TREAT EATING DISORDER AND SLEEP DISORDERS

WHAT IS EATING DISORDER?

Food is an important component of our life. Having a good physical and mental health depends largely on the way we handle our food habits. However there are times when people may be over conscious of the way they eat, what they eat, when they eat etc or on the flip side they may overeat on a constant bases. Both these circumstances are harmful for the person if they are happening in excess. These type of issues that are connected with how you think about the food habits, about eating, weight, body shape etc are called as eating disorders. There are various eating disorders, of which the main highlights are the following:

1. Anorexia Nervosa: This is where the person having the eating disorder avoids eating food or eats food in very less quantity sometimes to the extent of starvation. This is because they fear weight gain and want to maintain their figure or specific body shape. They may also not consume certain types of food at all. The person may skip meals or starve themselves even for days. This eating disorder can lead to severe malnutrition and can cause other physical and emotional issues.
2. Anorexia Bulimia: In this disorder the person overeats on several days of the week. They may have frequent urges of consuming food and may eat food even after they are aware that their stomach is full. Later they may also have episodes of guilt where they may try out methods by which this food consumption that has added to body weight can be compensated. This they may do by purging, excessive exercising, dieting, insulin intake or such other methods. Bulimia also involves that person being affected with harsh self judgement of their own body weight, body shape, looks etc.
3. Binge Eating disorder: Eating too much food without being actually hungry is also a type of eating disorder. Though this is not a very severe disorder it involves overeating where sometimes people also eat due to stress and depression. Food gives them the feel good factor and hence they keep eating their favorite foods.

What are sleep disorders?

If a person is having disturbed sleep and is not having a normal sleep pattern then it is considered as a sleep disorder. A normal restful sleep is very important component of our life. Sleep is the recovery mechanism of our body. Just like our mobile phones need to recharge everyday on similar lines our body needs a recharge and that is where sleep plays a very vital role. If you not getting sufficient sleep or your sleep is disturbed then eventually you will have a difficult life, may suffer from physical and mental illness. There are more than eighty types of sleep disorders, some of which are due to physical issues which can be resolved with a proper medical professional. There are also sleep disorders that are caused to emotional or psychological problems. These can be resolved over time with the help of a counselor.

You can understand that you have sleep disorders when you have any one or a combination of the following symptoms

1. You find it difficult to go to sleep everyday. Like it takes a long time for you to fall asleep
2. If you have wake-sleep episodes that is you wake up several times in the night when you sleep and many a times find difficult to fall asleep after you wake up
3. If you feel tired even after you have had a 7-8 hours of sleep.
4. You have episodes of constant snoring during the night, gasping for breath and suddenly waking up, may have tingling feelings in hands and legs just before you fall asleep, you have body jerks on frequent basis in your sleep.
5. The whole day you feel drowsy, sleepy, not able to concentrate on work, may have frequent naps and fall asleep at wrong times of the day