How Stress Promotes Overeating

We’ve all been there. You’re feeling stressed so you go straight to the cookie cabinet and eat something sweet. (My go-to was Hostess Cupcakes.) And once you start, boy is it hard to stop! However, new research is shedding some light on why this happens.

According to a new study, stress overrides the brain’s ability to make you feel full.

When the body is stressed, the part of the brain that is in charge of switching off the reward response to limit you from overeating becomes silent. This allows the reward signals of the brain to stay active and encourages feeding for pleasure. Additionally, stress also specifically drives a craving for sweet, palatable food. This is the reason you crave sweets/comfort food when you’re stressed.

What Should I Do!

Fortunately, there are techniques you can do to help reduce stress. For example, you can utilize some breathing techniques, make sure to get enough sleep, exercise/stay active.

Another great way to help reduce stress, ironically, is by adopting a healthy diet and staying away from those sweets/comfort foods. A healthy diet has the ability to reduce stress and anxiety! For example, fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats all help reduce cortisol levels. (Cortisol is the primary stress hormone in your body.)

Magnesium rich food is extremely beneficial when it comes to reducing inflammation, metabolizing cortisol and relaxing the body. These include avocados, bananas, broccoli and dark chocolate.

Food high in Vitamin B like beef, eggs and poultry are also a great help with the reduction of cortisol levels.

Conclusion

As you can see, stress plays a pivotal role in our health. Not only does it make us feel emotionally overwhelmed but it also manifests itself in a physical way. This is why it is so important to find techniques that work for you to help reduce stress.