Stress and Weight Gain: The Correlation
Let’s face it: no matter the cause, stress is far from enjoyable. Sometimes it makes you feel wired, cranky, or anxious; other times, it’s the source of fatigue and depressive feelings.
And when you’re under a lot of stress for an extended period, you might start to notice weight gain that seems to come out of nowhere.
If you find yourself asking, “does stress cause weight gain?” you’re not alone.?
The short answer is?yes. There are many?causes of weight gain?and stress is one of them.?
Stress can affect your appetite, your metabolism, and other bodily processes. Keep reading to discover the links between stress and weight gain, as well as ways to recognize and manage your stress.
The Link Between Stress and Unhealthy Habits
Stress related weight gain is real and more common than you might think. In fact, stress and weight gain often go hand in hand.?
When you’re stressed over a tight schedule and a full-to-the-brim to-do list, for example, healthy choices often give way to less-than-ideal options.
Stress induced weight gain can create a sort of feedback loop, too. If you’re stressed about a lack of progress with your weight loss goals, the negative feelings might lead you to gain?more?weight, which can stress you out, which—you get the picture.
All this is to say that stress—be it financial, familial, or otherwise—can make weight loss an uphill battle.
And that’s before getting into the correlation between sleep, weight gain, and stress.
Can Stress Cause Weight Gain Without Overeating?
There’s more to stress related weight gain than what you see on the surface.
Even if you avoid all junk food and maintain healthy habits during periods of high stress, you can still end up gaining weight. That’s because there are hormonal changes that occur inside your body when you’re stressed.?
These biological changes can cause moderate?hormonal weight gain—even without overeating. Here’s how.
The Science Behind Stress Weight Gain
When we experience psychological stress, our adrenal glands produce more of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. A perfectly normal reaction takes place, triggering the burst of energy and strength that comes with the “fight-or-flight” feeling.
But when too much of the stress hormone cortisol is released continuously, it can create some undesirable effects.
Cortisol and insulin are also intimately related. Because cortisol causes an increase in blood sugar levels as a mechanism to draw energy, a body under constant stress also produces more insulin. Too much insulin for too long can lead to insulin resistance, which means your body struggles to process blood sugars.?Instead, it stores them in fat cells, once again causing you to gain weight.
On the topic of fat, high cortisol levels can ultimately cause extra weight to be deposited in the stomach area.?
Abdominal adipose tissue (a fancy name for stomach or abdominal fat) has more cells per mass unit when compared to other tissue.?As such, these cells contain more cortisol receptors, causing excess fat to be stored near the abdomen at a higher rate than elsewhere in the body. This so-called “visceral fat” is linked to:
These are just some of the ways that stress can cause problems at a hormonal level. When you combine these factors with more visible signs of stress like overeating and sleep deprivation, it’s clear that stress management should be a top priority.
Identifying Stress: Signs and Symptoms
One of the first steps in combating stress and stress-induced weight gain is learning to identify it.?
Sometimes it’s easy enough to tell, but other times, you’ll need to look out for these signs. They include:
Stress manifests itself in other physical and emotional ways, including:
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On its own, a symptom may not indicate stress. But if you encounter several of the above signs as lasting issues, it might be time to address the stressors in your life.
Ways to Manage Stress
Can stress make you gain weight? The clear answer is yes.
But there’s no magic wand to completely eliminate stress from your life. Psychological stress is an unavoidable part of modern existence (with deadlines, relationships, and bills to pay), but it also serves a biological function.
Still, when you feel too stressed for too long, you need to take steps to mitigate that feeling. Otherwise, your health can be affected. These are some of our favorite ways to minimize day-to-day stress.
Rest & Relaxation
Did you know that?sleep and weight loss?are correlated? When you’re stressed about due dates, resting can seem counterproductive. But a good night’s sleep will leave you feeling recharged and ready to tackle anything.?Sleep is fundamental to bodily function, as it refills your energy and repairs muscle tissues—so don’t skip out on it.
Similarly, taking a moment for yourself is essential. Relaxing—even for a short time—can refresh your mind, making you more efficient at the task ahead. When the stress starts to pile on, consider spending half an hour reading, walking, talking to a supportive friend, or doing anything that allows you to unwind.
Meditation & Mindfulness
Meditation and mindfulness are ways to check in with your current state, and they can be excellent stress reduction tools.
Exercise
Exercising releases endorphins, which are “feel-good” signals to your brain. So not only does regular physical exercise reduce the negative emotions from stress, but it also helps to counteract some of the other stress symptoms like digestive and cardiovascular issues.
If you aren’t up for hitting the gym, pick a moderate physical activity that?is?pleasurable, whether it’s:
Socialize
To put it simply, happiness can alleviate stress symptoms. With that in mind, socializing with friends and family members that make you happy is a terrific way to combat stress.
On top of the obvious effects on mood and general well-being, studies have shown that positive thinking can cause a dip in cortisol levels.?So, surround yourself with people that make you think positively and watch your stress melt away.
Plan Ahead
Much of the anxiety and stress in our lives can be tied back to a full plate of responsibilities. That means that thorough planning can help to eliminate some of our daily stress.
If you know you have a busy week coming up, try planning out each day and what you need to complete.?
Some people find a planner or calendar helps them keep track. Ultimately, if you try to segment out your time—and stop yourself from procrastinating too much—you can lower those deadline-induced stress levels.
How to End Stress Weight Gain
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could simply embrace a worry-free existence? Unfortunately, removing stress from your life entirely is easier said than done. Taking the time to manage stress helps with some parts of your weight loss journey, but as you can see, there are so many factors at play.
With that in mind, the best way to get rid of stress induced weight gain is to come up with a holistic plan that tackles every part of weight gain at the same time. That’s where we come in.
Found is a lasting weight care program that relies on modern science to help you see results. By focusing on multiple contributors to?your overall healthFound puts you on the path towards healthy, happy living.
Want to see how our combination of community support, individual health coaching, and prescription medication can jumpstart your weight care journey? Take the Found?quiz?today!
If you ever find that your level of stress becomes overwhelming, it is recommended you reach out to a mental health professional for assistance. Below please find a list of general resources: