Health
Rare sleep disorder causes people to cook and eat food while they're asleep
A rare health condition could be causing some people to eat while they’re sound asleep.
Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) is an abnormal behavior called parasomnia that occurs during sleep.
The condition causes a person to eat — and in some cases even prepare food — while asleep, according to experts.
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Kara Becker, a certified eating disorders specialist and national director of eating disorder programs for Newport Healthcare in California, told Fox News Digital that people who experience this sleepy snacking usually have no recollection of it the next morning.
A person can have more than one sleep-eating event per night — and it can happen even if the person isn’t hungry, Becker noted.
The person is “generally not aware” of the sleepwalking or “might only have a hazy awareness,” said a clinical psychologist. (iStock)
Certain medications can cause SRED, as can smoking cessation, alcohol and drug use, stress, narcolepsy and dieting, according to the expert.
Drug-induced SRED can also occur after taking sedative-hypnotic drugs to treat insomnia, Cleveland Clinic noted on its website.
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Symptoms of the disorder can include repeated episodes of “out-of-control” eating and drinking when asleep, eating strange combinations of foods, or loss of appetite in the morning, Becker said.
The expert also flagged the dangers that can come with cooking or eating during the night, such as fires, burns and cuts.
Symptoms of the disorder can include repeated episodes of “out-of-control” eating and drinking when asleep, eating strange combinations of foods, or loss of appetite in the morning. (iStock)
Fox News Digital also spoke to clinical psychologist Kelly Baron, PhD, director of the behavioral sleep medicine lab at the University of Utah, about symptoms and dangers of non-REM parasomnia.
SRED can cause dental issues and can interfere with weight-loss goals, Baron noted.
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“In some cases, the person could cook and injure themselves or run into things,” she warned.
“People can eat non-food items at times,” Baron said. “I wrote a case series with a colleague and one patient had eaten dog food in his sleep or a casserole with his hands, making a big mess.”
People with SRED could “fall or bump into things” or cut or burn themselves during an episode, an expert warned. (iStock)
Consuming large amounts of calories without mindfully eating is “not recommended for anyone and can be very disruptive to adequate nutrition consumption,” Becker added.
“Some may even consume hazardous substances at night without knowing, putting their health immediately at risk.”
So who is at risk?
SRED episodes are more likely to occur with lack of sleep, so conditions like snoring and obstructive sleep apnea can be risk factors, according to Cleveland Clinic’s website.
People are more likely to have SRED if they’re closely related to someone who sleepwalks, if they feel stressed out or sleep-deprived during the day, if they suffer from an eating disorder, or if they have anxiety or depression.
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“For other people, having another sleep disorder can trigger sleepwalking behavior, including night eating, so having a sleep evaluation is really important,” Baron advised.
Those suffering from this condition should be evaluated at a sleep center, an expert said. (iStock)
For some people, sleepwalking is an inherited risk that continues from childhood into adulthood, according to Baron.
Treatment options
There are several treatment options for SRED, including reducing and eliminating triggers and addressing other sleep disorders, Baron told Fox News Digital.
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People can also implement techniques to improve sleep behaviors and try taking medication, the expert said.
Becker also suggested implementing safety precautions at home, like installing locks on kitchen cabinets and refrigerators and removing dangerous obstacles.
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People with SRED should also get “plenty of regular sleep,” she encouraged, as the condition can heighten with sleep deprivation.
“It’s also recommended to participate in a sleep study so that your health care provider can better understand your nighttime activity,” she said.
SRED is most common in women under 20 years old, according to Cleveland Clinic. (iStock)
SRED is a condition separate from night eating syndrome (NES), which causes people to feel compelled to eat before bed or to wake up multiple times in the night to eat and then return to bed, Baron said.
SRED is most common in women under 20 years old, according to Cleveland Clinic, but it can occur in anyone.
Between 1% and 5% of adults experience parasomnia.
Experts suggest seeking a health care provider if SRED episodes are suspected.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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Health
Dr Oz warns Medicare scammers are stealing billions — and your personal information could be next
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Washington, D.C. – Medicare fraud is a multibillion-dollar problem that government officials say threatens both taxpayer dollars and Americans’ personal identities.
In a July 6 interview with Fox News Digital at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., Dr. Mehmet Oz warned that every dollar stolen through Medicare fraud is a dollar taxpayers lose – a problem that has worsened since the COVID pandemic.
“If I had to just pick one thing to focus on to make healthcare more affordable in America, I’d go to health fraud and all the waste and abuse that accompanies it,” said Oz, who is the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “And just to put this in perspective, we think it’s about $100 billion a year.”
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Medicare fraud can include billing for services that were never provided, overcharging for medical equipment, using stolen patient or doctor information, or performing unnecessary procedures, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
CMS administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz is pictured on stage at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., on July 6, 2026. (Angelica Stabile/Fox News Digital)
As the Trump administration ramped up efforts to combat fraud, CMS reported $41.9 billion in Medicare program integrity savings in 2025, up 59% from $26.3 billion in 2024.
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Medicare fraud not only harms the federal budget and steals from taxpayers, but exposes seniors to identity theft, unnecessary care, higher premiums and reduced access, Oz cautioned.
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Removing corruption from the healthcare system will have the greatest impact among seniors, since “so much of the fraud is perpetrated against them,” the administrator said.
“I’m talking about people tricking seniors to give up their Medicare beneficiary numbers, which is like a credit card basically,” he said. “These scammers can take those numbers and use them for all kinds of illegitimate purposes.”
“If I had to just pick one thing to focus on to make healthcare more affordable in America, I’d go to health fraud and all the waste and abuse that accompanies it,” said Oz. (Fox News Digital)
“People are stealing from you by pretending to send you drugs you don’t want, wheelchairs you don’t need, [and] services you never asked for or don’t benefit from,” Oz added.
To prevent this, he shared his top advice for seniors: Do not give your Medicare beneficiary number to anybody, do not answer questions on a phone call from an unknown person and do not give away personal information.
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“These scammers are calling seniors, tricking them, and once they have key information, they can steal it,” he said. “And I won’t know it and you won’t know it.”
“We want to protect people who need these programs the most,” Oz went on. “You do that by making sure scoundrels don’t corrupt the systems and steal money out of the till that is designed to help folks in dire straits when they’re vulnerable and in need of services.”
Seniors should never share their Medicare information with unknown people, the administrator advised. (iStock)
Removing fraud could “double the life expectancy of the trust fund that makes all this possible,” Oz predicted.
“If you’re worried about Medicare being there when you’re ready to retire in a couple decades, depending on how old you are, and you’re concerned that it might not last because of all the fraud that’s hitting it … you’ve got a good [reason to] worry,” he said.
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“If we take the fraud out, we could double the life expectancy, which means you, your kids, your kids’ kids … they could all benefit from this beautiful safety net program.”
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