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Obesity: Stress is a major factor in weight gain

Why can Stress us eat more?

Stress is not only harmful to human health, it also affects our Hunger. Stress can trigger a cascade of physical reactions in your body, not to eat which brings you not only more, but also a preference for less healthy food due to. However, as the negative Ernährungseffelte can avoid Stress?

In a recent study by the prestigious Harvard University, it was found that Stress has a strong influence on our Hunger. This can lead to the fact that we eat too much and are also more likely to unhealthy food consume.

Stress can affect not only our mood, but also cause us to eat more and more unhealthy. (Image: Wayhome Studio/fotolia.com)

What Cortisol is?

Stress increases levels of a hormone called Cortisol in the blood. Cortisol is a hormone which is produced by the adrenal gland and helps to regulate metabolism. It also plays a role in blood sugar management and memory. If the Cortisol levels rise, this can promote inflammation and the body to stimulate, to store fat. Stress can disturb the sleep and cause people take in the middle of the night food.

Stress can lead to weight gain

In earlier times, the biological response to Stress may be beneficial, and helped the body to store energy for hard times. But in today’s time there are in Western countries, in General, no famine, and no predatory animals, which we need to escape. Consequently, Stress can lead to unhealthy weight gain.

Women are more affected by Stress

There is evidence that women are disproportionately affected by Stress. A survey by the American Psychological Association from the year 2012, for instance, showed that women exhibited a higher level of stress than men (5.3 out of 10 points for women, compared to 4.6 for men). 23 percent of women reported extreme Stress, compared with 16 percent of men who suffered also under extreme Stress. In addition, women reported more frequently that their stress had increased level (43 percent compared to 33 percent for men). For many women it is precisely this prolonged Stress that leads to weight gain, explain the researchers in a press release.

The Stress is acute or chronic?

Stress itself can be either short-term (acute) or long term (chronic). Acute Stress can occur, for example, in the case of a car accident. Chronic Stress can be caused by years of working in a stressful Job or to care for a family member with a long-term illness.

You’d better learn to deal with Stress

While Stress is an inevitable part of our life, it’s not the weight gain, which can go hand in hand. If you change your response to Stress, and strategies to introduce, in order to reduce the occurring Stress, this can prevent unwanted weight gain.

Movement is an essential part of stress management, since physical activity can reduce Cortisol levels. Many people have problems permanently for adequate sports and exercise and maintain Motivation. If you find an activity that you really love, you can perform the regular physical activity that you need to reduce stress, easier. For some people, it might be Yoga, for others, high intensity Training, or perhaps a combination of both. A lack of sleep can increase the amount of stress hormones circulating in your body. Therefore, it is crucial that you get enough restful sleep, in order to effectively deal with Stress.

How do you perceive Stress?

The amount of Stress someone is experiencing, is not only based on the circumstances, but also on the perception of these circumstances. Two people can do the same Job, but only one perceives it as stressful. In other words: Stress depends, in part, from the observation and the view. Abilities of the Individual to cope with Stress differ depending on the personality or life experiences. So you can work on it to reduce by another setting of your Stress. If you know a stressful time lies ahead of them, try to make adjustments in your daily life on the coming Stress to prepare. This can include, that you can customize your schedule to provide additional movement to add, or a Plan for a healthy diet up to stand up to the impulse to take unhealthy foods.

You are looking for help

If you have problems, deal with Stress or to control your emotional eating, consult your family doctor or your family doctor. If necessary, they can refer you to other professionals. (as)