---
title: Symptoms
description: Internationally acclaimed recovery site focused on eating disorders, moving from fragility to power, developing confidence at work and in relationships, and narcissistic abuse recovery. Created by Joanna Poppink, MFT
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![sleeping person head pillows](https://eatingdisorderrecovery.net/images/sleeping_person_head_pillows.jpg)*"Sleep that knits the raveled sleeve of care." William Shakespeare*

A person with an eating disorder often misinterprets body signals. You may tend to avoid sleep when you are tired. When feelings of tiredness turn into food cravings, rather than getting the rest you need, trouble is brewing.

When you suffer from an eating disorder, you've made an unconscious contract that involves your mind, spirit and body. Your contract states that any thoughts or feelings that are painful or disruptive must be blocked. Your body must process its energy so you can remain unaware of your authentic responses.

So you eat or starve or binge and purge or compulsively or mindlessly eat to block your feelings and thoughts. Over time, the contract gets refined so you can feel almost anything and register the feeling as hunger.

When you feel tired, you may experience fatigue as a trigger to eat. This situation develops into a pattern where you may avoid sleep by eating instead of sleeping.