Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sleep-related eating as a side effect of drugs for insomnia

  • Chapter
Handbook of nutrition, diet and sleep

Part of the book series: Human Health Handbooks ((HHH,volume 3))

  • 2244 Accesses

Abstract

Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) is defined by the amnestic eating behavior during sleep. Recently several peer reviewed case reports of SREDs have emerged in the medical literature with emphasis on concurrent use of hypnotics. The characteristics of hypnotic-related SRED can be summarized as sleepwalking, incomplete arousal, and compulsive eating behavior after the exposures to hypnotics. In this chapter, the authors reviewed existing case reports, summarized the findings, and suggested the mechanisms and management of hypnotic-related SRED. Most commonly reported hypnotic in these reports was zolpidem. Zolpidem was assumed to induce SRED based on the close temporal relationship between SRED manifestations and the initiation or change of the drug ingestion, and the resolution of symptoms after withdrawal, dose reduction, or formulation change. Across the reviewed cases, prescribed zolpidem dose was usually within the recommended range, but the latency to the development of SRED after the exposure and the frequency of symptoms were variable. Age-related vulnerability or gender predilection was not documented. History of prior eating disorder as well as co-existing sleep disorders (obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and restless legs syndrome (RLS)) were common, and these were identified as predisposing factors along with poor sleep hygiene as well as a history of sleepwalking. It is thus recommended to screen these predisposing factors before initiating hypnotics in patients who are suffering from insomnia. Additionally, the presence of SRED should be regularly checked during the pharmacologic therapy for insomnia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

GABA:

Gamma-aminobutyric acid

OSA:

Obstructive sleep apnea

RLS:

Restless legs syndrome

SRED:

