Eating disorders and Sleep disorders

29/09/2024

Eating disorders

An eating disorder is a mental health condition where you use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations. Unhealthy eating behaviours may include eating too much or too little or worrying about your weight or body shape.Anyone can get an eating disorder, but teenagers and young adults are mostly affected.With treatment, most people can recover from any type of eating disorder.
There are many different types of eating disorders such as anorexia, binging and bulimia.
Anorexia is when an individual is trying to conrtol thire weight but not eating enought food or not eating at all, doing too much exercise or both. When an individual has anorexia they are usuallt really skinny.
Bulimia is when an individual looses controll over hom much they eat and then taking drastic actions to make sure you dont gain any weight.
Binging is when an individual eats large portions of food untill they feel uncontrallably full.

Symptoms of eating disorders

Spending a lot of time worrying about your weight and body shape,avoiding socialising when you think food will be involved, eating very little food, making yourself sick or taking laxatives after you eat, exercising too much, having very strict habits or routines around food ,changes in your mood, such as being withdrawn, anxious or depressed
The may also be some physical signs such as feeling cold, tired or dizzy, pains, tingling or numbness in your arms and legs (poor circulation), feeling your heart racing, fainting or feeling faint, problems with your digestion, such as bloating, constipation or diarrhoea ,your weight being very high or very low for someone of your age and height ,not getting your period or other delayed signs of puberty.

Tips / treatments for eating disorders

If you think you have an eating disorder or are showing any signs of any type of eating disorder and want to double check or get help from a professional you could go to a GP and they will examine you and get you help if you need it.

Causes of eating disorders

The exact cause of an individual developing any type of an eating disorder are unknown.
However there are some reason researchers may believe increaces the risk such as a family history with an eating disorder, depression or drug and alcohol misuse, you have been critizised for your eating habbits or weight, this could be a more common issure with athlets or dancers, you have anxiety or an obsessive personality or you are a perfectionist, and if you have been sexually abused in anyway.

A short video on eating disorders

What is a sleeping disorder?

Sleeping problems are common, and the reasons some people could struggle to sleep or fall asleep are likely to change throughout their lives, for example illness, work or having a baby are possible causes.
a few sleepless nights are common and there is nothing to worry about if you have a few sleepless nights but when it comes almost every night thats when there is a problem.

Symptoms of sleeping disorders

There are many different types of symptoms an individual could have such as finding it difficult to fall asleep, lying awake for long periods at night , wakeing up several times during the night, waking up early and be unable to get back to sleep, feeling down or having a lower mood than usual, having difficulty concentrating and being more irritable than usual

Tips for sleeping disorders

Try meditation - sleep meditation prepares your body and mind to get to sleep faster, sleep ,onger and even enter an deeper sleep.

Causes of sleeping disorders

Some people are just naturally light sleepers so they could easily be woken up during the night by anthing such as a car driving passt thire house. However some people may not be able to sleep very well because of anxiety and they are stressed or worries about tthings or the next day.
There are many different factors that could influence the quality of sleep and individuals gets such as upbringing, physical health and mental health.
The most common cause of sleeping problems are poor sleep hygiene or not winding down before bed.

A short video on sleeping disorder