Did you know that stress affects your mood and energy levels and plays a significant role in your eating habits? More specifically, stress eating is a thing. Stress can lead to overeating and much of this is due to the effects of a hormone called Cortisol.
What is Cortisol, and Why Does it Matter?
Cortisol is often called the “stress hormone” because the adrenal glands release it in response to stress. When you’re faced with a stressful situation, whether it’s a looming work deadline or an argument with a loved one, your body triggers the release of Cortisol and other hormones like adrenaline. This is part of the “fight or flight” response, which is meant to help you respond to danger by increasing alertness, energy, and physical performance.
Cortisol is essential for managing stress in the short term, but its effects can become problematic when it’s released too often.
The Cortisol-Overeating Connection
When Cortisol is released into the bloodstream, one of its key functions is to increase blood sugar levels. It does this by signaling the liver to release stored glucose into the system, giving the body a quick energy boost.
While this is helpful in situations where you need to react quickly (like running away from danger), in the modern world, most of our stressors aren’t physical, life-threatening threats but psychological, everyday ones. And that’s where things start to go awry.
As cortisol levels rise, your body starts craving high-calorie foods, i.e., more fuel to handle the stress, regardless of whether you’re physically hungry. This isn’t just about willpower—it’s biological.
Cortisol can trigger a cycle of overeating as the body attempts to manage its heightened stress response by fueling up on calorie-dense foods.
Why Stress Leads to Overeating
- Increased Appetite: Cortisol can increase appetite by stimulating the release of another hormone called ghrelin, often called the “hunger hormone.” Elevated cortisol levels, particularly during chronic stress, increase ghrelin, making you feel hungrier than usual, even if you’ve already eaten.
- Comfort Eating: Many people turn to food to cope with stress. Eating becomes a form of emotional relief, temporarily alleviating the feelings of anxiety or discomfort that come with stress. Eating can trigger the release of “feel-good” chemicals in the brain, like dopamine, which makes us feel better in the short term.
- Disrupted Sleep: Chronic stress and high cortisol levels can also interfere with sleep. Lack of sleep can further trigger cravings for unhealthy foods, especially those high in sugar, as your body attempts to compensate for the energy deficit. The combination of sleep deprivation and heightened stress can lead to an increased tendency to overeat.
- Insulin Resistance: Prolonged periods of stress and elevated cortisol levels can contribute to insulin resistance, making it harder for your body to regulate blood sugar levels. This can lead to more frequent hunger pangs, as the body struggles to maintain stable blood sugar, resulting in overeating to stabilise energy levels.
Breaking the Cycle
It’s impossible to eliminate stress completely. Instead, you should build resilience and learn to deal with it better.
As a nutritionist, I’m here to provide you with the guidance and support you need to build a strong foundation with your diet. I can help you manage blood sugar levels, mitigate any nutritional deficiencies that may be compounding the situation, provide sleep support and more. Lifestyle practices are also part of the prescription for a truly holistic approach.
You don’t need to feel helpless and overwhelmed. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. Book a 1:1 consultation with a professional, like a nutritionist, who can create a personalised health plan for you.
