The people who make up those national days and months have designated April as stress-awareness month. Unfortunately one of the biggest problems that can come from stress is weight gain.
According to National Day Calendar:
“Stress Awareness Month is an annual designation observed in April. Have you ever been in a situation that was a little (or a lot) overwhelming, you had deadlines approaching and a mile-long to-do list, and you were just in way over your head?! Well, you’re definitely not alone. Everyone feels stressed from time to time, especially as we get older and the responsibilities really pile onto our plate.
“The thing about stress is, a little bit of it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but too much of it can be detrimental to our emotional and physical health. Learning to find a healthy balance is the best way to live a productive, happy life.”
According to a study by Brown University: “From the early months of the coronavirus pandemic through the years that have followed, many people have noticed an uptick in their stress levels, and a corresponding upward trajectory of their weight. ”
This is how they explain it: The idea of “stress eating” is not new, and it’s understandable. When we’re stressed, we crave familiar, comforting things to soothe ourselves, and many of us turn to food for that quick comforting feeling.
That puts us at a real disadvantage to start with. We are stressed so we eat more and then we gain weight and become more stressed at the weight gain. And of course the weight gain can cause health problems and it is a cycle.
Brown University explains the problems stress can cause.
When we are stressed, our bodies create more of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is partly responsible for how our body responds to stress or danger, acts as an internal alarm clock for waking up and going to sleep, helps to control blood pressure and glucose metabolism, and can reduce inflammation. Some medications use cortisol, known as “hydrocortisone,” to help reduce inflammation topically or in the body—such as over-the-counter creams to help relieve swelling and itching from bug bites. Too much or too little cortisol can contribute to certain health conditions, including
- changes in weight (both gaining or losing)
- skin conditions
- muscle weakness
- anxiety or depression
- heart disease
So what can we do about dealing with stress?
Here are some tips from the Mayo Clinic:
Stress relievers: Tips to tame stress
Is stress making you angry and grouchy? Stress relievers can help bring back calm and peace to your busy life.
- Get active
Almost any form of physical activity can act as a stress reliever. Even if you’re not an athlete or you’re out of shape, exercise can still be a good stress reliever.
- Eat a healthy diet
Eating a healthy diet is an important part of taking care of yourself. Aim to eat many fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Avoid unhealthy habits
Some people may deal with stress with unhealthy habits. These may include drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, smoking, eating too much, or using illegal substances. These habits can harm your health and increase your stress levels.
- Meditate
During meditation, you focus your attention and quiet the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can help both your emotional well-being and your overall health. Meditation can empower us to enhance our well-being.
- Laugh more
A good sense of humor can’t cure all ailments. But it can help you feel better, even if you have to force a fake laugh through your grumpiness.
- Connect with others
- Assert yourself
You might want to do it all, but you can’t, at least not without paying a price. Learning to say no or being willing to delegate can help you manage your to-do list and your stress. Healthy boundaries are important in a wellness journey. Everyone has physical and emotional limits.
- Try yoga
- Get enough sleep
- Keep a journal
- Get musical and be creative
- Seek counseling
The Center for Disease Control has some ideas about how to deal with stress:
Take care of your mind.
- Take breaks from news and social media. It is good to be informed, but constant information about negative events can be upsetting.3
- Make time to unwind.
- Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.
- Keep a journal.
- Spend time outdoors either being active or relaxing.
- Try to do some other relaxing activities you enjoy.
- Practice gratitude daily. Remind yourself of specific things you are grateful for and write them down.4
- Connect with others.
- Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
- Connect with your community-based or faith-based organizations.
