Stress and Weight Gain: 9 Reasons They Are Linked

Stress is a natural part of life, affecting almost everyone at some point. It can arise from various sources, such as work, relationships, or financial difficulties, and impacts physical and mental health. One surprising effect of stress is its link to weight gain. When stress affects our body, it changes our eating habits, reduces physical activities, and changes our sleep patterns. All these factors contribute to weight gain. In this article, we will explore how stress contributes to weight gain, its effects on our body, and how we can manage it.

What Is Stress and Its Types

Before explaining the link between stress and weight gain, you should know exactly what stress is and how long it can affect your body. So, stress is basically a reaction in response to challenges or threats. In response, the body releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which affect mental and physical health. The stress can be short-term or long-term.

Acute stress is a short-term response to an immediate challenge or threat. It often occurs due to specific events, such as being stuck in traffic, meeting a deadline, or experiencing an argument. Meanwhile, Chronic stress results from ongoing pressure over an extended period. This can occur due to persistent issues like jobs, relationships, or financial difficulties. Chronic stress can result in long-lasting health problems, including anxiety disorders, depression, and cardiovascular issues.

According to research conducted by the National Library of Medicine,

Cortisol raises blood glucose levels, resulting in insulin levels also rising. As a result, the body becomes resistant to high insulin and does not respond correctly. This may lead to increased abdominal fat and overall weight gain.

How Stress Affects the Body

Many physiological changes occur in the body due to the stress. When a person experiences stress, the body initiates a response known as the fight-or-flight response. This reaction involves multiple systems in the body:

• Cardiovascular system: stress increases the heart rate and blood pressure. This means that more blood will flow to the organs and muscles. This prepares the body for immediate action but if the stress is chronic, then this might become a problem.
• Respiratory system: due to stress, the breath rate becomes faster and shallower, due to which shortness of breath occurs. If the condition persists, then it may cause more respiratory problems.
• Gastrointestinal system: stress can interfere with the normal digestive system. If it continues to happen, then there might be severe health problems.

The Link Between Eating and Stress Habits

Stress often affects our eating habits. It leads to unhealthy dietary choices. If we understand the relationship between stress and weight, it will be easier to manage both stress and weight.

Emotional Eating

Emotional eating refers to consuming food in response to feelings rather than hunger. People often turn to food for comfort during stressful times. They eat their favorite food to combat stress. This behavior can provide temporary relief from negative emotions, such as anxiety or sadness. However, it may lead to overeating and unhealthy eating patterns over time.

Cravings for Comfort Foods

Many people crave comfort foods like sweets, fatty snacks, or carb-heavy meals during stressful times. These foods trigger the brain's reward system and release chemicals like dopamine, which make you feel good. It creates a sense of pleasure because you eat these foods more during stress.

Impact on Dietary Choices

Stress can change the dietary choices of a person. People facing stress go for quick and convenient options rather than healthier meals. People start taking the increased consumption of calorie-dense comfort foods. While the intake of nutritious options such as fruits and vegetable reduces.

Hormonal changes

Due to the stress, several hormones start releasing. One of them is cortisol. Increased level of cortisol increases appetite and cravings for unhealthy foods. This cycle helps you in gaining weight and other health issues over time.

Reduced physical activity

Chronic stress can lead to fatigue and decrease motivation for physical activity. Stress causes people to reduce exercise, which can help them gain weight due to lower energy expenditure.

Sleep disturbances

Stress disrupts sleep patterns, including insufficient rest. Poor sleep is linked to weight gain as it can affect hunger hormones and increase cravings for unhealthy foods.

Strategies to manage stress and weight

There are several ways to manage stress and weight gain. Some of them are explained below:

• Regular exercise

You can reduce your stress by doing regular exercise. Exercise helps in releasing a hormone, endorphins, which makes your mood better. Do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week. It may be brisk walking, swimming, or cycling. Yoga is also effective in reducing stress.

• Mindful eating

Always be careful of your eating habits during stress. Try to eat in a balanced way and avoid unhealthy food. Also, avoid distractions like screens during meals, leading to overeating without realizing it.

• Social support

Connecting with friends and family will give you emotional support during stressful times. Try to share your feelings with someone you trust. They might find the solution to your problem which is causing the stress. Also, try to participate in social activities or join groups. They will help you distract from the problem behind the stress.

• Set realistic goals

Break your larger goals into smaller and manageable steps to avoid the anxiety coming from not achieving your goals. This will also help you manage the stress and associated weight gain. Celebrate your progress along the way to maintain a positive outlook.

Conclusion

Stress affects our body in many ways, weight gain is one of them. In other words, stress changes your eating habits by releasing the cortisol hormone. This means you will have more cravings for unhealthy foods and irregular eating. The other reason is that you feel lazy while exercising, which increases your weight. However, there are many ways to manage stress and control weight gain. Some of them are regular exercise, mindful eating, and reaching out for social support.

If you are still facing the issue, contact your doctor. Taking action can make a big difference in feeling better and living a balanced life.