It sounds unbelievable but an article published in the New York Times has suggested thousands of adults may binge eat while asleep.

Sleep disorders, known medically as ‘parasomnia’, affects more than 10 per cent of adults. Common behaviours include sleep walking, sexual behaviour and violence., however in one per cent of cases, sleep eating occurs.

The binge eating behaviour is more common in women but it is not indicative of mental instability. However, researchers have noted that people who sleep eat are more likely to be affected by waking eating disorders.

Studies have shown that sleep eaters are more likely to binge on sugary and high-calorie foods but can sometimes ingest dangerous substances such as nail polish. The problem can cause a sleep eater to binge as many as five times in one night.

Sleep eaters have also been known to cause themselves harm through using knives, walking into obstacles and even breaking teeth while trying to eat frozen food.

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