In everyday life, we all feel stress or anxiety. When that occurs, our body begins to release stress hormones. These hormones activate the sympathetic nervous systems – it triggers our “fight or flight” response.
One of the results of stress is that if a hormone, corticotropin-releasing factor, affects the digestive system, that impacts the appetite. Another hormone released is cortisol, that increases the speed of digestion of food.
Other effects of stress are constipation, diarrhea, indigestion or nausea. Other impacts are increased breathing rate, heart rate and blood pressure. This is why stress management; another Pat’s Gym pillar of fitness is critical to perfect.
As a result of stress, people react different. Some people don’t want to over eat, while others engage in binge eating. It’s important to be aware of this reaction so that you don’t make the pressure/stress worse.
People who have persistent anxiety are more likely to have CRF hormones in their bodies. This will cause these people to have less of an appetite. On the other hand, people who experience less anxiety will more likely seek comfort from food and overeat. But, again, how people deal with stress will vary from person-to-person. Also, this reaction will vary based upon the sex of the individual. There is one study that indicates that women may eat more calories when anxious than men.
Therefore, what I recommend is to first try to control the stress in your life. Working out is a great way to do it. At Pat’s Gym, our workouts will teach you how to control your stress by putting you in stressful situations and showing you that you can calm yourself down. However, paying attention to how stress impacts your eating is also important. The more aware you are of your reaction to stress, the more likely you’re going to be able to control it. You do have a choice, and awareness is the first step in controlling it.
