Does being overweight make you tired? | Obesity-Related Fatigue

Being overweight or obese has always been associated with bad health and an overall feeling of sickness. Obesity has been one of the major problems faced by both adults and children in the US. According to reports, obese adults in the US comes up to around 36 percent of the total population. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the annual amount spent on health issues related to obesity is also high.

All these point to the fact that America isn’t eating right! One of the main problems of this is obesity-related fatigue. Constant tiredness and feeling are uninterested in doing any sort of physical activity because your body just doesn’t feel like it.

Effects Of Being Overweight On Your Energy Levels

According to recent research, being overweight can cause excessive daytime sleepiness. It is a very obvious symptom of your body being tired all the time. Even nighttime sleep can be affected by being overweight and this can also directly be a reason for daytime sleeping. Inflammation can also cause tiredness and low energy levels.

Obesity can trigger inflammation throughout the body which results in exhaustion and a drained feeling as the body is trying to deal with the inflammation. Apart from opening the gate to a long list of health complications like Diabetes, Blood Pressure, and Cardiovascular diseases, being overweight can also negatively impact your daily quality of life.

If you are a working professional with a lot of traveling around in a day, obesity-related fatigue can cause both physical and mental strain as you won’t feel motivated even to move. This can put your career in jeopardy and also it can even affect your relationship with people. Your self-esteem can also be deeply affected by all these factors and it is easy for such individuals to slip into depression. A Body Mass Index analysis can reveal your weight status and if the value is above thirty then you are considered to be obese.

A 2006 study done by the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine found that being overweight has a strong connection with excessive fatigue. There can be both psychological and metabolic factors that can be contributing to this. According to them, sleep disorders like sleep apnea can be caused by being overweight and this also can be a cause for being constantly tired. Most adults in the US are considered sleep-deprived as they get only around six and a half hours of sleep per night. This is below the standard of seven to eight hours of sleep.

Lack of sleep combined with untimely food habits, binge eating, midnight snacking, etc. can all contribute to the condition of excessive weight gain or obesity. The lifestyle choices of most Americans are on the unhealthier side and this is leading to obesity becoming a national epidemic. One main factor to be considered here is that when you treat an obese patient, you don’t treat them for obesity, in particular, it is primarily these other health problems that arise out of being obese.

How To Overcome This?

So doctors and healthcare professionals are requesting that citizens maintain their weight by leading a proactive life that has moderate physical activity, limited consumption of junk and processed food, and also fostering an environment (both official and personal) that can help alleviate stress.

Low carb diet is another method to tackle the problem of being overweight. High Carb diet puts more pressure on the body to metabolize it and this can lead to fatigue. Nighttime snacking is also another habit that can put your dieting off balance. Productivity and health go hand in hand, so companies should also create a work atmosphere where employees are able to manage both their health and work.

The modern world’s work culture is one of the prime reasons that cause obesity in adults and young individuals. On the other hand, children are also increasingly becoming overweight because there is an abundance of food and there are conveniences like TV, smartphones, video games, etc. that makes them stay back indoors without going for any physically motivating activities like sports. It is also important to note that once you have reached a certain weight which is considered bad for your overall well-being, your body will start sending you signals. Being tired or fatigued is one such signal and we must pay heed to it.

Once you make up your mind to start your weight loss journey, the initial two to three weeks are going to be extremely difficult as you are pulling your body and mind out of the comfort zone that was created for a long time. But once that comfort zone is broken then you will feel more motivated to keep up with the training and diet as it will become part of a mental reward system. Walking is also suggested to be a very good physical activity that can greatly benefit in reducing weight and increasing your daily energy. It is also a moderate physical activity that doesn’t stress your body too much.

People of all ages can adopt walking, which is known to aid dopamine release. Weight loss surgery is also another option that gives people quick results but this is not an advisable option as compared to reducing weight through physical activity and dieting.

The CDC warns that fad diets can provide quick weight loss results but at the same time these diet plans are mostly not suggested by professional dieticians as they don’t seem to meet the necessary nutritional needs of our bodies. So these diet plans in the long term can cause nutritional deficiencies. It is always recommended to add a balanced diet to your meals, one that has all the necessary nutrients but in limited quantities.

The key is not to stop eating but to start eating less and add multiple varieties of food to the diet. Keep a diet chart that monitors your daily calorie intake and stay away from alcohol and other high-calorie foods that can break your dieting regimen. Always consult a practicing healthcare expert before starting off any sort of weight loss plan and follow their recommendations for healthy weight loss.