What is it called when you only eat at night?: Understanding Night Eating Syndrome

November 10, 2025 •

4 min read

Approximately 1.5% of the general population is affected by the condition known as Night Eating Syndrome (NES). This is a recognized eating disorder characterized by a disrupted pattern of food intake, leading many to wonder, what is it called when you only eat at night? While occasional late-night snacking is common, NES involves significant food consumption after dinner, accompanied by sleep disturbances and emotional distress.

Quick Summary

Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is an eating disorder characterized by consuming a significant portion of daily calories after dinner or during nocturnal awakenings. Symptoms include evening hyperphagia, morning anorexia, and insomnia. The condition is distinct from sleep-related eating disorder and requires professional help for effective management.

Key Points

Night Eating Syndrome (NES): This is the name for a pattern of eating characterized by significant food intake after dinner, nocturnal eating, and related sleep disturbances.
Not a Lack of Willpower: NES is a recognized eating and sleep disorder, often linked to disruptions in circadian rhythm, hormonal shifts, and psychological factors like stress, anxiety, or depression.
Difference from SRED: Unlike Sleep-Related Eating Disorder (SRED), which involves unconscious eating episodes with no memory, individuals with NES are fully aware of their eating.
Associated Health Risks: If left untreated, NES can contribute to weight gain, increased risk for chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, and worsening mental health symptoms.
Requires Professional Treatment: Effective management of NES often requires a multidisciplinary approach involving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), nutritional counseling, and sometimes medication or light therapy.
Strategic Daytime Eating: A key strategy is to normalize eating patterns during the day by not skipping meals and consuming balanced, protein-rich foods to prevent nighttime cravings.
Comprehensive Health Impact: NES affects sleep quality, mood, and overall health, creating a challenging cycle of physical and emotional distress.

What is Night Eating Syndrome?

Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is a complex eating disorder that involves a combination of sleep, mood, and eating pattern issues. For a person to be diagnosed with NES, their food consumption must shift significantly to the evening and nighttime hours. A key criterion is consuming 25% or more of one's total daily calories after the evening meal. Individuals with NES are fully conscious and aware of their eating, which often occurs alongside an urge to eat in order to fall or get back to sleep. Unlike typical late-night snacking, NES is a distressing cycle that can negatively impact both physical and mental well-being. It's crucial to understand that this is a recognized and treatable condition, not merely a lack of willpower.

Symptoms and Causes of Night Eating Syndrome

Diagnosing NES involves observing a cluster of specific symptoms. The clinical features often include evening overeating (hyperphagia) and reduced appetite in the morning (morning anorexia). It is often triggered or worsened by stressful life events, anxiety, and depression.

Common symptoms of NES include:

Waking up multiple times during the night to eat.
A strong belief that eating is necessary to fall asleep or return to sleep.
Significant mood disturbances, with mood often worsening in the evening.
Feelings of guilt, shame, and distress related to nighttime eating.
Trouble falling or staying asleep (insomnia).

The underlying causes are multifactorial. Studies suggest it is linked to a disruption in the body's natural circadian rhythm, or internal clock, which regulates sleep-wake cycles and appetite hormones. Genetic predisposition, stress, and underlying mental health conditions like anxiety and depression are also contributing factors. Poor daytime eating habits, such as skipping meals, can also set the stage for later-in-the-day cravings and overeating.

Distinguishing Night Eating Syndrome from Other Conditions

When exploring the topic of eating at night, it's essential to differentiate NES from other conditions like Sleep-Related Eating Disorder (SRED) and Binge Eating Disorder (BED). The distinctions are critical for an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plan.


Feature	Night Eating Syndrome (NES)	Sleep-Related Eating Disorder (SRED)	Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
Awareness	Individual is fully conscious and aware of their actions while eating.	The person is asleep or in a state of partial arousal and has little to no memory of the eating episode.	Episodes occur while awake, often feeling a loss of control.
Motivation	A compulsive urge to eat, often believing it's necessary to fall back asleep.	Involuntary behavior not driven by hunger or thirst.	Emotional distress, not related to sleep-onset.
Food Type	Typically involves craving high-calorie, sugary, or carbohydrate-rich foods.	Can involve unusual food combinations or even inedible items.	Usually involves consuming objectively large amounts of food.
Timing	Primarily involves excessive eating after dinner and during nocturnal awakenings.	Occurs during sleep, typically in the first few hours of the night.	Can occur at any time of day.

