The middle of this week I got home from work close to 9 PM, ate dinner, and demolished about half a bag of cookies. That’s not like me. I ate lunch. I was hungry, but not overly hungry, when I was finally able to each dinner. I love sweets but I don’t eat them often and usually have a modest amount when I do. So, what was going on? Oh yeah, stress eating.

 

Stress, the hormones it unleashes, and the effects of high-fat, sugary “comfort foods” push people toward overeating. In the short term, stress can shut down appetite. The nervous system sends messages to the adrenal glands to pump out the hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline). Epinephrine helps trigger the body’s fight-or-flight response, a revved-up physiological state that temporarily puts eating on hold.

 

But if stress persists, it’s a different story. The adrenal glands release another hormone called cortisol, and cortisol increases appetite and may also ramp up motivation in general, including the motivation to eat. Once a stressful episode is over, cortisol levels should fall, but if the stress doesn’t go away (or if a person’s stress response gets stuck in the “on” position) cortisol may stay elevated.

 

Stress also seems to affect food preferences. Numerous studies have shown that physical or emotional distress increases the intake of food high in fat, sugar, or both. High cortisol levels, in combination with high insulin levels, may be responsible. Other research suggests that ghrelin, a “hunger hormone,” may have a role.

 

Ghrelin has direct effects on hunger and therefore the ability for people to lose weight and maintain weight loss. As ghrelin levels rise so do hunger and cravings for mostly carbohydrates. When you start to think about food or catch yourself grabbing a food you know you really don’t need, it is likely the result of ghrelin.

 

Once ingested, fat- and sugar-filled foods seem to have a feedback effect that dampens stress related responses and emotions. These foods really are “comfort” foods in that they seem to counteract stress — and this may contribute to people’s stress-induced craving for those foods. Thank goodness. I thought I was going all Homer Simpson. It turns out I was just using food as medicine.

 

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Last week’s off-topic rant was well received (at least by Tonio) so here is another dose. I loathe the CDC.

 

You know what we haven’t heard in far too long? This week’s music.