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- author, kate bowie
- roll, ‘The Food Chain’ program, BBC World Service
Stress can damage our health. It can cause headaches, stomach aches, insomnia, and change your eating habits.
When you’re stressed, you may reach for chocolate or pizza, or stop eating altogether.
But why does stress affect appetite? And is there anything we can do about it?
What is stress?
“Stress is actually a physical and mental response to a challenging and oppressive situation, and you may feel like you can’t do anything about it in the moment,” explains clinical psychologist Rajita Sinha, founder and director of the Interdisciplinary Stress Center at Yale University.
Events in our environment, mental anxiety, and physical changes such as extreme hunger or thirst activate a pea-sized part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which triggers a stress response that activates our bodies.
Dr. Sinha says this “alarm system” acts on every cell in the body, activating hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which increase blood pressure and heart rate.
Sometimes short-term stress can be helpful. Increased motivation helps you avoid danger and complete activities on time. However, in the long term, “chronic” stress can be harmful.
Chronic stress can be caused by ongoing pressure from relationships, work, or financial issues. These people may suffer from depression, sleep problems, and weight gain.
Stress can amplify your hunger or silence it completely.
“I remember getting sick while studying for an exam,” says the book’s author, neuro-ophthalmologist Miss Stroni. stress resistance and very efficient (Effectively translated as “stress tolerance” and “super efficiency”).
“Of course, we know that one of the reasons this happens is because there is a direct pathway between the gastrointestinal system (stomach and intestines) and the brain,” she explains.
Stress can suppress the activity of the vagus nerve, which runs from the brainstem to the abdomen. These nerves transmit signals between the brain and the intestines, telling the brain whether the stomach is full and whether the body needs energy.
So, in some people, this dysfunction suppresses appetite, Stroni said.
“But on the other hand, we also know that the brain needs sugar when experiencing acute stress,” she emphasizes.
Stroni explains that this causes others to “look for things to fuel themselves” and subconsciously prepare for unexpected scenarios.
How does chronic stress affect appetite?
The effects of chronic stress can go beyond temporary nausea and sugar intake.
When our bodies are under stress, Sinha explains, sugar floods the bloodstream, temporarily reducing the effectiveness of insulin (the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels).
As a result, glucose remains in the bloodstream instead of being used for energy, raising blood sugar levels.
This is why people who suffer from chronic stress are at risk of developing insulin resistance and hyperglycemia in the long term. This can lead to conditions such as weight gain and diabetes.
On the other hand, gaining weight can make our bodies more sensitive to changes in appetite.
People with excess body fat are generally more likely to have insulin resistance. This means that when you’re stressed, your brain demands more sugar.
“We call this a feedforward cycle, meaning one thing leads to another,” the psychologist explains. “It’s a vicious cycle, and you get stuck in it, which makes it difficult to break.”
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How can I stop stress eating?
Planning ahead to deal with stress is one of the best ways to avoid overeating during busy periods, Stroni says.
Remember the basics: sleep is important.
“I recommend focusing on sleep as a key factor, because sleep resets three organs involved in the response to stress,” she says.
Sleep restores balance to small parts of the brain called the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands, which stop producing stress hormones.
“Lack of sleep means your brain needs more energy, so when you don’t get enough sleep, all your cravings and cravings for sweet foods actually increase,” Stroni explains.
She says exercise also improves your ability to replace stress with a state of relaxation, which improves brain function.
And if we’re heading into a high-pressure period, focusing on these basic points can help fight excessive stress overeating.
“Do everything to keep your parameters perfectly normal,” emphasizes Strony.
What foods should you avoid during stressful times?
Sinha says one of the easiest ways to avoid overconsumption of sugar in stressful situations is to simply avoid buying lower-quality foods.
“This is very practical,” she explains. “Keep these foods out of reach because it’s easy to reach for them and be tempted. This can be difficult.”
“Another issue is thinking about eating small, healthy meals regularly throughout the day that can satisfy your hunger and cravings,” the psychologist continues.
It’s also important to avoid foods that are high in simple carbohydrates and spike blood sugar levels, such as pizza and sugary snacks. Protein-rich foods such as meat, beans, and fish, or healthy carbohydrates such as lentils and whole oats are good alternatives.
Another point to consider is imposing limits on alcohol, which is highly sought after by people who want to relieve stress.
“So if you’re someone who seeks out alcohol during times of stress, minimizing your exposure to alcohol during times of stress is actually a very good thing,” suggests Miss Stroney.
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Paying attention to your social connections can also help keep your diet balanced and prevent stress.
“Society offers a fun way to manage the relationship between stress and food,” said Rajita Sinha, “by eating together and sometimes cooking together.”
“I really think we need to go back to some basics to address the relationship between stress and food and rebuild our relationship with food.”
listen here The episode of the BBC World Service radio program ‘The Food Chain’ on which this report is based.
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