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 who avoid meat in their golden years may be less likely to reach age 100 than their meat-eating counterparts, new research suggests.
Researchers tracked more than 5,000 adults aged 80 or older who were enrolled in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.
Between 1998 and 2018, data showed that those who did not eat meat were less likely to reach their 100th birthday than those who consumed animal products regularly.
The findings seem to contradict previous studies that have linked vegetarianism and plant-based diets to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity.
Most evidence supporting the benefits of plant-based diets comes from studies tracking younger populations, the researchers noted.
The findings contrast with previous research praising plant-based diets for their positive influence on heart health. (iStock)
The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, points to losses in muscle mass and bone density with age, shifts that can increase the risk of malnutrition and frailty in the “oldest old.”
As people enter their 80s and 90s, the nutritional priority often shifts from preventing long-term chronic diseases to maintaining day-to-day physical function, experts say.
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“The headline ‘vegetarians over 80 less likely to reach 100’ sounds surprising, because it contrasts with decades of data linking plant‑forward diets to lower chronic disease risk earlier in life,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital.
“However, once you see that this research is limited to adults over the age of 80 who are also underweight — and that this link disappears with the consumption of eggs, dairy and fish — the results are less surprising.”
While diets earlier in life tend to emphasize avoiding long-term disease, older age necessitates nutrients and weight maintenance, experts say. (iStock)
In those over 80, restricting animal proteins may be less likely to promote longevity, according to Palinski-Wade, who was not involved in the study.
Eliminating all animal protein — particularly in a population that may already experience diminished hunger cues — can make it more difficult to meet adequate protein needs, potentially increasing the risk of nutrient deficiencies, the nutritionist said.
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In addition to a higher tendency to be underweight, older populations also face a greater risk of bone fractures due to lower calcium and protein intake.
Potential limitations
The lower rate of vegetarians reaching 100 was only observed in participants identified as underweight, the researchers noted. No such association was found in people who maintained a healthy weight.
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Because being underweight is already linked to greater frailty and mortality risk, the researchers noted that body weight may partly explain the findings, making it difficult to determine whether diet itself played a direct role.
Those incorporating animal-sourced products other than meat were just as likely to live to 100. (iStock)
Additionally, the shortened lifespans were not found in people who continued to eat non-meat animal products, such as fish, dairy and eggs.
Older adults with these more flexible diets were just as likely to live to 100 as those eating meat, as these foods may provide the nutrients necessary for maintaining muscle and bone health, the researchers noted.
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“This is an observational study, so it can only show associations, and does not prove that avoiding meat directly reduces the odds of reaching 100,” Palinski-Wade added.
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The researchers suggested that including small amounts of animal-sourced foods could help older seniors maintain essential nutrients and avoid the muscle loss often seen in those who stick strictly to plants.
Eliminating all animal protein — particularly in a population that may already experience diminished hunger cues — can make it more difficult to meet adequate protein needs, potentially increasing the risk of nutrient deficiencies. (iStock)
Palinski-Wade offered some guidance for those looking to optimize nutrition later in life.
“For adults in their 80s and beyond, especially anyone losing weight or muscle, the priority should be maintaining a healthy weight and meeting protein and micronutrient needs — even if that means adding or increasing fish, eggs, dairy or well‑planned, fortified plant proteins and supplements.”
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Strict vegan or very low‑protein patterns at that age should be carefully monitored by a dietitian or clinician, with attention to B12, vitamin D, calcium and total protein, according to Palinski-Wade.
“Younger and healthier adults can still confidently use plant‑forward or vegetarian patterns to lower long‑term chronic disease risk,” she added.
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In a dramatic turn of events that’s captured the attention of animal lovers worldwide, Punch — the young macaque at a zoo in Japan famous for his inseparable bond with a stuffed orangutan toy — has reached a major milestone in his journey toward social integration.
On Thursday, visitors and staff at the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden witnessed a breakthrough: Punch was seen cuddling with and hitching a ride on the back of a fellow macaque.
Punch’s story began with hardship. He was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July 2025 — and to ensure his survival, zookeepers stepped in to hand-rear the primate.
On Jan. 19, 2026, the zoo officially began the process of reintegrating Punch into the “monkey mountain” enclosure.
The transition was initially fraught with tension.
Punch’s story began with hardship when he was abandoned by his mother shortly after he was born. To help him, zookeepers gave him a stuffed toy that he began dragging around everywhere he went. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
As a hand-reared infant, Punch was bullied and ignored by the established group of monkeys.
He was often seen huddled alone with his orange plush companion while the rest of the troop interacted.
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In an official statement released Feb. 27, the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden detailed the meticulous care behind this process.
Previous viral videos showed Punch bullied by the rest of the troop, running to his plushy toy for comfort. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“From an animal welfare perspective, our primary goal is to reintegrate Punch with the troop,” the zoo said.
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The strategy involved nursing Punch within the enclosure, so the troop could recognize him as one of their own, and pairing him with a gentle young female macaque prior to his full release to build his confidence.
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The latest footage, captured by X user @tate_gf, suggested the zoo’s patience is paying off.
The video shows Punch seeking physical contact not from his toy, but from another monkey — eventually climbing onto its back for a vital social behavior for young macaques: the “piggyback ride.”
The zoo’s strategy appears to be paying off: Punch, shown at far left, was recently seen riding on the back of a fellow macaque. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
While Punch still carries his stuffed toy for comfort during moments of perceived danger, the zoo remains optimistic about his progress.
The organization cited the successful 2009 case of Otome, another hand-reared macaque who eventually outgrew her stuffed toy, successfully integrated — and went on to raise four offspring of her own.
The zoo has had crowds coming to see Punch, with hundreds of people lining up to get inside to see the young star, according to reports.
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“I’m hoping Punch has a good life like everybody else does, and think he’s a cute little guy,” one person commented online.
“Such a precious baby,” another person wrote.
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