Stress Eating

Stress Eating

Stress eating is the consumption of food in response to stress, worry, nervousness, or other unpleasant emotions. When we stress eat, we’re using food as a coping mechanism to try to regulate our nervous system and feel better. More often than not, we reach for high-sugar, high-fat foods to soothe our stress. And it’s easy to overindulge, since those foods stimulate the brain’s reward center…which can lead to more stress or other unpleasant emotions, such as guilt, shame, or despair.

Stress eating once in a while won’t immediately damage your health but, over time, too much of it can be harmful to your body. It is associated with obesity and difficulties losing and maintaining weight, as well as other health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease. However, many people who are not struggling with weight problems also stress eat. This behaviour cycle is prevalent in all kinds of people, body types, and situations.

There are fundamental, biological reasons why people stress eat–but you can unlearn this habit. The key is having the right tools, such as a science-based approach to mindful eating that teaches you how to cultivate increased awareness around your habits.

The Biological Link Between Stress and Eating

When stressed, your body produces high levels of the hormone cortisol, which can increase your appetite and cause cravings for high-calorie, high-fat foods. And the more stressed you are, the more you may eat–especially foods that are high in sugar.

Sugar and other high-energy foods cause the brain to release feel-good chemicals–especially dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps us learn patterns and behaviors, and drives us to repeat those behaviors. So it’s understandable if you reach for high-sugar, highly-palatable foods when you’re feeling stressed.

In the past, when humans experienced an extremely stressful situation–or a physically dangerous threat, such as seeing a bear or other wild animal–the body would stop producing cortisol and return to a relaxed state about 90 minutes after the threat passed. In modern times, while we’re rarely running from bears or tigers, our bodies often react to non-life-threatening stressors, such as an approaching payment due date, project deadline, or conversation with your boss in the same way.

The brain perceives these stressors as threats, and the amygdala sets off an alarm system throughout the body, leading to the release of adrenaline and cortisol. Depending on our genes, personality, and life experiences, the brain may perceive these threats to be ongoing danger (chronic stress,) and our bodies continue producing higher levels of cortisol. This “flight or flight” mode can become so common, we may stop noticing that we’re on “high alert” and remain in this state–even though we’re not in acute danger. You can use these tips to begin to rewire your brain and learn to make new behaviour choices that feel good.

Explore the result:

With a sense of honesty and kind curiosity, notice all of the results of your stress eating. This helps your brain update the reward value of your habits. Maybe the food tasted great for a few minutes and your initial stress decreased, but after overeating, you felt nauseated, ashamed, or lethargic for hours after. You can contact 8wise for more information on any emotional and mental health problems.