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Daily relationships between sleep disturbance and binge eating and moderating effects of day of the week: An ecological momentary assessment study of adolescent girls with binge-spectrum eating disorders
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Daily relationships between sleep disturbance and binge eating and moderating effects of day of the week: An ecological momentary assessment study of adolescent girls with binge-spectrum eating disorders

Stephanie M Manasse, Jannah Rabha Moussaoui and Laura A D'Adamo
Annals of behavioral medicine, v 60(Supplement_1), pp S214-S214
01 Apr 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaag012#page=S214
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https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaag012#page=S214View
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Abstract

Eating behaviors Abnormal sleep
Introduction. Dysregulated sleep (e.g., inadequate sleep duration, poor quality, irregular timing) has been postulated as a potential driver of binge eating (BE), likely via impaired self-regulation and/or altered appetite. Such relationships may be particularly pronounced in adolescents, who have especially dysregulated sleep patterns exacerbated by differences in weekday and weekend routines. However, no research has examined relationships between nightly sleep and next-day BE among adolescents with binge-spectrum eating disorders (EDs) and examined how relationships differ by weekdays and weekends. Methods. Adolescent girls (n=58) ages 14-19 (M=18.03, SD=1.13) with binge-spectrum EDs completed 5 ecological momentary assessment surveys a day for 3 weeks, in which they reported on past-night's sleep (morning survey) and BE behaviors (all surveys). Linear mixed-effects models were used for all analyses. Results. Overall (between-subjects) sleep quality was significantly associated with frequency of BE across the EMA period (b=0.77, SE = 0.28, p=.005). Within-person levels of sleep quality on a given night was negatively associated with likelihood of BE the next day (b=-0.21, SE= 0.10, p=.031, OR= 0.81), such that every unit increase in sleep quality (relative to one’s usual) was associated with 19% decreased likelihood of BE the following day. Sleep duration, efficiency and timing (both between and within-subjects) were not significantly associated with BE (all ps > .05). Day type (weekend or weekday) significantly moderated the between-subjects relationship between sleep quality and BE such that the relationship was strongest on weekdays (b=0.70, SE= 0.35, p=.045). Day type did not moderate any other relationships (all ps >.05). Conclusions. Sleep quality, both within- and between-person, appears to be a key risk factor for BE. Overall sleep quality may be especially protective on weekdays, when adolescents have shorter sleep duration, are on school schedules, and experience social stressors. Future research should continue to probe daily relationships between sleep and BE and understand how relationships change by day and season (e.g., school year vs summer break) to inform treatment development.

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