Sleep and Eating Disorders

Sleep is one the most essential activities of the human body. Any disturbance in sleep will affect almost all other areas of an individual’s life, and vice versa. Patients usually visit doctors when their sleep problem becomes moderate to severe and has an impact on their health, relationships or work.

Insomnia, one of the most common sleep disorders, is characterized by ongoing challenges in falling or staying asleep. This relentless struggle can be caused by mental health issues like depression or anxiety. Conversely, primary insomnia doesn't just keep you awake; it can also worsen psychiatric conditions, creating an awful cycle where sleep troubles and mental health issues feed off each other.

Treatments for sleep disorders can vary widely depending on the type of sleep disorder and its underlying cause. Treating insomnia can often be an important component of a comprehensive plan for people suffering from other mental illnesses. A wide range of medicines available can be effective, particularly if coupled with environmental and behavioral changes.

In my practice, I often design treatment plans for insomnia to help patients dealing with anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder.

Eating nutritious food is an equally essential activity needed for human survival. However, for some people with eating disorders, there are significant changes to their eating behaviors - sometimes extreme changes. They can significantly reduce or increase their food intake. They often suffer from strong distress, dislike, or concern for their body weight or shape. Eating disorders frequently begin in teen or early adult years but may start later.

People with eating disorders can have either extreme restriction of food (anorexia) due to a distorted self-image of being overweight, can alternate between eating way too much food and have compensatory behavior such as self-induced vomiting due to the guilt of over-consumption (bulimia) or have episodes of binge-eating that they are unable to control. All of these can lead to serious health problems. 

Eating disorders are serious but treatable medical illnesses. Early recognition and treatment (medicines plus usually long-term therapy to address underlying body image issues) can be very effective.