There are three main ways that anxiety can cause weight gain: it produces the stress hormone cortisol, it may contribute to over-eating, or it may reduce the amount of physical exercise that an individual engages in throughout the day.
Stressed Out? Why Stress Might be Stopping You from Losing Weight and What to Do About It.
Although weight gain can be a symptom of anxiety, it is not always the reason that an individual may gain weight. Anxiety has a very complicated impact on the body. Weight gain can be related to the emotional state of mind, but it is not always the primary factor that has caused you or a loved one to gain weight. If your anxiety is debilitating, it is likely that counselling is the fastest solution to finding long-term control.
However, if you are like most of us and just suffer the chronic anxiety that goes with modern life you may be surprised how beneficial a little added activity can be. People who are stressed out tend to experience sleep disturbances.
Can Stress Cause Weight Loss? | Well Professor?
For some people, stress can cause fatigue and lead to sleeping more than usual. In others, chronic stress causes insomnia and restless sleep. Not getting enough sleep or getting poor quality sleep can promote weight gain. When you are not well rested, hormones tell your body to consume quick acting energy in the form of sugar or refined carbohydrates. Plus, people who do not get enough good sleep may choose more processed convenience foods over healthy foods that they have to prepare.
The final reason that stress can contribute to weight gain or prevent weight loss is related to inconsistent eating patterns on busy days. Eating consistently and not skipping meals can help people lose and maintain weight. On stressful days, it can become more difficult to eat. Your schedule may prevent you from eating a meal or you might forget to eat in the midst of your busy day.
How Stress Can Cause Weight Gain
Skipping meals may lead to cravings and overeating later in the day that can cause weight gain. Even though limiting stress may seem nearly impossible, there are plenty of small changes you can make to improve stress levels. Following some of these simple tips may be the key to losing weight, especially if you find yourself gaining weight despite efforts with diet and exercise.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but exercise can dramatically reduce stress. Cardio is not the only type of exercise that can reduce stress. In fact, too much cardio may actually spike cortisol. Yoga, tai chi, and weight bearing exercises are less intense and also decrease stress.
Learning how to meditate can help you become more mindful and feel less stressed. Meditation involves deep focus to achieve a clear mind. If you are interested in trying meditation, the phone apps Calm and Headspace are great places to start. You can even start by simply focusing on taking deep breaths for short periods of time throughout the day.
Top Trends
Practice Mindful Eating. Mindful eating involves being aware of the foods you are eating, appreciating the tastes and flavors of your meal, and not rushing through meals. Instead of scarfing down dinner in front of the TV, consider taking the time to sit at the table and eat your meal.
If eating has become an outlet for you during times of stress, try other activities. Call or. Request an Appointment. Refer a Patient. It may sound surprising, but stress actually plays a large role in your waistline and how easily you can lose weight. For example, multiple studies show how stress and lack of sleep can lead to an increase in your cortisol levels the stress hormone.
Having higher levels of cortisol in your body can cause you to:.
Learning to reduce stress through exercise and meditation—while also being more mindful about food—can have a large impact on your well-being and help you keep weight off in the long-term. Classes last eight—12 weeks. Stress management classes are held at the L. Skaggs Patient Wellness Center. We'll encourage you to experiment with different mindfulness strategies to relieve stress, like mindful eating, brief meditation, or connecting with others in a meaningful way.
When you're stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol.