I am not a real big fan of sweets, but sometimes I wake up and I am driven that I have to have something sweet to eat that very minute. I don't keep anything in the house sweet that is readily accesible. I hate to even admit this but the need was so strong that I opened a package of brownie mix and mixed in a little water and ate it like that. I got up and wondered if that were a dream or a nightmare. Yuck. I realized I really had done it. I remember thinking about opening an orange and dipping it in sugar. Yuck and then I found what I was looking for, chocolate. has anyone done this, and if so do you know what it means? Why I might be doing that?
Has anyone woke up in the middle of the night and needed something SWEET to eat?
- Thread starter Jody
- Start date
Well - I haven't had cravings like that since I was pregnant! back then, it was chocolate in particular.
But... I know that in kids, an intense craving for sugar can be a sign of problems regulating blood sugar - not that the person has chronic high blood sugar, nor chronic low blood sugar - but it swings, wildly. In that case, it would be a medical issue. When this craving hits... have you been burning extra calories that day? or went out for coffee and had something extra sweet that you don't usually have? Either way, you could get a blood-sugar "crash" that can show up in cravings...
Just an idea...
But... I know that in kids, an intense craving for sugar can be a sign of problems regulating blood sugar - not that the person has chronic high blood sugar, nor chronic low blood sugar - but it swings, wildly. In that case, it would be a medical issue. When this craving hits... have you been burning extra calories that day? or went out for coffee and had something extra sweet that you don't usually have? Either way, you could get a blood-sugar "crash" that can show up in cravings...
Just an idea...
I hadn't burned any extra calories, routine was pretty much the same. I don't eat a lot of sweets but when I want one I usually grab some fruit. A cold, cold orange or grapes are usually my pick but this is a craving that you feel like you have to. Kind of like when your'e pregnant (I am not pregnant). Much stronger though. I hope this doesn't happen often.
keista
New Member
I find that if I wake in the middle of the night, I need something that TASTES sweet - even diet soda will do. It's not quite what you did, but mine does have to be sweet. Milk or dinner's leftovers won't do, so it's not a hungry thing. Sometimes when I'm having a hard time falling asleep I feel I have to have something sweet, and only after I do, can I fall asleep.
Unlike you, I have a BIG sweet tooth so I never gave it much thought..
Unlike you, I have a BIG sweet tooth so I never gave it much thought..
I have to say that I didn't eat the whole brownie mix just a very little amount but it was just strange that I did that. I will try a pepsi that might be all that it takes so that I can go to sleep. I don't remember really being hungry. I just was frantically looking for something sweet, and I don't have anything like that in the house because difficult child would eat it all and then I started carrying snacks in the car and bringing only one or two in the house. Got sick of that so just stopped having snacks in the house at all. Occasionally we make a cake or desert or brownies. I am really going to have to wake myself up somehow, I never would have done that if I had been fully awake.
keista
New Member
I didn't for a second think you ate the whole box. I don't either even if it's my snack (I could though)
I totally hear what you're saying. The concerning part is that you're still half asleep (I'm always awake)
There are sleeping disorders where ppl get up just to eat. Sleepeating, so to speak. I've only heard of real strange ones where ppl end up eating a paper towel or sponge covered in dish soap (presumably thinking it was toast with honey or something similar). With all that's onl your plate a sleeping disorder would not be surprising, but talk to your doctor. It could be blood sugar levels that, if stabilized, would make it stop.
I totally hear what you're saying. The concerning part is that you're still half asleep (I'm always awake)
There are sleeping disorders where ppl get up just to eat. Sleepeating, so to speak. I've only heard of real strange ones where ppl end up eating a paper towel or sponge covered in dish soap (presumably thinking it was toast with honey or something similar). With all that's onl your plate a sleeping disorder would not be surprising, but talk to your doctor. It could be blood sugar levels that, if stabilized, would make it stop.
Keista. I am so glad you didn't think I ate the whole box, after I reread my post I was like oh my goodness, I think they think I ate the whole box. I would like to have seen a video of me doing this to figure out if I was really awake awake or not. I really can't tell you. It was a very odd type of awake if I was. I might have to find out if it keeps up, that's for sure.
DammitJanet
Well-Known Member
LOL...do not feel badly. I sleep eat or half sleep eat all the time. I half to eat something at night. Mostly it has to be sweet. Thats probably why Im so overweight. No...we know thats why Im so overweight. I wont lie. Im fat. Gonna call a spade a spade. I am on sleep medications and I have fallen asleep eating my snack of choice. I cycle through several things. It goes through jelly beans, gummy bears, raspberry sticks, ice cream, pudding, and very rarely m& m's. I have no idea what I am gonna do now that I have no teeth. Just ice cream and pudding? LOL.
Oh...skittles were in there too.
I rarely got a hankering for salty for some reason. Lots of this has to do with the fact that I take a ton of medications at bed time and they taste nasty so I am drowning the taste but also I was get drowsy and then my urge to just eat kicks in and its always hand, snack, mouth, tv, drink...over and over and over again. Cant stop it.
Oh...skittles were in there too.
I rarely got a hankering for salty for some reason. Lots of this has to do with the fact that I take a ton of medications at bed time and they taste nasty so I am drowning the taste but also I was get drowsy and then my urge to just eat kicks in and its always hand, snack, mouth, tv, drink...over and over and over again. Cant stop it.
H
HaoZi
Guest
I've been binging the evenings last week or so (stress and/or PMS is my guess). I swing back and forth from sweet to salty. Some of one, then I want some of the other to counter it.
