{"id":20832,"date":"2025-05-18T15:24:47","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T20:24:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/?p=20832"},"modified":"2025-05-18T15:24:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T20:24:47","slug":"stress-eating-doesnt-always-mean-craving-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/2025\/05\/18\/stress-eating-doesnt-always-mean-craving-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Stress Eating Doesn’t Always Mean Craving More"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stress Eating: A Misunderstood Concept<\/h1>\n

Introduction to Stress Eating<\/h2>\n

Many Americans are really stressed out right now. When we\u2019re emotionally overwhelmed, it probably feels natural to reach for a bag of chips. But we\u2019re probably wrong about how stress affects our eating habits, a psychologist says.
\nWhat does that mean for our waistlines?<\/p>\n

The Misconception of Stress Eating<\/h2>\n

Stress eating has long been associated with overeating, but that\u2019s a basic misunderstanding, said Dr. Kristin Javaras, an associate psychologist at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Maybe we\u2019re not eating as much as we think.
\nMuch of what we know about stress eating is based on cultural cliches such as TV shows, movies or social media. Research on the behavior is mostly from surveys that rely on people remembering what they ate when going through tough times.
\nThe problem with those surveys, Jarvaras said, is people\u2019s perceptions often change when they\u2019re stressed, so it can be hard for anyone to accurately describe how their eating behavior was affected.
\n\u201cYou don\u2019t actually eat more, but you think you eat more when you\u2019re stressed simply because you think the amount is larger,\u201d said Javaras, who recently presented some of her findings in a\u00a0Brain & Behavior Research Foundation\u00a0webinar.
\nIn other words, people remember the moment of a breakup and then eating ice cream.
\n\u201cBut you don\u2019t think of all the other times you\u2019re actually stressed at work and ate less,\u201d she adds.
\nMany people actually do eat less when they\u2019re acutely stressed, especially as the severity of the situation increases, in part because they may not have as much time to eat.
\nPast research\u00a0has shown approximately 40% people eat more when stressed, 40% eat less and 20% don\u2019t change their eating habits.<\/p>\n

When Stress Can Lead to Hunger<\/h2>\n

When the body is under chronic stress, cortisol levels rise, which not only stimulates appetite but also can promote fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area, said Dr. Christopher McGowan, a gastroenterologist and obesity specialist who runs True You Weight Loss in Cary, North Carolina.
\n\u201cIt also disrupts sleep, which further exacerbates cravings and metabolic dysfunction,\u201d he said.
\nAt that point, people often turn to comfort foods that are high in fat and sugar, which triggers the pleasure center of our brain to release dopamine, providing a temporary sense of relief, McGowan said. That relief is short-lived, often followed by guilt or regret.
\nAnd comfort food may not actually provide as much comfort as you think.
\nA\u00a0prior study\u00a0concluded comfort food does not on average reduce stress, finding no difference in healthy women participants when they replaced unhealthy comfort foods with fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n

How to Avoid Overeating and Counteract Cravings<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe more we eat in response to emotion, the stronger the connection between that emotion and the craved food \u2014 making our stress eating response more ingrained over time,\u201d said Rachel Gargano, the chief registered dietitian at a private practice.
\n\u201cCravings usually last about 20 to 30 minutes, so if you can get through these initial intense, often overwhelming feelings, they usually begin to subside and become more manageable,\u201d she said.
\nEach person has specific triggers, like being alone at home and seeing or smelling favorite foods that may start the process of overeating, Gargano said.
\nShe recommends keeping a journal to document when cravings start, then categorizing them as physical hunger or emotional hunger, depending on the situation.
\n\u201cIf it\u2019s been longer than three or four hours since your last meal, then it\u2019s possible that your body needs a quality, balanced snack or meal,\u201d she said.
\nIf you realize you\u2019re not hungry and it\u2019s just \u201cemotional hunger,\u201d it\u2019s time to try distraction.
\n\u201cReplacing stress eating with even short bursts of physical activity can be a powerful shift toward long-term well-being,\u201d McGowan adds.
\nExercise helps regulate the body\u2019s stress response, lowers baseline cortisol levels, boosts mood, improves sleep quality and supports both physical and metabolic health, he adds.
\nAlternative options to distract yourself include reading a chapter of your favorite book, going for a quick walk, sitting outside or doing 15 minutes of yoga.
\nGargano encourages developing an \u201canti-cravings tool kit,\u201d which can include:<\/p>\n