Stress theory: why do some people lose their appetite while others overeat? Loss of appetite due to nervousness (stress, neurosis, depression): what to do

Have you ever asked for more during a family meal, not because you were hungry, but to please your mother-in-law who was trying so hard? Or maybe you've ever ordered dessert in a cafe just because your... best friend I really wanted to eat a big piece of butter cake in half with you? You didn’t want sweets at all, but you honestly ate your half, because your friend would be offended if you refused...

If you have been in similar situations, it is very possible that you suffer from a pathological desire to please others. At the same time, the desire to make your family and friends happy forces you to eat more than you need. And this is just one of emotional reasons, which can lead to the appearance extra pounds.

Anger, loneliness, guilt, regret, sadness—these feelings and stress often cause us to seek comfort in food. A cup of hot chocolate, a slice of cake, a little cheese and wine - and life no longer seems so sad, and the weather no longer so cloudy and cold. There is hardly a woman who, at least once in her life, has not tried to brighten up the agonizing wait with a bag of chips or console herself for a scandal at work with a package of ice cream with roasted nuts and chocolate chips.

Stress and excess weight

Some people try to please others with the help of delicious food, some are looking for pleasant emotions, and for others only a bar of chocolate allows them to get rid of stress. First of all, understand the reasons that make you overeat, and then choose the right tactics.

Everyone's favorite

You eat for others, not for yourself. Psychologists have long noticed: when in a company where it is customary to eat a lot, even those who are usually used to limiting themselves unconsciously increase their portions. That is why this statement is true: if all your friends are overweight, then your chances of gaining unnecessary pounds also increase. And if, among other things, you also strive to please others, you will begin to eat even more.

And after overeating, depression sets in, and not only because you can’t fit into your favorite jeans. When your main desire is to please others, you end up letting others decide what is good for you. You stop listening to your own desires. There is only one way out of this situation: listen to your inner voice.

Think about what you want. If you are not really hungry, praise the hostess, you can say something like this: “The pies are simply wonderful, and the aroma is such that you will lick your fingers. But I was so full at lunch that I think I’ll abstain now.” Ask to wrap up some pies to take home and eat them at home when you get hungry. Or treat them to friends and colleagues at the office.
Learn to say no. Of course, you are used to doing everything the way others like, and it will be difficult for you at first. Mainly because you will be forced to fight your own habits, even reflexes. After all, most likely, you grew up with the conviction that you need to take care exclusively of your loved ones and not take your own interests into account. And you can cope with it only with some effort. You have to master a skill that you didn’t know before, that’s all.
Gradually learn to say a polite “no.” Start with those who push unnecessary services or goods on you. Then try to refuse friends who invite you to an uninteresting event. And when you master all this, perhaps you will be able to refuse a second piece of cake at the birthday party of your aunt, who is famous for her culinary talents, without remorse.

Looking for a thrill

You're bored and take out a bag of candy. Most likely, what you need is not food, but an influx of dopamine, a substance produced in the brain that is responsible for pleasure, arousal and appetite. Dopamine is associated with basic human needs and is necessary primarily so that we remember to eat on time.

But frequent use of various medications and poor nutrition have led to the fact that internal systems the body gets confused and fails. Substances that are designed to ensure that our body receives the necessary energy become the cause of a variety of addictions and overeating. It has already been proven that in the process of digesting sweet and fatty foods in the brain there is approximately the same sharp release of dopamine as after taking drugs. The only difference is in the strength of the effect, but the principle, as doctors assure, is the same.

Scientists have hardly studied how boredom affects the amount of food we eat. But in 2011, American doctors conducted a small study (only 139 people participated), the results of which caused a real shock among specialists. Young men and women admitted that they most often overeat out of boredom, and not at all when they are sad or worried.

More emotions! Think about what activities might lift your spirits. Dancing? Skiing? Scuba diving? Every person has their own idea of fun. Some people need to jump with a parachute to get a jolt, while others just need to master crocheting. Listen to yourself and choose what you like.
Maximum variety. Do you always get to work by subway? Get off one station early and walk the rest of the way. If you need to lose weight, don't focus on one program. When you get tired of counting calories, switch to separate meals, then to protein diet, then to the menu. In the same way, change the types of physical activity: today you do dancing, tomorrow you do yoga, and the day after tomorrow go to a strip class.

sleep against hunger

Regardless of personality type and character traits, all people on the planet have one common feature: When we don’t get enough sleep or are tired, we automatically look for sources of energy. And the most common source is food - usually something sweet or fatty. This is how weight gain begins during stress! Research confirms that a person who did not get enough sleep the night before is simply unable to do right choice products because his brain is not functioning at full capacity. That's why it's so important good sleep! And if you still didn’t get enough sleep, try these techniques the next day. Every 45 minutes, give yourself a short break of 2-3 minutes and only after that return to business. And try to find other sources of energy besides food - it can be completely replaced by an active walk fresh air or listening to energetic music (using headphones).

