How Stress Leads to Overeating

A few months back I wrote this post about how food can be either a source of stress or a stress relief, but for many of us, stress is a major trigger for overeating and overeating causes more stress! I think most of us have had those hectic days when we get home exhausted and starving and we end up eating way too much.

One of my teachers, Dr. Jade Tea calls it “Continuous Meal”; You start snacking and/or drinking alcohol while you’re making dinner, then you eat dinner, and then want sweets or more snacks afterwards. This results in feeling full and bloated and you don’t get quality sleep because your body is digesting and not resting, then you’re tired the next day and the cycle starts all over again.

The truth is, stress and the hormones it releases make us overeat and we can end up eating a whole box of cookies even though we planned to take just have one. When we’re stressed we gravitate towards high sugar/carb/fatty foods that stimulate our brains’ pleasure centers. We act on impulse in order to feel a bit better, even if the relief is only temporary. 

Effects on Appetite

The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that produces corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which then stimulates the pituitary gland to produce adrenocorticotrophin hormone (ACTH). ACTH acts to suppress appetite, but only in the short term. The hypothalamus also sends signals to the adrenal glands to release adrenaline (also knows as epinephrine).

Adrenaline is part of the body's fight-or-flight response - a psychological state in which the body suppresses appetite and puts eating on hold. And all of this is a result of temporary stress only.

However, when it comes to stress that is chronic or perceived as such, the story and the effects are quite the opposite. In the case of chronic stress, a hormone called cortisol is released from the adrenal glands, and cortisol acts to increase motivation in general, including the motivation to eat. 

Thus, cortisol is a hormone that can increase appetite. The levels of cortisol should go down when stress disappears. But, when we are under prolonged stress (real or perceived), our cortisol levels may stay elevated.

Fat and Sugar Cravings

Unfortunately, stress doesn't just increase appetite, it also affects food preferences. This means that you’re unlikely to have veggies or fruits on your mind, but sugar, sweets, and fattening snacks will be more appealing.

According to various studies, physical or emotional distress can lead to an increased intake of foods that are either high in fats or sugar or often both. This effect usually occurs when high cortisol levels combine with high insulin levels. Some research suggests that the hunger hormone called ghrelin may also be responsible for this. Sugary/high glycemic/starchy and fatty foods increase ghrelin making you want to keep eating.

Moreover, once fattening or sugary foods are ingested, there's kind of a feedback effect that interferes with areas of activity in the brain responsible for producing and processing stress and similar emotions. So, we may conclude that sugar cravings occur simply because they mask stress temporarily. 

And, bear in mind that overeating isn't the only thing that can pack on the pounds. The truth is that the stress caused by lack of sleep, too little or too much exercise, excess alcohol and/or excess caffeine, can all add pounds and lead to weight gain and weight loss resistance. 

Different Responses

Surprising but true, research suggests that there's a difference in the way men and women cope with stress. For example, women are far more likely to relieve their stress using food, whereas men are more likely to turn to alcohol or smoking. While that may be true, I’ve worked with men who also struggle with emotional eating, and women who are more drawn to alcohol or smoking than food.

Another factor that affects stress-related weight gain is the amount of cortisol people release when responding to stress. A group of British researchers conducted a study which showed that people who usually respond to stress with elevated cortisol levels tend to turn to snacking in response to everyday hassles.

Steps You Can Take

Even though different research points to different results, there are some proven steps you can take to reduce stress and, thus, lower the risk of overeating and obesity. Here are some of the best options:

1. Meditation and/or Prayer

We've all heard about it, and yes, it is true - meditation and prayer both benefit your body in many different ways, including reducing stress. Apart from lowering your stress levels, meditation and prayer will help you lower high blood pressure and help protect from heart disease. What's more, if you spend time in meditation and/or prayer you are far more likely to make smart food choices and prevent the impulse to eat unhealthy food.

2. Exercise

Another great thing you can do is exercise. Namely, intense exercise (usually longer than 45 mins) can increase the cortisol levels momentarily, whereas exercise such as yoga and leisure walking can reduce them. A study done in 2010 by the University of California researchers shows that high-intensity exercise can reduce the negative effects of stress, although I recommend Doing it interval-style and keeping it under 45 minutes including warm-up time. And, if you aren't keen on vigorous exercise, you can do yoga or tai chi which is a combination of both meditation and exercise.

We’ve been told for decades that eating less and exercising more is the answer to weight loss, but the truth is that if we are over-stressed from over-training, it can cause weight loss resistance. If we want to burn fat, maintain lean muscle mass (more lean muscle = faster metabolism) and avoid stressing our bodies out too much, we need to workout smarter, not harder. One of my rules of thumb is during times of increased stress, do more restorative, stress-reducing exercise like yoga and walking and reduce the length and frequency of your high intensity workouts. When you’re less stressed, add in more intensity to your routine.

3. Social Life

Last but not least, spending time with people you love has a buffering effect on stress, and you can cope with stressful situations more easily when you have social support. This is especially important, and proven by research, for people who work in stressful situations. However, having social support is also vital for anyone regardless of the nature of their job or their stress levels so make connection and community a priority.

4. Writing

Putting your thoughts, worries and frustrations down on paper can help stop them from spinning around in your head. Have you ever written a letter to someone you were upset with that you never sent? If you have you know how cathartic it can be even though that person may never read it. The same goes for anything else that’s on your mind.

The same goes for tasks or to-do items; writing a to-do list organized according to priority can help you better pan your time and worry less about forgetting something important. For me writing everything down helps me sleep better because I don’t wake up worrying that I’ve forgotten something. It also reduces my stress because I’m both rested and able to manage my time more efficiently.

With the holidays upon us, I hope this helps you navigate or avoid the stress eating conundrum and have a more relaxed, enjoyable and fulfilling holiday season!