Chronic Stress Drives the Brain To Crave Comfort Food: An Overview

How Does Chronic Stress Drive the Brain To Crave Comfort Food?

Recent studies show that when a person is under chronic stress, the brain’s mechanism that stops them from over-eating gets switched off, and they indulge more in comfort food. Stress causes the release of cortisol, a stress hormone, which can increase appetite and cravings for comfort foods, especially those high in fat and sugar. This happens because cortisol suppresses the immune system by increasing insulin production and blood pressure. This causes the blood sugar level to drop as the insulin levels go up, which makes a person crave sugary and fatty foods. Some studies in the past have also found that high levels of the cortisol hormone put some extra pounds on the body, especially in the waist area. This is also known as visceral fat.

These comfort foods also trigger the release of dopamine, a feel-good hormone in the brain, and provide temporary pleasure and relief from stress, thus creating a link between unhealthy food consumption and stress. This association continues, and a person eats these unhealthy comfort foods in stressful situations.

This is also known as emotional eating, which may get triggered due to major life events, such as

• Financial issues.

• Relationship stress.

• Health problems.

• Fatigue.

• Work and other stressors.

Emotional stress drives a person to eat more, and food becomes their only distraction. However, this effect is temporary because as the emotions return to normal, the person starts feeling guilty about the setbacks to their weight-loss goals. This cycle of unhealthy eating continues, and the person gets stuck in overeating habits due to stress, gains weight feels bad about it, and starts binge eating again due to this stress. Moreover, the emotions of a person become so linked with eating habits that they unconsciously and automatically treat themselves when they are stressed and angry and do not think about the consequences.

What Can Be Done To Control Cravings for Comfort Food?

Emotional eating is triggered by stress and emotional thoughts. This can be controlled by following a few tips, such as:

• Taming the Stress: If stress is causing emotional eating habits and food cravings in a person, they should indulge in stress management techniques, such as deep breathing, yoga, and meditation.

• Fighting With Boredom: A person should try to avoid unhealthy eating habits when they are not hungry. They should instead try to distract themselves with healthy habits, such as listening to music, watching a movie, reading a book, taking a walk, calling a friend, or doing any of their favorite activities.

• Having a Hunger Reality Check: A person must check whether their hunger is emotional or physical. If they have eaten just a few hours ago and their stomach is full, they just need to let the craving pass to avoid emotional eating.

• Maintaining a Food Diary: This is an excellent way to check eating habits. People should note when, how much, what they feel while eating, and how hungry they are. This will help them understand their pattern of eating and the connection between food and mood.

• Healthy Snacking: Sometimes, a person feels hungry between meals and is urged to eat. In such cases, they must choose healthy snacks, such as low fat-dips, fresh vegetables, fruits, unbuttered popcorn, and nuts. They can also try eating their favorite food with fewer calories to satisfy their cravings.

• Stop Deprivation: When trying to lose weight, they must limit their calorie intake, restrict treats, and eat the same food repeatedly. This might increase food cravings in response to emotions. Therefore, a person should eat many healthier foods, have enjoyable treats occasionally, and eat different varieties of healthy foods to curb cravings.

• Good Social Support: Lack of a good social network can also lead to emotional eating habits due to stress, boredom, and loneliness. Therefore, a person should lean on friends, family, and other social networks for support.

• Restrict Temptations: It is a must to try to avoid hard-to-resist foods and stop keeping them at home. Also, if they are emotionally drained and feel blue or angry, they must postpone visiting a grocery store until their emotions are in check.

• Learn From Mistakes or Setbacks: If a person experiences an episode of emotionally eating comfort foods, they can forgive themselves and start the plan again. They can learn from their mistakes and prevent such incidents in the future. They must focus on positive changes in their eating habits and give themselves enough credit to live in better physical and emotional health.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Stress on Health?

There is a very clear link between stress and its negative impact on health. It can cause weight gain and various other complications, which include:

• Increased frequency of headaches and migraines.

• Metabolic disorders, such as type II diabetes mellitus.

• Obesity and weight gain can cause joint pain due to decreased mobility and increased pain.

• Breathing disorders caused by being overweight include obstructive sleep apnea and reduced lung function.

• Increased cholesterol and blood pressure further lead to stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.

• It interferes with the person’s mental health as they become more stressed due to weight gain and obesity.

• Weight gain due to stress can also cause fertility problems in people and affect their sexual lives.

• Stress also impacts a person's sleep cycle, and they have disturbed sleep at night. Their energy levels during the daytime are also affected.

The person's brain during stress makes them believe otherwise, but one must not forget to take care of their health in times of stress. They must try to indulge in activities to cope with stress, such as meditation, relaxation, and mindfulness exercises. This can help them with good weight management and stress management as well.

Conclusion

Stress management cannot be achieved in a day, and it also cannot be achieved without self-motivation. Therefore, one must keep trying one or two things daily to eliminate their source of chronic stress until they reach their final goal. There are various ways to deal with stress-related cravings for unhealthy food. One must adhere to the above-mentioned tips to avoid binge eating and thus engage in healthy eating habits and stress management techniques. They may also consult a healthcare provider for counseling and better outcomes.