Stress and weight gain are often linked due to the effects of stress on the physiology of a person. Stress is an active part of our lives and hardwired into our biological make up allowing us to fight or flee from threatening and dangerous situations. What served our prehistoric ancestors well in situations involving evading a predator or a hostile enemy, leaves us tense with little sign of relief in a traffic jam at rush hour or standing in a long line at the grocery store.
Sometimes people cope with stress by eating. Eating doesn�t just fulfill an emotional need, but a physiological one that is related to the hormone cortisol. When the body begins to experience a stress response, the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine are released into the body along with cortisol. The hormones work to speed up the heart rate, stimulate the liver to release more sugar into the blood stream for energy, perspiration to be released to cool the skin and to shut down digestion so that the energy can be redirected to more necessary systems. All of these are a part of the fight or flight response and after danger is passed the body reabsorbs the epinephrine and norepinephrine while cortisol levels remain elevated over a longer time period.
When stress is chronic, the cortisol levels can remain persistently high. So how does cortisol affect weight gain? Cortisol performs many actions in the body and the ultimate goal of it is the provision of energy. Much like encouraging the liver to release more sugar into the blood stream, cortisol�s prime goal is an energy source that will be needed for all of the fighting or the running. Cortisol stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism for fast energy and stimulates insulin release and maintenance of blood sugar levels.
Does Stress Cause Weight Gain?
So what does this have to do with weight gain? The end result of all these actions is an increase in appetite. Thus people who are chronically stressed may eat two and three times as much as they need because their bodies are demanding the fuel. Because the weight gain is stimulated by cortisol, it tends to be stored in the abdominal area which is considered �toxic fat� because it can lead to cardio vascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes.
Is stress the sole cause for weight gain? No. A genetic predisposition plays a large part in how fat is distributed and how the body reacts to stress. If a program of stress management and reduction such as regular exercise, healthy eating, getting good sleep and relaxation can help a person cope with stress reactions as well as improve the heart�s strength and resistance to disease.
People who suffer from poor coping methods with stress do not always gain weight. Some lose weight. Some do not have their weight affected at all, but because cortisol does play a role in stimulating appetite and it is released in persistent quantities when someone suffers from chronic stress the relationship between the two is very strong.
To improve your overall health and fitness as well as resistance to stress-induced diseases such as weight gain, depression, heart disease and ulcers employ a regular set of stress reduction methods.