pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/243...
Conclusions: A nocturnal compulsion to eat seems to be an intrinsic part of the clinical spectrum of RLS manifestations and an odd risk factor for increases in BMI in RLS patients. However, it is still not clear if NE in RLS would fit in one of the two known categorized syndromes of NE (i.e., sleep-related eating disorder [SRED] or NES) or if it represents a different strictly RLS-related eating behavior.
I get the midnight munchies if I get withdrawal s.It is a constant part of withdrawal symptoms from any disease.
I eat almonds or walnuts- just a few.
If it's too bad I make up a hot milky drink of turmeric,ceylon cinnamon , honey, black pepper and a tinch of cayenne.
That usually allows me to get back to sleep ok., without putting on too much weight!😎
The crunchier the better for me. Helps with diatraction and stimulating my vagus nerve. Kettle Corn is a favorite.
Note also that 65% were taking dopaminergic drugs. And Impulse Control Disorder (overeating) is VERY common on these drugs.
THIS!! When I was taking DA drugs, I would wake up and eat.... Not an issue anymore.
Correct about the study. I always have. I imagine if I didn't have breakthrough symptoms it wouldn't happen as often. Never been on DAs.But I definitely saw the fanatic compulsion in my mom who was a poster child for being over medicated on DAs. I think at one point she was taking 16mg of Requip a day. I feel so bad looking back and seeing all the damage the medication and doctors were doing. They would lower and increase dosages of DA meds without titration and with no rhyme or reason.
Don't blame yourself. We all are brought up to trust our Doctors and believe they know what they're doing.Sadly, we now know they cannot be trusted and most have zero knowledge about RLS, dopamine agonists, augmentation or ICD or how terrible withdrawal can be.
Let's just hope that this medical scandal is blown wide open. Soon.
I vividly remember being about age nine watching from the stairs as my mom paced the hall pounding on the walls during bad episodes of RLS. Collateral trauma comes in all forms. So tired of how non sufferers think we are being dramatic when we explain how terrible and damaging this "syndrome" can be.
RLS can kill you indirectly from sleep deprivation. We know that severe or chronic sleep deprivation can shorten lives. And if you happen to fail to get any sleep for 17 consecutive days, you are likely going to leave us. It's happened to me a few times. At 15 days you think you're still halfway decent until you drop like a rock suddenly and hit the deck like a ton of bricks, breaking a leg or arm. I once took the fall while using a butcher knife in the kitchen. Hit my head four times going down. Once on the counter top, then on the opposing countertop, then on the drawer handle then of course, on the floor (deck). One bloody head and a lacerated arm to show for the event, I headed off the local emergency room. Yes, I got a ride. We're not being overdramatic, we're being solemn and truthful.
Wow !!! Horrible as it was I guess you are lucky the butcher knife didn't kill you.
That knife fell write on the countertop laying flat about 7.5 cm from the edge. I have always felt somewhat lucky that it didn't follow me down and stab me.
I never ate at night while on DAs, but the opioid-related insomnia now has made me a frequent cookies and milk midnight muncher. It’s just something to do when you can’t sleep…
I can’t sleep if I’m hungry and crisp bread seems to make me a bit sleepier. It’s too many hours of wakefulness to tolerate without some food. I avoid sugar and other triggers.
It may be that the urge to chew/eat comes from the need to alleviate the day's buildup of stress. My go to is air popped popcorn with a heavy sprinkle of peanut butter powder and a small amount of spray oil with a dash of salt. It alleviates all the stress responses and sometimes I have RLS and some other nights I don't.
I've been eating at night for 40 years. I can't recall a single night during that time in which I slept through the night. On the outside chance I fall asleep between 0100 - 0400, I always awaken hungry as can be and I will eat any food I can find and eat all. I've tried eating a huge meal right before bed to make myself extra sleepy and full but it doesn't help. I actually feel hungry 1-2 hours later. I've been fighting the weight gain as hard as I know how but currently stand at 5'11" (180 cm) and weigh 245 lbs (111 kg). I should be and was 186 lbs when RLS first struck me down. One year, before I knew what the problem was, I had shot up to 300 lbs (135 kg). And I was as active as ever with my cycling 135 miles or more per week, mountain hiking, swimming and weight lifting. At 71 I still do as much of that as I can. There is no end in sight but I am happy to be RLS controlled with buprenorphine. Some day I just might figure out how to resolve the eating problem.
Oromorph for RLS
RLS foods and digestion 
RLS and antidepressants
Success with iron infusion (sort of)
antispasmodic medication for irritable bowel syndrome
