Stress Sugar and Hunger: What is the connection?

Stress is a part of our everyday lives. Work, family, children, friends. When things are going well, we worry it may not sustain. When things aren’t right, we worry about when they will improve.

But why does stress make us feel hungry?

To understand this, we need to understand hormones and energy. A state of stress makes us produce cortisol. Your adrenal glands, situated atop your kidneys, release cortisol to cope.

By itself, cortisol is a wonderful hormone. Many have misunderstood cortisol to be the bad hormone produced when stressed.

In fact, it is boosts alertness, boosts energy and allows you to do more. All of which is wonderful to deal with whatever it is that is causing anxiety.

You just don’t want your body to produce is for days or weeks. That is what we call chronic stress.

But why does any of this make you hungry?

When stressed, your body goes into overdrive. The brain has to work harder to deal with the perceived threat. That increases the energy requirement.

Energy in this case is the five grams of sugar in your blood and the approximately seventy grams of sugar in your liver. As these reserves deplete, your body starts to crave food, especially sugar, to cope.

You get hungry or as some call it “hangry.”

But there is a problem. Flooding your body with sugar in itself is a cause of stress to the body making your body release more cortisol. So counterintutively, you have set yourself on a path of eating again and again.

So what is the answer?

The short answer - reduce your stress. Of course, you will say it is easier said than done. I agree.

Dealing with stress and anxiety requires a long term plan.

Personally, found the concept of Upekkhā to be a great anchor. Upekkhā helps you build a mindset, one in which you remain anchored regardless of what is happening around you.

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain