How Stress can cause Weight Gain + Ways you can Prevent it.

Stress, whether it be from school, family, or the impending holiday season, it can affect everybody for a wide variety of reasons. Stress is no respecter of persons and the child in school can feel it just as much as the adult in a high-paying, professional career. Stress occurs when our body feels it is no longer capable of handling the situation that it is in. Stress is not just in the mind though; as it affects the entire body. In fact stress could be that very reason that you have gained weight. But why is that? Well lets first look at the obvious, stress can cause a change our eating patterns and food cravings. The old stereotype that when people are stressed they eat ice cream is not that overly stereotypical. The fact is millions of people who are under stress try to do things that they find comfort in. And for many that thing is food. Food makes us feel good, though, not all food is good for you. Studies are finding that people who are facing stress typically turn to high calorie, high sugar, and high fat content food instead of healthier more basic option. This is all the body’s attempts at helping us feel better and lower our stress levels. However, our subconscious is no medical doctor and the overuse of food as medication for stress can inevitably cause weight gain. Another factor stress has on our wellbeing is altering our sleep patterns. Sleep is an important part of being healthy and people who have irregular sleep patterns are more likely to experience weight and dietary changes. A lack of sleep can make us feel very tired and anxious which has a direct impact on our willpower and desire to get regular exercise. The Stress Hormone Cortisol However, these alone are not the cause of weight gain as there is an underlying bodily function behind it and that is the stress hormone cortisol. The hormone cortisol is released in the body during periods of stress and works to increase blood pressure, insulin levels and weight gain. Why does it do that? Well this is because of our bodies innate coping mechanism to danger and stress known as the fight or flight response. During this certain hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released, speeding the heart rate, slowing digestion, increasing blood flow to major muscle groups, and changing various other autonomic nervous functions, giving the body a burst of energy and strength to cope with the danger ahead. The challenge is that as stress is prolonged, adrenalin disappears and cortisol lingers around and starts telling the body to replenish itself with food. This may be good if you are working hard outside but in todays society we are often sitting down in front of a screen for long hours. What Can We Do To Prevent Gaining Fat From Stress? For starters, seek out what is causing that stress and do what you can to take command of the situation. Seek counsel Do some research, and find out what some of the underlying causes may be and seek to address those. Rewarding Activities that are Unrelated to Food Taking a hike, reading a book, getting a massage and making time for friends and family can help to relieve stress without adding on the kilos. Taking time to relieve stress will help you to feel refreshed and think more clearly. Proper Diet & Exercise Eating healthy is also an important aspect of both stress control and weight control. Eating poorly may be what makes you feel good, but eating well is what will help your body and mind function properly. With studies finding that people who keep their body and mind healthy is far more capable of handling stressful situations than a compromised body that has been taking in poor sustenance. Exercising. Exercise is one of the best stress relievers possible as exercise releases endorphins in the brain which make your body feel better, as well as burn calories which can help keep you trim. But try not to overexercise, the physical stress will just add to your stress levels and will be come counterproductive. Keeping stress from causing weight gain can seem daunting; but doing small changes with exercise and diet will help give you the strength and willpower to make larger changes that you need. Removing stressful situations, or at least managing those situations, and keeping your body healthy are some ways to ensuring that you overcome stress and not let stress overcome you. MUSIC: www.bensound.com GRAPHICS: www.flaticon.com.

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