Workaholic and altruist

You work too hard, get too tired and eat too much. It is these three components that lead to the fact that energetic and active women, to their own amazement, gain excess weight. If you work a lot, you are often stressed and use food to calm down - this is understandable. But there may be more to it than that.

Women who take on too many things often forget about themselves. After all, you need time for yourself, and there is never enough of it. And there’s always time for a serving of ice cream or a bag of chips!

If this is your problem, know that even small lifestyle changes can help curb your appetite.

Start with the simplest things. Think about ways to reduce the stress you are often exposed to. For example, make it a rule to take a five-minute break between work and home. Sit in your car for five minutes before going home. Close your eyes, listen to pleasant music, meditate. Or just stand in the fresh air, looking at the sky. Make a few deep breaths and go to your family in a good mood.
Learn to listen to yourself. When you are worried and your hands reach for a box of chocolates, take a little time out - at least for 5-10 seconds. Think about what else you can do to please yourself this moment. And let this joy not be associated with food! Make a list of things you can do during a short break to take a little break and calm down. Play solitaire on the computer, call a friend, and if you have pets, pet a cat or dog.
Voice your intentions. A recently published study by Greek scientists suggests that people who are trying to learn a new skill perform better when they say key words out loud. When you're feeling anxious and ready to reach for the box of cookies, try to change the situation by saying out loud, "Now I'm going to read for five minutes." It will help you break vicious circle automatic actions. Your autopilot will turn off and you will be in control of your actions again.
If none of these remedies work, don't be so quick to blame yourself. Instead, be curious and reflect on what went wrong and what you can do differently next time. As a rule, those people who know how to take into account their experience achieve what they want and use it so as not to repeat mistakes. Therefore, turn to your natural wisdom, and you can find answers to these simple questions.

Any stressful situation affects the state of the body. People suffering from stress often experience weight problems. Problems can be associated with both its gain and worsening appetite and weight loss. Many people have weakened immune systems as a result of malnutrition and are unable to gain weight at all.

Why do people lose weight from stress?

Stress and weight loss are related phenomena. At first it may seem that it’s even good to get rid of unwanted pounds in such a short period. Many women torture themselves with diets, but still cannot achieve the desired result. And from stress they lose weight very sharply. However, losing weight from stress cannot be taken as the norm. An organism that has lost a large amount of weight in as soon as possible will try to restore the lack of adipose tissue.

Weight loss under stress occurs due to large energy losses. With prolonged exposure to stress on the body, metabolism is disrupted. This condition is accepted by the body as painful, and appetite decreases. All the body's forces are directed towards fighting depression.

If you have health problems, exposure to stress can even lead to loss of appetite. In some cases, people completely refuse to eat, and when they try to eat, nausea and vomiting occur.

Reasons for weight loss

During times of stress, a person is unable to fully relax. Thoughts about the reasons that led to the unfavorable state haunt the person, and the person cannot concentrate normally. Muscle spasms occur, including gastrointestinal tract. As a result, the need to eat food disappears and appetite disappears.

The most common reasons for weight loss:

When a person has an unstable nervous system, he is more susceptible to developing eating disorder. As a result of strong experiences, a person loses weight and cannot gain weight.
Close relatives of the person had similar problems.
Weak immunity, pain. Under the influence of stressful situations, a weakened body loses appetite.
Slim build. People who are hereditarily prone to thinness have an increased metabolism. Even with proper nutrition, it is difficult for them to gain weight, and it is very easy to lose weight from stress.

Loss of appetite and frequent stress

Appetite is a natural reaction of the body, thanks to which it provides itself with the necessary amount of nutrients. Its loss is the main reason for weight loss. When long absence appetite, you should seek help from a doctor. Because as a result of prolonged fasting, the body begins to use up stored nutrients and become depleted.

Frequent stress that occurs as a result of long-term experiences can lead to changes in tastes in food and a decrease in appetite. Weight loss happens too quickly, and a person notices changes when the weight has already dropped significantly.

