An Introduction To How Stress May Affect Body Weight
That’s why there are various answers to the question, ‘can stress make you lose weight?’ But before we dive into what causes weight gain or weight loss when you are stressed, you should understand how rampant the problem of stress is.
It is estimated that one-third of all Americans[1] suffer from some form of chronic stress or another. It is also not surprising that America is one of the most overweight countries in the world.
While there may not be a direct correlation, it is not surprising why so many Americans are asking themselves, ‘can stress make you lose weight?’
However, if one were to draw a correlation between the high amount of stress and obesity in our culture, then it would be natural to conclude that stress does cause weight gain. Still, the opposite may be true. So can stress make you lose weight? This is what you will find out if you read on.
Weight Loss And Stress
Can stress make you lose weight? The answer is yes, but with a caveat. In some cases, high levels of stress will release hormones that will make conditions that are likely to result in weight loss. However, this is not a healthy method of weight loss by any means.
When you are stressed, your body may produce adrenaline. Adrenaline may speed up your metabolism that is why in some cases, the answer to the question ‘can stress make you lose weight?’ is yes.
Stress can affect weight loss in other ways too. When you’re stressed, your routine is more likely to be disrupted. This may mean working through your lunch break, skipping meals, or simply being so distracted that you don’t even feel hungry. Depression weight loss is also an issue for the same kinds of reasons.
If you are experiencing sudden weight gain or sudden weight loss, you may be wondering if it’s stress-related. Here are some signs that your weight change may be stress-related:
- Change in Heart Rate – Sudden weight gain or sudden weight loss due to stress may increase heart rate. While short increases in heart rate are normal when you exercise or engage in other physically or emotionally-charged situations, signs that your altered heart rate is stress-related are if sustained over a long period.
- Frequent Headaches – Sudden weight gain and sudden weight loss may also come with frequent headaches which aren’t typical when you lose weight in healthy ways.
- Disturbance of Sleep Rhythm – If your sleeping patterns have changed significantly, your sudden weight gain or sudden weight loss may be the result of stress.
What Causes Stress-Related Weight Loss?
If you do find that you lose weight when you are stressed out instead of experiencing a sudden weight gain, there is a scientific explanation for the phenomenon. It’s called acute stress response[2], and it can manifest itself in different ways.
When your brain perceives high levels of stress, it makes your body react in various ways. One way is a release of hormones that can include adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline may result in increased heart rate and metabolism. Cortisol can lead to what’s called stress belly fat.
The release of adrenaline may also result in suppressed appetite since the brain may perceive a “fight or flight” situation due to stress. In other words, your brain believes it is in a dire situation so, there is no time to eat. That’s why for some people, stress can result in weight loss as opposed to sudden weight gain.
It is also why some people have wondered how to slow down metabolism when it has been unhealthily sped up by stress factors.
One answer to the question, ‘how to slow down metabolism’ in a healthy way is to meditate or practice yoga.
What Conditions Cause Stress-Related Weight Loss?
Depression weight loss, as well as stress-related weight loss, are big problems in the United States. As we mentioned earlier, it is predicted by health experts that one-third of Americans suffer from regular bouts with stress.
Depression weight loss and stress-related weight loss can be due to many things. But, in general, our culture is somewhat predicated on stress. Pandemics, job insecurity, long work hours, and inflation are just some of the issues that can cause stress.
Other conditions can cause stress and depression weight loss, too. For instance, you may experience these issues if you:
- Feel a lot of pressure at work
- Don’t get enough physical exercise[3]
- Have a history of anxiety, depression, or depression weight loss
- Your diet consists mainly of processed, sugary, and high-fat foods
- Don’t eat enough vegetables and fruit
I Am Not Stressed So Why Am I Losing Weight?
If you can honestly say that you are not experiencing depression weight loss or stress-related weight loss, there may be some other reasons that account for your sudden weight loss. Here are just a few of them:
- A More Serious Health Condition – You may not be experiencing depression weight loss at all. Your weight loss may be the result of a more serious health condition.
- Eating Disorder – Your weight loss may also be caused by a psychological eating disorder.
- Metabolism – Some conditions may cause an increase in metabolism, having nothing to do with stress. This may also cause weight loss, and some people wonder how to slow down metabolism.
Does Anxiety Have Anything To Do With Weight Loss?
The short answer is yes. Anxiety can have the same kinds of effects on your body as stress. In other words, it can cause a release of hormones that will affect your metabolism, your eating patterns, sleeping patterns, and other conditions that can lead to stress belly fat, and sudden weight loss.
Usually, a little bit of anxiety here and there wouldn’t result in a noticeable weight change. The problem comes when you are constantly experiencing anxious feelings. That’s when prolonged stress can lead to stress belly fat or unwanted weight loss.
So if your anxiety comes in small spurts that are far in-between, there will generally not be any issues with your weight – this is common. However, if you are feeling overwhelmed by anxiety at any time, it may be time to see a doctor.
Stress belly fat and sudden weight loss may be signs that you are experiencing an unhealthy level of anxiety.
Tips For Preventing And Combating Stress-Induced Weight Loss
Whether you are dealing with stress belly fat or unwanted weight loss due to stress, there are some things you can do to combat these conditions.
In general, you would want to find a way to slow your metabolism down. Here are some tips on how to slow down metabolism and combat the effects of stress-related weight loss:
- Avoid Situations That Cause Stress – Identify your stress triggers and do your best to remove yourself from situations that would expose you to these stress triggers.
- Improve Your Diet – Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is linked to lower levels of stress and anxiety.
- Reduce Alcohol Intake – Many people may try to treat stress with alcohol. However, in reality, alcohol is a depressant. Once intoxicated, it can make you feel worse about yourself. So, whether you are dealing with stress belly fat, or unhealthy weight loss, cutting down on alcohol can be helpful.
The Link Between Exercise And Stress Reduction
There is a scientific basis behind exercise and stress relieving activities. It may sound counter-intuitive to exercise when you are feeling stressed (after all, you may be losing too much weight) – especially since you may be wondering how to slow down metabolism.
While it’s true that exercise can increase your metabolism, it usually has a greater impact on your mental state. Exercise reduces stress hormones like cortisol. Physical exercise can also release endorphins, brain chemicals that induce feelings of relaxation and have been scientifically linked to mood elevation.
Exercising can also help reduce your stress by improving your self-image. As your physique starts to improve in healthy ways, you may begin to see yourself in a more positive light that may be enough on its own to eliminate a lot of your stress.
After all, for many people, their stress comes from having a poor self-image. So, the question ‘how to slow down metabolism’ may not be that important. It may be more important to make sure you are getting enough physical exercise.
Closing Thoughts
Whether your stress is causing your to gain or lose weight (both are certainly possible), it’s important to be mindful of your lifestyle habits and diet. Excess stress is never healthy, no matter what it’s doing to your body.