Sleep-related eating disorder

References

  • Adverse Drug Reaction Advisory Committee, 2007. Zolpidem and bizarre sleep related effects. Australian Adverse Drug Reaction Bulletin 26, 2–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2005. The International Classification of Sleep Disorders: Diagnostic and Coding Manual. American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Westchester, IL, USA, 295 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blum, K., Wood, R.C., Braverman, E.R., Chen, T.J. and Sheridan, P.J., 1995. The D2 dopamine receptor gene as a predictor of compulsive disease: Bayes’ theorem. Functional Neurology 10, 37–44.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chiang, A. and Krystal, A., 2008. Report of two cases where sleep related eating behavior occurred with the extended-release formulation but not the immediate-release formulation of a sedative-hypnotic agent. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 4, 155–156.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dang, A., Garg, G. and Rataboli, P.V., 2009. Zolpidem induced Nocturnal Sleep-Related Eating Disorder (NSRED) in a male patient. International Journal of Eating Disorders 42, 385–386.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dolder, C.R. and Nelson, M.H., 2008. Hypnosedative-induced complex behaviours: Incidence, mechanisms and management. CNS Drugs 22, 1021–1036.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferri, R., Manconi, M., Arico, D., Sagrada, C., Zucconi, M., Bruni, O., Oldani, A. and Ferini-Strambi, L., 2010. Acute dopamine-agonist treatment in restless legs syndrome: Effects on sleep architecture and NREM sleep instability. Sleep 33, 793–800.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ganzoni, E., Santoni, J.P., Chevillard, V., Sebille, M. and Mathy, B., 1995. Zolpidem in insomnia: A 3-year post-marketing surveillance study in Switzerland. Journal of Internal Medicine Research 23, 61–73.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guilleminault, C., Kirisoglu, C., Bao, G., Arias, V., Chan, A. and Li, K.K., 2005. Adult chronic sleepwalking and its treatment based on polysomnography. Brain 128, 1062–1069.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoque, R. and Chesson, Jr., A.L., 2009. Zolpidem-induced sleepwalking, sleep related eating disorder, and sleep-driving: Fluorine-18-flourodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography analysis, and a literature review of other unexpected clinical effects of zolpidem. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 5, 471–476.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kimoff, R.J., 1996. Sleep fragmentation in obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep 19, S61-66.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lam, S.P., Fong, S.Y., Ho, C.K., Yu, M.W. and Wing, Y.K., 2008. Parasomnia among psychiatric outpatients: A clinical, epidemiologic, cross-sectional study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 69, 1374–1382.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liskow, B. and Pikalov, A., 2004. Zaleplon overdose associated with sleepwalking and complex behavior. Journal American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 43, 927–928.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, M.L. and Shen, W.W., 2004. Sleep-related eating disorder induced by risperidone. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 65, 273–274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Menkes, D.B., 1992. Triazolam-induced nocturnal bingeing with amnesia. Australian and New-Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 26, 320–321.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miranda, M., Seijas, D., Castillo, J.L. and Perez, J.C., 2010. Zolpidem induced sleep related eating disorder. Review Medical Child 138, 1067–1069.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molina, S.M. and Joshi, K.G., 2010. A case of zaleplon-induced amnestic sleep-related eating disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 71, 210–211.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morgenthaler, T.I. and Silber, M.H., 2002. Amnestic sleep-related eating disorder associated with zolpidem. Sleep Medicine 3, 323–327.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morin, C.M., Vallières, A., Guay, B., Ivers, H., Savard, J., Mérette, C., Bastien, C. and Baillargeon, L., 2009. Cognitive behavioral therapy, singly and combined with medication, for persistent insomnia. JAMA 301, 2005–2015.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Najjar, M., 2007. Zolpidem and amnestic sleep related eating disorder. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 3, 637–638.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Reardon, J.P., Peshek, A. and Allison, K.C., 2005. Night eating syndrome: Diagnosis, epidemiology and management. CNS Drugs 19, 997–1008.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ohayon, M.M., O’Hara, R. and Vitiello, M.V., 2011. Epidemiology of restless legs syndrome: A synthesis of the literature. Sleep Medicine Review 16, 283–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paquet, V., Strul, J., Servais, L., Pelc, I. and Fossion, P., 2002. Sleep-related eating disorder induced by olanzapine. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 63, 597.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paulus, W., Dowling, P., Rijsman, R., Stiasny-Kolster, K., Trenkwalder, C. and de Weerd, A., 2007. Pathophysiological concepts of restless legs syndrome. Movement Disorders 22, 1451–1456.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Provini, F., Antelmi, E., Vignatelli, L., Zaniboni, A., Naldi, G., Calandra-Buonaura, G., Vetrugno, R., Plazzi, G. and Montagna, P., 2009. Association of restless legs syndrome with nocturnal eating: A case–control study. Movement Disorders 24, 871–877.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rand, C.S., Macgregor, A.M. and Stunkard, A.J., 1997. The night eating syndrome in the general population and among postoperative obesity surgery patients. International Journal of Eating Disorders 22, 65–69.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sansone, R.A. and Sansone, L.A., 2008. Zolpidem, somnambulism, and nocturnal eating. General Hospital Psychiatry 30, 90–91.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schenck, C.H., Hurwitz, T.D., Bundlie, S.R. and Mahowald, M.W., 1991. Sleep-related eating disorders: Polysomnographic correlates of a heterogeneous syndrome distinct from daytime eating disorders. Sleep 14, 419–431.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schenck, C.H., Hurwitz, T.D., O’Connor, K.A. and Mahowald, M.W., 1993. Additional categories of sleep-related eating disorders and the current status of treatment. Sleep 16, 457–466.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schenck, C.H. and Mahowald, M.W., 1994. Review of nocturnal sleep-related eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders 15, 343–356.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schenck, C.H. and Mahowald, M.W., 2000. Parasomnias. Managing bizarre sleep-related behavior disorders. Postgraduate Medicine 107, 145–156.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soderpalm, A.H. and Berridge, K.C., 2000. The hedonic impact and intake of food are increased by midazolam microinjection in the parabrachial nucleus. Brain Research 877, 288–297.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stanhope, K.J., Roe, S., Dawson, G., Draper, F. and Jackson, A., 1993. Effect of the benzodiazepine receptor agonist, zolpidem, on palatable fluid consumption in the rat. Psychopharmacology 111, 185–189.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai, J.H., Yang, P., Chen, C.C., Chung, W., Tang, T.C., Wang, S.Y. and Liu, J.K., 2009. Zolpidem-induced amnesia and somnambulism: Rare occurrences? European Neuropsychopharmacology 19, 74–76.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • US FDA (United States Food and Drug Admninistration), 2007. FDA requests label change for all sleep disorder drug products. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2007/ucm108868.htm. Accessed Jannuary 16, 2012.

