Does your binge eating affect how you sleep?

Binge eating often feels good for a few minutes – whether it’s the taste of delicious food, the relaxation that comes with eating, or the emotional escape. After a binge the negative consequences start to set it, both emotional (e.g. feeling disappointed in yourself) and physical (e.g. feeling uncomfortably full, long-term weight gain and suffering health). Recent research has shown there’s another important negative factor related to binge eating – worsened sleep.

Women who binge eat tend to experience several sleep problems, a study released online this week concludes. Published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, the study examined a large group of Swedish women. The researchers found a significant association between a variety of sleep difficulties and a lifetime history of binge eating. This remained true even after accounting for the women’s age, depressive symptoms, and level of obesity.  

It’s not clear if the binge eating causes sleep problems, if sleep problems cause binge eating, or if they are both related to a larger problem. Nevertheless, the researchers offer some biological speculations to explain the relationship between worsened sleep and binge eating. They suggest that decreased sleep may influence appetite hormones that drive the body to eat more food. Stress may also play a role as higher cortisol (“stress hormone”) levels are associated with increased appetite and sleep problems.

Even though we don’t know the exact cause-effect relationship between sleep and binge eating, the two are clearly related. If you’re having trouble sleeping and feel tired all day, consider that another reason to try to reduce binge eating. It’s also possible that making a good night’s rest a priority may help reduce urges to binge eat. 

Photo credit: Marianne Noel Allen