I need to eat sweets after every meal. I just need it, chocolate, jelly beans(I eat Jelly Bellys every day!)......I think you should listen to your body, if you need it or want it, definately have it. It's not worth suffering and being hungry. Janet, I do the exact things.....sometimes it's ice cream or something else, but it's truly after every meal. I'm not overweight but I learned that I have to listen to my body.....so we all should no matter what we weigh. Even in the throws of anorexia...I needed my candy. Even if you want brownie mix wix with water, at least you can take comfort in the fact that you didn't add butter and oil.
DammitJanet
Well-Known Member
Oddly enough I think I am loosing some weight on my milkshake and pudding diet. I had a difficult time buckling the seat belt in my dads old truck when I tried a couple of weeks ago but today it was very easy! how strange...lol.
I woke up last night at 2:30 am and had that crazy craving again. I was definately awake and I got rid of that crazy craving with a Greek Yogurt from Dannon. It was good, healthy and satisfied the craving and full of protein. LOL, no more brownie mix for me, at least in the middle of the night anyway. I just new that I weould never like the greek yogurt as everyone has been telling me how gross it is. I liked the texture. It reminded me of cheese cake. Plan to go buy some moire of yogurt tonight just in case.
I am glad that you found a healthy snack to fill the craving. I think you need to go to the doctor and have an A1C test done. You must fast for it for at least 8 hours - they tell you not to eat after midnight no matter when they do the test but it is for 8 hrs for almost all things (learned this from a gastro doctor - your system empties in 8 hours almost completely so fasting longer doesn't accomplish anything no matter what the docs tell you). It will give you a number and it assesses your risk of diabetes. It runs in my family so I was dreading the results but mine were exactly in the middle of the normal range, thankfully.
Also have your thyroid tested (another fasting test so have blood taken for this at the same time) and it would not be bad to have the thyroid autoimmune test run. when my eating is really "off" and I mentioned to the doctor that even eating less than 1000 calories per day for eight entire weeks did not take a single pound off my weight they did thsi test. Turns out that my immune system killed my thyroid so I have to take a thyroid hormone daily. It is cheap and very effective, thankfully! But having that pill changed my cravings hugely - far fewer sweet cravings. So get that all tested to make sure that this new, strange craving in the night isn't a sign of some health issue.
You also might try getting some of the balance or zone bars. I like the balance ones in the caramel nut blast flavor - reminds me of a snickers. My family likes many of the other flavors and the kids often prefer them to candy bars! They have balanced amounts of protein, carb and fat (40 carb, 30 each protein and fat) and it is a very healthy ratio of these things to have. It improves your health, energy levels and even helps you think more clearly and feel more alert. It also helps your body optimize most of it's systems. My mom changed to that ratio for all her meals and snacks and managed to improve her liver. She has an autoimmune liver disease and noen of her docs had EVER had a patient or even heard of a patient who's liver got better and actually healed damaged parts as shown in biopsies until she did this. It took a year of it (she used the zone diet books as her guide, along iwth common sense) and her doctor even wrote it up in a journal article. it is now recommended for all his patients and they have all had improvements if they followed it.
the bars come in many varieties and in snack and regular bar sizes. the regular size is about twice the snack size. or you could get the fiber bars - they come in regular and 90 calorie sizes. My kids like the fiber one and kellogg brands best but say they are all rpetty good.
Also have your thyroid tested (another fasting test so have blood taken for this at the same time) and it would not be bad to have the thyroid autoimmune test run. when my eating is really "off" and I mentioned to the doctor that even eating less than 1000 calories per day for eight entire weeks did not take a single pound off my weight they did thsi test. Turns out that my immune system killed my thyroid so I have to take a thyroid hormone daily. It is cheap and very effective, thankfully! But having that pill changed my cravings hugely - far fewer sweet cravings. So get that all tested to make sure that this new, strange craving in the night isn't a sign of some health issue.
You also might try getting some of the balance or zone bars. I like the balance ones in the caramel nut blast flavor - reminds me of a snickers. My family likes many of the other flavors and the kids often prefer them to candy bars! They have balanced amounts of protein, carb and fat (40 carb, 30 each protein and fat) and it is a very healthy ratio of these things to have. It improves your health, energy levels and even helps you think more clearly and feel more alert. It also helps your body optimize most of it's systems. My mom changed to that ratio for all her meals and snacks and managed to improve her liver. She has an autoimmune liver disease and noen of her docs had EVER had a patient or even heard of a patient who's liver got better and actually healed damaged parts as shown in biopsies until she did this. It took a year of it (she used the zone diet books as her guide, along iwth common sense) and her doctor even wrote it up in a journal article. it is now recommended for all his patients and they have all had improvements if they followed it.
the bars come in many varieties and in snack and regular bar sizes. the regular size is about twice the snack size. or you could get the fiber bars - they come in regular and 90 calorie sizes. My kids like the fiber one and kellogg brands best but say they are all rpetty good.
Are you taking any medications that make you sleepy or are to help you sleep? medications like ambien often have odd behavior as a side effect. taking more than the min dose increases the risk of this side effect and can lead to very dangerous behavior including leaving your home. I know one woman who actually was found in her car with the engine on - and was NOT awake. her husband had to lock up the keys and he put a latch up high on the exterior doors that he latched every night because with-o medications she didn't sleep at all. If you are on sleep medications you need to tell the doctor about this sleep eating.
