Night Eating Syndrome Treatment
Night Eating Syndrome Treatment in Greenwich, Darien, Westport, Westchester, and Surrounding Areas in Connecticut and New York.
What is night eating syndrome?
Night eating syndrome is an eating disorder characterized by a delayed circadian pattern of food intake. It is currently classified as Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OFSED) in the DSM-5. People with night eating disorder consume a large portion of their food after dinner, lack appetite in the mornings, and often have insomnia. Some wake up in the middle of the night to eat. Many believe that they need to eat to get back to sleep. People with night eating syndrome may graze or binge eat. Some people with night eating may also meet criteria for other eating disorders. For example, 7-25% of people with night eating syndrome meet the criteria for binge eating disorder.
How do you treat Night Eating Syndrome?
We treat night eating syndrome using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. We will help you shift your food intake to earlier in the day, decrease eating after dinner and in the middle of the night, and interrupt the overlearned relationship between nighttime eating and sleep onset. We also will work with you to challenge thoughts such as, "If I don’t eat, I won’t be able to fall asleep." We will also teach you relaxation strategies, such as meditation and progressive muscle relaxation, as research has shown that they can be beneficial for increasing morning appetite and reducing night eating.
What kind of experience do you have treating night eating syndrome?
Dr. Sala has extensive experience treating night eating syndrome and other eating disorders, including experience working in inpatient eating disorder units and a decade-long research career working with leaders in the eating disorder field. Dr. Sala is the Director of the Mindfulness, Eating Disorders, and Acceptance Lab (MEAL) at Yeshiva University, where she conducts eating disorder treatment research.