Eating Disorders at a Glance

Eating disorders can cause serious physical health problems in a person. Eating disorders is no longer a behavioral problem; it has roots dug into mental and physical health conditions. It is a medical problem that requires immediate medical diagnosis and treatment. It is not possible to point out the exact reason behind eating disorder. Several factors like genetic, family and social conditions or mental disorders like depression and phobia can result in eating disorder. People with eating disorders will be unable to identify its effects on their body. They will not experience anything unusual happening to them even when they are starving.

Advertisements, movies, television programs and sports programs cast a spell in the mind of a person and motivate them to become slim. They imagine that getting thinner makes them beautiful. Research on this issue indicates that 42% girls above third grade and 81% of girls above 10 years want to become slimmer. Sports like ballet, gymnastics and wrestling which need a thin body also cause eating disorders. To become thinner people go for dieting and exercising in an unscientific manner. Children trying to reduce body weight like this, very soon get mentally depressed leading to eating disorders.

2 common diseases caused by eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia.
A person infected with anorexia nervosa turns to starving to get slimmer. Initially they start dieting to reduce weight but soon look to suppress the sensation of hunger leading to starvation. Some even try to purge consumed food by vomiting or taking laxatives. Anorectics have a distorted image of their body in the mind; they always think they are getting fatter even when their body weight is decreasing at an alarming rate. They refuse to maintain the normal weight required for their age and height.

Loss of menstrual periods is common in women. Unlike anorexia nervosa, a person affected by bulimia constantly eats and purge food. A person with bulimia may not experience serious weight loss but they have a varying body weight. Both disorders motivate to do straining exercise. A child with anorexia or bulimia may face dehydration. When the disease gets severe, it can affect brain and cause symptoms like dizziness, fainting, agitation, confusion, inability to concentrate, and loss of memory. Anorexia may affect a child's growth; bone mass, puberty delays, irregular heartbeat, blood pressure problems, and gastrointestinal problems. The continuous vomiting involved in bulimia can cause tears, severe inflammation of the esophagus, gastric disturbances and erosion of tooth enamel.

5 Types of Sleep Disorders

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

-Robert Frost

Insomnia may not have inspired these lines from the poet, but the excerpt definitely holds true for stress-prone people, who find it difficult to switch off into oblivion once they are done for the day. The reasons behind an increasing number of sleep disorders may be rooted to one’s diet, anatomy, stress and anxiety. Factors like these create a vicious cycle of poor quality sleep in the night and feeling sleepy and fatigued during the night.

A significant number of people are sleep deprived however there isn’t much awareness about sleep quality among masses. In fact, more than 50% of the American population encounters sleep difficulties at some point in their lives. In Australia, for instance, where health awareness is pretty high, drivers of public transport don’t get a license unless their sleep study is fine.

Sleeping disorders are found in various forms:

• Sleep Apnea: An obstruction in respiratory system in the form of dust or mucus. This can cause loud snoring and the person wakes up unexpectedly when the breathing is blocked.
• Narcolepsy: The person suddenly fall sleep without any intention at inappropriate times.
• Parasomnia: The sleep will be interrupted many times without any reason. 
• Rapid Eye Movement Behavior Disorder (RBD): The person may turn violent on some dreams and wake up. The eyeball constantly moves involuntarily depriving a comfortable sleep. Sudden involuntary movement of arms or legs while sleeping.
• Somnambulism: The person wake up suddenly and involve himself in activities like walking, eating or dressing etc. without any conscious knowledge.

Even though a good night’s sleep is one of the basic requisites for good health, it is also the most overlooked one. Insomnia or sleeplessness as they say deprives a person of mental rest and thereby interferes with his activities in the daytime.

Studies show that lack of sleep not only affects concentration and alertness, it also increases risk for diabetes and obesity impairs immune system function. The most common causes of sleeplessness are mental tension brought by anxiety, worries, overwork and over excitement and suppressed feelings of resentment, anger and bitterness.