Link between Obesity and Lack of Sleep

Obesity is a rather complex disorder which involves an excessive amount of body fat in the individual who might be suffering from obesity. According to contrary beliefs, obesity as a medical condition is not just focused on the cosmetic concerns which are related to this condition. However, there are also many other important factors which are related to this disorder. Obesity is also known to increase the risk of many other health conditions, diseases, or problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart diseases. It is also extremely likely that an individual who might be excessively obese would also have many other health conditions which might be related to his or her weight. On the other hand, sleep deprivation is a condition in which an individual is not able to get a proper amount of sleep as he or she might feel the need to be alert and awake. Sleep deprivation and obesity are both medical conditions which share a link between them. And in this academic writing piece, the focus will be on understanding that links between obesity and lack of sleep. However, before that, it is important for the readers to learn the details of both of these medical conditions.

Obesity

As it was mentioned above, obesity is a medical condition in which an individual suffers from excessive weight. This medical condition puts an individual at a greater risk of acquiring a range of other health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, a range of heart diseases, and many other conditions. This medical condition also comes with its cosmetic concerns but, in the majority of the cases, that is often treated as a secondary issue. However, it is important for the readers to know that even a modest amount of weight loss can improve the condition of an obese individual significantly. And if an individual wishes to decrease the amount of his or her weight then he or she can bring about some changes in his or her diet, increase the total amount of physical activity, and change other behavioural patterns to lose weight. There are also many prescription medications and surgery options which are available for individuals who want to treat obesity. There are many symptoms, causes, and risk factors. All these subtopics are discussed below.

The Symptoms

There are many symptoms which one can observe if he or she is suffering from obesity. And some of those symptoms are mentioned below.

· An increased amount of sweating

· Constant breathlessness

· Snoring

· Feeling incapability of copping up with the physical activity of day to day life

· Feeling excessively tired daily

· Suffering from joint or back pains

· Low self-esteem

· Low confidence

· Feeling lonely or isolated

· Higher cholesterol levels

· Higher blood pressure

These are some of the common symptoms which an individual might experience if he or she is suffering from obesity. In the next section, the discussion will be on the different causes of obesity.

The Causes

An individual can suffer from obesity due to a number of causes. And some of those common causes why an individual might be suffering from obesity are mentioned below.

· Unhealthy eating habits or diet-Weight gain happens when one takes in more calories than what he or she might be burning out. It is important to have a balanced diet which is not full of high-calorie beverages and fast food items.

· Inactivity- If an individual is active then he or she is burning more calories. This keeps an individual away from developing obesity.

Obesity can be caused due to hormonal, behavioral, and genetic influences. However, the main reason behind why an individual might suffer from obesity is because of the fact that he or she might be taking in a lot more calories than what he or she might be burning out. This results in the body to store fat.

The Risk Factors-The different risk factors which are associated with obesity are mentioned below.

· Lifestyle
· Genetic conditions
· Medical problems which might lead to inactivity
· Different types of medications
· Economic issues
· Social issues
· Age
· Smoking
· Lack of sleep
· Pregnancy

These are some of the common risk factors which are associated with obesity. In the next sections, the readers will be able to learn more about the medical condition of sleep deprivation or lack of sleep.

Lack of Sleep

As it was mentioned above, lack of sleep is also known as sleep deprivation and it is a medical condition in which an individual gets less amount of sleep than what he or she actually needs. Children and young adults are more prone to sleep deprivation while older adults seem to be more resistant to lack of sleep. It is important for the readers to know that occasional sleeplessness is more like a nuisance but if one is suffering from an ongoing lack of sleep then that can lead an individual to experience a number of issues like poor job performance, emotional difficulties, feeling sleepy during the daytime, obesity, and a lower perception level in terms of the quality of life of an individual. There are also many symptoms and causes of sleep deprivation. These subtopics will be discussed below.

The Symptoms

It is important for the readers to note that it can be a major issue if one experiences ongoing sleep loss. And there can be many symptoms which an individual an experience if he or she is suffering from sleep deprivation. And some of those symptoms are mentioned below.

· Moodiness
· Yawning
· Fatigue
· Depressed mood
· Irritability
· Issues in learning or memorizing new concepts
· Constantly forgetting different information pieces
· Experiencing an inability to concentrate
· Lack of motivation
· Reduced sex drive
· Increased appetite
· Clumsiness

These are the main symptoms of sleep deprivation.

The Causes

As it was mentioned above, there are also many causes of sleep deprivation. And some of those causes are mentioned below.

· Intentional sleep deprivation in young adults and children
· Work
· Family obligations
· Demanding jobs
· Unhealthy sleep-wake patterns
· Frequent nighttime arousals
· Accumulation of sleep debt
· Waking up too early without going to bed on time
· Depression
· Obstructive sleep apnea
· Chronic illness
· Hormonal imbalance

These are some of the major causes why an individual might be suffering from lack of sleep or sleep deprivation.

The Link between Obesity and Lack of Sleep

There have been many researchers who have been trying to find out about the exact link which exists between obesity and lack of sleep. And after a lot of effort, it was established that a constant lack of sleep can lead to the development of obesity in young children and adults. According to experts, it is believed that if an individual frequently fails to get the recommended amount of sleep which is necessary for him or her then that puts that individual at a greater risk of developing obesity. There have been many other cross-cultural studies which have been conducted by research professionals who have also arrived at the same conclusion.

The Conclusion

Obesity can be defined as a medical condition in which an individual weight more than a normal or healthy amount. Obesity does not just bring cosmetic issues but it also brings many other health problems with it including high blood pressure, various heart diseases, excessive fatigue, and many other conditions. Lack of sleep, on the other hand, is also known as sleep deprivation and it is a medical condition in which an individual is not able to get a proper amount of sleep. According to various researches, there is a clear link which exists between obesity and lack of sleep. There have been many types of research which concluded that consistent lack of sleep can lead to obesity in young adults and children.

The References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/symptoms-causes/syc-20375742

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323551.php

https://www.livescience.com/34787-obesity-high-bmi-causes-diabetes-heart-disease.html

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/defining.html

https://medlineplus.gov/obesity.html

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/overweight-and-obesity

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/307334.php

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120417080350.htm

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-04-lack-obesity-children-adolescents.html

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