I just googled a basic search and I came up with this, I'm sure anyone would be able to find this is they need it, but just to add to the collection and to have all information in one place... If there is unnecessary information in here or I am repeating anything (though I haven't had any luck in finding it in the memories) please tell me and I'll delete it.
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Source: http://www.anred.com/nes.html
Looking for possible biochemical triggers underlying this pattern, scientists from the Clinical Research Department and the Laboratory of Gastroenterology of the University Hospital in Tromso, Norway examined the hormone activity of NES patients (12 night eaters and 21 controls) over the complete light-dark cycle. They found that the night eaters - both normal and overweight - had significantly lower melatonin levels during the night than did the controls. Since melatonin levels normally rise at night to induce and sustain sleep, this may explain why NES patients wake up more frequently at night.
NES has been linked to hormone imbalances; high cortisol, low melatonin and leptin may make things worse. Leptin, the "hunger hormone" which rises at night to suppress appetite, was also lower in the NES patients, partly explaining their nocturnal food cravings. This "distinctive neuroendocrine pattern" in individuals with NES may provide the key to more successful treatment, said the researchers.
Therapy to increase the natural nocturnal rise in melatonin, reduce the body's adrenal stress response and raise leptin levels or improve leptin sensitivity are options that may help these patients overcome the disorder. Another key may involve the availability of tryptophan, an important amino acid, in the body. More than 70% of the nighttime eating to combat anxiety involved binging on carbohydrates. These foods are believed to increase the amount of tryptophan available for conversion to serotonin, the calming neurotransmitter in the brain that promotes an overall sense of well-being and, in turn, converts to melatonin.
NOTE: Addressing hormonal and biochemical imbalances in patients with chronic eating and mood disorders can be crucial for uncovering fundamental causes and contributing factors that underlie cyclical, habitual patterns of insomnia, overeating, and depression.