Health Consequences and Complications

Untreated NES can lead to various physical and emotional complications. The irregular and often high-calorie nighttime intake can lead to weight gain, which increases the risk of obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. The persistent disruption of sleep exacerbates daytime fatigue, reduces concentration, and can worsen underlying mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. This cycle of poor sleep and disordered eating can be mentally and physically exhausting, creating significant distress and functional impairment.

Nutritional and Behavioral Strategies for Managing NES

Addressing NES requires a comprehensive approach that targets both the nutritional and psychological factors. Here are some strategies that can help:

Prioritize Regular Daytime Meals: Don't skip breakfast, even if you lack an appetite. Eating regular, balanced meals throughout the day can help regulate your blood sugar and appetite, reducing the drive to eat at night.
Include Protein and Fiber: Ensure your meals and planned snacks contain a mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. This promotes satiety and helps prevent late-night hunger pangs.
Plan a Healthy Evening Snack: A balanced, satisfying snack after dinner can help curb cravings later. Examples include Greek yogurt with berries, a handful of almonds, or whole-grain crackers with cheese.
Optimize Your Sleep Hygiene: Create a calming bedtime routine. Avoid caffeine and screens before bed. Associate your bed with sleep, not eating. A mental health professional can help with sleep monitoring and relaxation techniques.
Manage Stress Effectively: Implement stress-reduction techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or journaling to address the emotional triggers for nighttime eating.

Professional Treatment Options

For many, night eating syndrome requires professional intervention. Treatment plans are often multidisciplinary and may include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This form of talk therapy can address the psychological and behavioral components of NES, helping individuals change their thought patterns and adopt healthier habits.
Antidepressant Medication: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can be effective in regulating mood and managing symptoms of NES, particularly when depression or anxiety are present.
Light Therapy (Phototherapy): Adjusting your circadian rhythm through light exposure can help regulate the body's natural clock, promoting wakefulness during the day and sleepiness at night.
Nutritional Counseling: Working with a registered dietitian can provide personalized strategies to normalize eating patterns and improve overall nutritional intake.

Conclusion

While the impulse to eat only at night may feel like a personal failing, it is important to recognize that it has a name: Night Eating Syndrome (NES). This complex condition is not simply about a lack of discipline but involves intertwined biological, psychological, and behavioral factors that disrupt eating and sleep cycles. By understanding the symptoms, distinguishing NES from other nocturnal eating behaviors, and implementing evidence-based nutritional and behavioral strategies, individuals can regain control over their eating and sleep patterns. For effective, lasting change, seeking professional support is often the most critical step toward recovery.

For more detailed information, consider consulting resources like the Cleveland Clinic on Night Eating Syndrome.

Frequently Asked Questions

While both can involve compulsive behavior, NES is specifically defined by the timing of eating and its link to sleep problems and mood issues, rather than just the addictive properties of food. However, there can be overlap, and both may benefit from psychological support.

The main distinction is awareness. People with NES are conscious and remember their nocturnal eating episodes, while those with SRED are in a semi-conscious or sleepwalking state and have little or no memory of eating during the night.

Yes, psychological factors like stress, anxiety, and depression are strongly linked to the development and severity of NES. For many, nighttime eating is a coping mechanism for heightened negative emotions in the evening.

Yes, consistently eating a significant portion of your daily calories late at night can disrupt your metabolism and often leads to weight gain. It increases the risk of obesity and related health problems such as type 2 diabetes.

A multidisciplinary team approach is often most effective. You may need to see a healthcare provider for a physical exam, a mental health professional (like a therapist specializing in eating disorders), and a registered dietitian.

Yes, some medications, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have been used to manage NES symptoms by addressing underlying mood issues.

Focus on consuming regular, balanced meals throughout the day, including breakfast. Incorporate protein and fiber to increase satiety. Plan a light evening snack, and avoid keeping tempting, high-calorie foods easily accessible at night.