If you skip meals here and there, you're not alone. But the habit can wreak havoc on your mental health.
We've all been there: The day gets away from us and we're so busy, tired or unmotivated to remember to eat. Or we intentionally skip mealtime to try and lose weight. Whatever the reason, skipping meals may be doing more harm to your body and mind than you expect. Let's talk about the reasons why not eating could hurt your mental well-being.
For more information about supporting mental health, here are tips for how to do a digital detox for your mental health and seven ways to support a partner with anxiety.
Our nutrition affects much more than our physical body. Research shows that skipping meals is linked to anxiety and depression symptoms in older adults. Here are common reasons that skipping meals may be harmful to your mental health.
According to the School of Public Health from the University of Michigan, missing a meal can cause your blood sugar to crash and lead to mood swings. Another study published by Cambridge University Press showed that people who skipped meals were more likely to develop mood disorders. Specifically, the study suggests that delaying breakfast can have serious consequences on your mood in the long run. Eating regularly throughout the day is generally better for your mood than skipping your first meal to reduce your caloric intake or expedite your morning routine.
Your brain requires calories to function well. As Western Oregon University points out, the brain uses 20% of the calories you eat each day, despite the fact that it only represents 2% of your body weight. When you don't eat enough, cognitive functions ranging from attention to problem solving start to suffer. Your ability to concentrate may also be affected by skipping meals.
Signs of a lack of concentration can include feeling like you have "brain fog," losing your short-term memory skills, having trouble remembering where things are and inability to finish tasks within a normal time frame. Eating regularly may allow you to avoid an afternoon slump and remain focused on the tasks at hand.
Meal skipping can be a trigger for anxiety and other mental health issues. In one study of adolescents, researchers found that young people who skipped breakfast were more likely to report experiencing stress and depressive moods. While skipping a single meal is unlikely to cause long-term problems, food and depression may be linked if you have a habit of skipping meals.
Failing to eat enough can also result in anxiety. Another study found that 62% of people who were identified as extreme dieters had depression and anxiety. If you're cutting calories for other health benefits, make sure you're eating enough to give your body a steady stream of the nutrients it needs.
Missing breakfast from time to time doesn't mean you have an eating disorder or will develop one. However, repeatedly skipping meals intentionally may put you at a higher risk of developing an eating disorder. According to Better Help, if you start looking for reasons to skip a meal you may want to talk to a mental health professional.
People who skip too many meals could be at risk of anorexia, which is marked by eating as little as possible, or orthorexia, which involves creating strict eating rules for yourself. Consider talking to a professional and limiting triggers like social media, which could be compounding your negative thoughts about eating and body size.
It can be challenging to eat on a strict schedule when life is so unpredictable. Yet it's important to know that you are deserving of eating, no matter what, and your body needs fuel to function properly. Let's talk about some ways to prioritize food so you're less likely to skip meals and experience brain fog, anxiety and other side effects.
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