  • Valiensi, S.M., Cristiano, E., Martinez, O.A., Reisin, R.C. and Alvarez, F., 2010. Sleep related eating disorders as a side effect of zolpidem. Medicina 70, 223–226.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vetrugno, R., Manconi, M., Ferini-Strambi, L., Provini, F., Plazzi, G. and Montagna, P., 2006. Nocturnal eating: Sleep-related eating disorder or night eating syndrome? A videopolysomnographic study. Sleep 29, 949–954.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wing, Y.K., Lam, S.P., Li, S.X., Zhang, J. and Yu, M.W., 2010. Sleep-related eating disorder and zolpidem: An open interventional cohort study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 71, 653–656.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Winkelman, J.W., 1998. Clinical and polysomnographic features of sleep-related eating disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 59, 14–19.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Winkelman, J.W., Herzog, D.B. and Fava, M., 1999. The prevalence of sleep-related eating disorder in psychiatric and non-psychiatric populations. Psychological Medicine 29, 1461–1466.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, W., Dollear, M. and Muthukrishnan, S.R., 2005. One rare side effect of zolpidem--sleepwalking: A case report. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 86, 1265–1266.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yerbury, R.E. and Cooper, S.J., 1989. Novel benzodiazepine receptor ligands: Palatable food intake following zolpidem, CGS 17867A, or Ro23-0364, in the rat. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior 33, 303–307.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Young, T., Palta, M., Dempsey, J., Skatrud, J., Weber, S. and Badr, S., 1993. The occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing among middle-aged adults. New England Journal of Medicine 328, 1230–1235.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yun, C.H. and Ji, K.H., 2010. Zolpidem-induced sleep-related eating disorder. Journal of the Neurological Science 288, 200–201.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zammit, G., 2009. Comparative tolerability of newer agents for insomnia. Drug Safety 32, 735–748.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology and Clinical Neuroscience Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 166 Gumi-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 463-707, Republic of Korea

    C. -H. Yun & S. -H. Park

  2. Brain Korea 21 Program in Biomedical Science, Korea University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    H. Kim

  3. Institute of Human Genomic Study, Korea University Ansan Hospital, 516 Gojan1-dong, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, 425-707, Republic of Korea

    H. Kim

Authors
  1. C. -H. Yun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. -H. Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. -H. Yun .

Editor information

Victor R. Preedy Vinood B. Patel Lan-Anh Le

Summary points

Summary points

  • Hypnotics could precipitate sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) in subjects with predisposing medical or environmental factors.

  • Zolpidem, among all drugs, seems to have a prominent inducing effect, as was seen in most of the reviewed cases.

  • Before initiating medication, subjects should be carefully screened for presence of predisposing factors, such as comorbid obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless legs syndrome (RLS), sleepwalking, poor sleep hygiene, and previous history of eating disorder.

  • The frequency of SRED and latency between the onset of SRED and the use of hypnotics are variable; therefore, the presence of SRED should be regularly checked during pharmacologic therapy for insomnia.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Wageningen Academic Publishers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Yun, C.H., Kim, H., Park, S.H. (2013). Sleep-related eating as a side effect of drugs for insomnia. In: Preedy, V.R., Patel, V.B., Le, LA. (eds) Handbook of nutrition, diet and sleep. Human Health Handbooks, vol 3. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-763-9_26

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation