We all know that weight gain is a bad thing and it can lead to a whole host of health problems. It sucks for a lot of reasons beside aesthetic ones. We talk a lot about heart problems and high blood pressure, risk of diabetes, and an increased risk of stroke. While they may be the most serious problems caused by weight gain, there are a lot of other issues that you may not be aware of. These are the side effects of weight gain that you haven’t considered before.
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Sleep Problems
It’s so important that you get somewhere between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night. Unfortunately, a lot of people get less than that and it can lead to a lot of health problems. There are so many different reasons for lack of sleep, like a bad mattress, stress, too much time spent on screens, or the wrong temperature in your bedroom. But did you know that weight gain can also cause sleep problems? Sleep apnea is a condition that affects the breathing while you are sleeping and can disrupt your sleep patterns. It’s far more common in people that are overweight, and it can be very dangerous. If you have gained some weight and you are struggling to sleep, it’s worth seeing a doctor about sleep apnea. In some cases, you may need to wear a mask during the night to help your breathing.
Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are an issue for a lot of older people, but they can also be caused by weight gain. When you are overweight, your veins have to work harder to get blood back to your heart, and that puts extra pressure on them. This causes leaking, and that is when you get visible varicose veins. You can get a varicose veins treatment to deal with them, but if you don’t also deal with your weight gain, they will keep coming back. If you do have varicose veins, you should see a doctor because they could be a sign that you are putting extra pressure on your heart.
Liver Disease
We tend to associate liver disease with excessive alcohol use. While that is one of the major causes of liver problems, weight gain is a big contributor as well. If you are overweight, you may develop fatty liver disease. This is when fat builds up around the liver and it can lead to severe liver damage, scarring, and even liver failure. The problem is, there are often no symptoms until the condition is very developed, so people don’t realize that there is an issue.
Pregnancy Problems
If you are planning to have a baby, it’s very important that you lose weight first because it can cause a lot of problems. High blood pressure during pregnancy can cause a lot of problems for both the mother and the baby, and you have a higher risk of developing high blood sugar while pregnant as well.
Most people are not aware of these issues and they think that they are in good health as long as their heart is healthy, but that isn’t the case at all. If you are overweight, you could be at risk of these health problems as well.
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