THE EFFECT OF STRESS ON WEIGHT!

While occasional stress is normal, chronic stress can lead to various health problems and weight gain.
#STRESS

MANAGE YOUR STRESS, EASY!

While occasional stress is normal, chronic stress can lead to various health problems and weight gain.Stress notably increases heart rate and blood pressure. Let's shed light on this reality.

Why stress leads to weight gain?

hormones

Stress increases blood levels of cortisol, a hormone that causes the body to store more fat, especially in the abdominal area. Abdominal fat is an important risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In addition, cortisol released in response to stress has the effect of stimulating appetite and increasing the desire for fatty and sugary foods. Excess cortisol can also cause your metabolism to slow down, causing you to burn fewer calories at rest.

food cravings

Stress can cause food cravings and impair the will to adopt better lifestyle habits. In times of stress, for example, you may be more likely to opt for fast food. Stress can make us eat unconsciously, since we are preoccupied and less attentive to our signals of hunger and satiety.

Lack of sleep

Stress can cause insomnia and lead to lack of sleep. Studies show that people who sleep less than seven hours a night chronically are more likely to be obese, gain weight and have a higher waist circumference and fat percentage than those who sleep seven hours or more. . Lack of sleep is also associated with increased caloric intake, especially from snacks and fatty foods.

Better manage your stress

Physical activity

Moderate-intensity physical activity can decrease cortisol secretion and release endorphins that help you relax. It should be noted that very intense physical effort can have the opposite effect, i.e. increase the secretion of cortisol.

Relaxation

Taking deep breaths while inflating the belly stimulates the vagus nerve, which reduces the secretion of cortisol. To do this, you can put your hand on your stomach, inhale for five seconds while inflating your stomach, then exhale for five seconds while drawing your stomach in, and repeat for thirty seconds.

Eat mindfully

Eating slowly, taking the time to taste and appreciate each bite while listening to your hunger and satiety signals are winning tips for better food control.

Keep a diary

Writing a diary is beneficial for improving lifestyle habits. In particular, it allows us to increase our motivation and our involvement in the face of new objectives. This tool can also help identify the different causes of stress and increase our ability to better manage collateral damage.

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