5 ways stress can impact your weight

Everybody (even your yoga teacher) experiences stress sometimes. Stress can be acute, like a short-term spike you feel during a traffic jam. It can also be chronic when it continues over an extended period of time — think consistently not getting enough sleep, a job that puts way too much pressure on you, or a difficult family dynamic. Chronic stress is hard on your body, because it’s spending too much time in fight or flight mode and releasing cortisol, a hormone that can cause inflammation long term. It may not seem like an obvious link, but chronic stress can also make it harder to maintain your weight. Here’s how.

High levels of cortisol, the stress-response hormone, can cause you to feel hungrier than you otherwise would, especially craving foods that are higher in calories. Eating “comfort food” can temporarily alleviate feelings of stress, which is why it feels so good in the moment, but over time can cause weight gain.

When chronically elevated, cortisol can promote fat storage, particularly in the abdomen and around internal organs. This is called “visceral fat,” and it’s been linked to various health conditions like insulin resistance, high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.

Excess cortisol can interfere with the secretion of something called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which then suppresses metabolism-governing hormones. This, in turn, can slow down your metabolic rate, possibly leading to weight gain.

Chronic stress may prolong the amount of time it takes to recover from intense exercise. Elevated levels of cortisol may also suppress testosterone, which supports the growth of lean tissue, making it harder to add muscle — and since muscle burns more calories than fat, not being able to grow muscle as well can impact weight.

Some people may find it harder to get good quality sleep when they’re stressed, which can further elevate your cortisol levels. And poor sleep is also linked to higher calorie consumption during the day.

Learn about how sleep affects your weight

Writing out your feelings can help you figure out what is really causing your stress and give you an outlet for your emotions.

Being physically active stimulates the production of endorphins — chemicals in the brain that elevate mood — and people who regularly work out secrete less cortisol during stressful times than people who don’t.

People with high levels of social support are more resilient against stressful situations and have a lower perception of stress. This may be because social interactions cause your body to release a chemical called oxytocin, which reduces your blood pressure and cortisol levels.

If you can’t get outdoors, even listening to sounds of nature or looking at photos of nature may reduce fight or flight activity in your body.

Mindfulness techniques can reduce stress responses and lower blood pressure, among other benefits. There are different approaches to mindfulness, including body scans, mindful eating, meditation, yoga, tai chi, and focusing on your five senses.

A balanced diet in general is good to optimize your physical and mental health, but certain nutrients specifically impact cortisol levels and stress.

• B-vitamins: Beef, chicken, eggs, fortified cereal, organ meats, and nutritional yeast are all excellent sources of vitamin B12, which assists in cortisol metabolism, helping bring levels down.

• Omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna; flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help to reduce perceived stress and reduce how much your cortisol rises when stressed.

• Magnesium-rich foods: Magnesium acts on a number of neurotransmitters to promote feelings of calmness and relaxation; it’s in spinach, pumpkin seeds, tuna, almonds, dark chocolate, avocado, yogurt, and bananas.

Learn how self-compassion can help you lose weight