Nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder (NSRED) is a combination of a parasomnia and an eating disorder. It is a NREM parasomnia. It is described as being in a specific category within somnambulism or a state of sleepwalking that includes behaviors connected to a persons conscious wishes or wants. Thus many times NSRED is a persons fulfilling of their conscious wants that they suppress; however, this disorder is difficult to distinguish from other similar types of disorders. Comparison with night eating syndrome
NSRED is closely related to night eating syndrome (NES) except for the fact that those with NES are completely awake and aware of their eating and bingeing at night while those with NSRED are sleeping and unaware of what they are doing. NES is primarily considered an eating disorder while NSRED is primarily considered a parasomnia; however, both are a combination of parasomnia and eating disorders since those with NES usually have insomnia or difficulty sleeping and those with NSRED experience symptoms similar to binge eating. Some even argue over whether NES and NSRED are the same or distinct disorders. Even though there have been debates over these two disorders, specialists have examined them to try to determine the differences. Dr. J. Winkelman noted several features of the two disorders that were similar, but he gave one important factor that make these disorders different.
A few of the more notable symptoms of this disorder include large amounts of weight gain over short periods of time, particularly in women; irritability during the day, due to lack of restful sleep; and vivid dreams at night. It is easily distinguished from regular sleepwalking by the typical behavioral sequence consisting of "rapid, automatic arising from bed, and immediate entry into the kitchen." In addition, throughout all of the studies done, doctors and psychiatrists discovered that these symptoms are invariant across weekdays, weekends, and vacations as well as the eating excursions being erratically spread throughout a sleep cycle. Most people with this disease retain no control over when they arise and consume food in their sleep. Although some have been able to restrain themselves from indulging in their unconscious appetites, some have not and must turn to alternative methods of stopping this disorder. It is important for trained physicians to recognize these symptoms in their patients as quickly as possible, so those with NSRED may be treated before they injure themselves. Diagnosis
Criteria
The diagnostic criteria utilized by the International Classification of Sleep Disorders-Third Edition (ICSD-3) include some dysfunctional eating when the person wake up during the main sleep period, eating unusual or toxic food, negative health consequences. The patient could be injured during these episodes and he might not be conscious and wont remember them. This criterion differentiates SRED from Night eating syndrome(NES). Patients with NES are conscious during the episode.