A lot of people are looking for ways to stop overeating. On the other side of the spectrum, there are also those who are battling under eating. Yes, not eating enough can pose real problems just like eating too much.

Contrary to popular belief, some individuals under eat not only because they want to lose weight, but for a bunch of other reasons as well. Some of them include stress and an overly busy schedule. A mental or physical illness is also something that can leave a person to consume a lot less food.

Eating enough food is so important because it supplies your body with the nutrients it needs for its various systems to function optimally. Fail to feed your body sufficiently and it’s not unlikely for you to encounter problems.

Here are some of the telltale signs that you are under eating and you should eat more food:

Weakness

Because you are not providing your body with energy, under eating can definitely leave you feeling tired all the time. It’s possible for your energy levels to become too low as to keep you from doing everyday activities.

It’s not just physical activities that you may have an extremely difficult time carrying out, but also mental ones. If you do not supply your brain with enough nutrients, you may have problems with concentrating. Aside from concentrating, you may also experience the next sign of under eating.

Irritability

Numerous studies have shown that a considerable reduction in the amount of calories consumed left people feeling irritable, which is quite common among those who are doing fad diets.

The mood-related effects of not eating enough can easily create a vicious cycle. If you under eat, you tend to be irritable which can cause a dent on your relationships. And when it happens, you will feel down and frustrated, decreasing your appetite further.

Sleep Problems

According to experts, depriving your body of calories can make it hard for you to fall asleep. More importantly, it can keep you from enjoying deep sleep — the kind that makes you feel refreshed and energized the next day. It can be blamed on having very low levels of sugar in the bloodstream.

By the way, overeating is just as disruptive to your sleep as under eating. If getting enough shut-eye each night is a priority, which should be the case, make sure that you eat just the right amount of food throughout the day.

Hair Loss

Are you a beauty-conscious person? If you think that under eating is going to make you look more appealing, better think again. One of the most common effects of not eating enough is hair loss.

Your hair follicles need all sorts of vitamins and minerals for them to stay healthy. Otherwise, they may produce hair at a much slower rate. They may even become completely inactive, too! It won’t take long before you notice that there are more hair strands on your pillow and on the shower floor than usual.

One of the smartest things for you to do upon realizing the fact that you are under eating and you don’t know the reason for it is consult a doctor. He or she can help identify the root cause of it and determine the best possible treatment. Being referred to a nutritionist is also not unlikely.