turn—lower your chances of sleep-eating.
What medications cause sleep-eating?
There are certain medications, especially those that affect the brain or central nervous system, that can potentially cause you to sleep eat.
Sleep aids like zolpidem (Ambien) and eszopiclone (Lunesta) are common triggers for some people, as they can potentially cause you to sleepwalk. Also, antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and antipsychotics may also cause you to sleep-eat.
If you have concerns about your medications, reach out to your doctor. They can help adjust your dosage or even recommend an alternative treatment for you.
Is sleep-eating an eating disorder?
Sleep-eating is primarily a sleep disorder and is not classified as an eating disorder. Actually, it’s classified as a type of parasomnia, which is a group of disorders that involve unusual behaviors as you sleep.
However, sleep-eating can sometimes overlap with eating disorders. If you experience a binge-eating disorder, you could also experience sleep-eating because both eating patterns can be influenced by emotional stress.
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