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Midnight
malady
A TCU nursing professor sheds light on
those who eat in their sleep.
By Amanda Hosey '03
Though her
full-time post is professor of nursing, Lea Montgomery has received numerous
calls and e-mails from concerned "patients" lately.
People who
suffer from a widely misunderstood condition called nocturnal sleep-related
eating disorder (NSRED) have been contacting Montgomery for advice since
recent media exposure brought attention to the disorder, which may affect
as many as four million Americans.
"Those who
have NSRED sleepwalk and sleep-eat, and they usually have no memory or
awareness of doing so," says Montgomery, who did extensive research for
an article on the disorder that appeared in RN, a publication for nurses.
NSRED sufferers
often have unexplainable weight gain, chronic fatigue and lack of morning
appetite. Since they normally cannot give a specific reason for their
symptoms, "patients are often told that their problem is 'not real.' They
may become discouraged, ashamed and hopeless as a result. They are thrilled
to talk to someone who acknowledges the disorder as a serious problem,"
Montgomery says.
The RN article
has been widely acclaimed. Media outlets throughout the United States
and Canada have credited Montgomery with bringing attention to an overlooked
illness.
"I've got
a huge stack of e-mails from people with NSRED who have seen the articles,"
she says. "While I can't diagnose or treat them, I can encourage them
and pass on more detailed information."
Since the
causes of NSRED are still largely unknown, the disorder is treated in
a variety of ways. Common suggestions are a balanced diet, stress reduction
and what Montgomery calls "good sleep hygiene -- getting enough sleep
É and going to bed around the same time each night."
Montgomery
hopes the attention from the press will bring about increased legitimacy
of NSRED.
"Hopefully,
increased awareness will result in more directed efforts to treat and
cure the disorder," she says.
Contact Montgomery
at l.montgomery@tcu.edu.
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