What Causes A Bloated Stomach?

Overeating

Overeating can lead to feelings of a bloated stomach, which makes it important for individuals to integrate portion control into their lifestyle. Eating out of boredom or eating too much in one sitting will make individuals feel more physically lethargic and unwell than eating smaller portions throughout the day. One of the most important things individuals can do is learn to recognize when they've eaten too much. Overeating once in a while isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just means an individual has consumed more calories than their body burns in a day, so the excess is stored as fat.

However, individuals feeling like they can't stop overeating may be a sign of an underlying physical or psychological issue. Some individuals may use food as a form of self-medication when they're depressed, anxious, or stressed. Treating the underlying health condition is vital to treating the eating issue. In addition to feeling bloated and gassy after a meal, individuals who overeat might be distressed, embarrassed, or feel out of control when they eat.

Eating Too Fast

Eating too fast can easily cause an individual's stomach to feel bloated and uncomfortable. When an individual eats a large amount of food very quickly, their body doesn't have time to digest it. This causes their stomach to expand rapidly, which in turn leads to feelings of discomfort and fullness. Eating too fast can also lead to digestive issues, and it might cause an individual to feel hungry again much faster than they would if they slowed down. There are other reasons for individuals to pay attention to the speed of their eating too.

Studies have indicated individuals who eat slowly tend to be at a lower risk of developing certain metabolic factors that increase the chances of heart attack and stroke. Eating fast also makes it difficult for the body to feel full. Individuals might feel like they're hungry for the entire meal, and then they'll feel too full when the food hits their stomach all at once. It's easier for individuals to tell when they've eaten enough if they slow down eating their meal long enough for their stomach to send signals to the brain telling them it's sated.