Consequences

Malnutrition can lead to exhaustion of the body and cause the following negative consequences:

Sleep disorders. A person suffers from insomnia, constantly cannot fall asleep for a long time, sleeps superficially.
Disturbances in brain function.
Problems with the cardiovascular system.
Problems with the functions of the musculoskeletal system.
Problems with menstruation in women.
Feeling weak, headaches and dizziness.
Development of anorexia. Whenever of this disease regaining lost weight is quite difficult.

How to overcome stress and stop losing weight?

To stop losing weight, you must strictly adhere to your daily routine and diet.

To choose the right nutrition schedule, it is better to seek help from a nutritionist. You should also get rid of bad habits. Under no circumstances should you smoke or drink alcohol, even when not large quantities.
You need to eat regularly in small portions at least five times a day. It is advisable to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Cereal porridges are very healthy; they contain many vitamins necessary for fat and protein metabolism.
Physical activity can help in the fight against stress. You can sign up for dancing, a gym or yoga class. Taking up your favorite hobby will also be very effective. The main thing is to find something you like.
Healthy sleep is an extremely important component of treatment. It’s better to go to bed a couple of hours before midnight, and sleep for at least eight hours. After all, under stress, the body needs more time to rest. To sleep better, you can take a walk in the fresh air before going to bed. If you suffer from insomnia, calming herbal tinctures will help you collect your thoughts and calm down. The most common infusions are: valerian, chamomile, motherwort, hawthorn, tincture of lemon balm and peppermint.
At least one day a week should be set aside for rest. On this day it is better to stay at home and try not to think about problems. It’s better to turn off your phone and computer and devote your day off to what you love. You can just read a book, watch a movie or listen to music.
It is extremely important to try to eliminate the source of stress. Quite often a person provokes himself, perceiving everything too negatively. For this reason, stress occurs, leading to exhaustion of the body.

IN severe cases Treatment may require hospitalization.

How to increase stress resistance

In order to increase stress resistance, you need to think less about problems. There are problems in every person's life. There is no point in thinking about them, they need to be solved. If the problem seems unsolvable, there is no need to worry about it. If something cannot be changed, then you need to change your attitude towards it. Just put it aside for a while and don’t think about it, and soon you will definitely find a way to solve it.

Often reserved people are perceived as the most able to withstand stressful situations. But in reality, it turns out that such people simply hide their emotions; they accumulate over time and act destructively. Every person needs to get rid of accumulated negativity. For example, you can attend a concert or football game and scream your heart out.

It will be easier for you to remain calm in stressful situations if you learn to breathe correctly.

There is no need to be ashamed of your emotions. If you want to cry, cry. This advice also applies to men. Tears help relieve tension and get rid of accumulated negativity.

We, who live in conditions of emotional stress and nervousness, often attribute our fatness to the inability to not eat when we are nervous. So why do people behave so differently?

It is known that animals in a state of danger or illness stop eating. The same instinct lives in people: when a person is faced with a difficulty that poses a real threat, he cannot even think about food, all his strength and will are concentrated on the need to survive and protect himself.

For example, a person experiencing the death of someone close cannot eat anything, because his body is currently completely absorbed in the experience of loss: he must emotionally survive the misfortune and cope with stress, this is now more important than maintaining his strength with food. Thus, psychologists assure that a person refuses food only when the stress is really strong, and the body needs to concentrate all its strength to cope with it.

On the other hand, there are paradoxical examples from life, when a person eats when there is something hanging over him. real threat of death. So, in books about war you read about how soldiers eat something under fire. For example, Remarque describes a case when one of the soldiers in a trench quickly eats a can of stew, although the enemy is already close, and everyone knows that few will survive. There is an explanation for this behavior: a person who lives in conditions of constant stress for a long time involuntarily reaches for food, because it is able to support the weakened strength of the body. The psyche is so worn out that its strength is not enough to deal with incessant stress; food can help in some way.

Finally, we all notice that if we start eating intensely during times of stress, we mostly eat sweets. This is also no coincidence: during stress, vitamin B and magnesium are consumed first. A person needs to make up for losses, so he really wants to eat chocolate and nuts - they contain large quantities of magnesium. The body “remembers” how pleasant it felt when you ate a piece of cake, so it wants to “cover” the resulting negative feeling with pleasant sensations.

As you can see, different reactions people in situations of stress have an explanation, therefore, if you suffer from overeating during difficult times for you, first of all we advise you to find out the nature of your stress - is it so serious?

Of course it's hard when life circumstances develop in such a way that you cannot cope with them at the moment, and you have to be patient. Of course, no diet will help until the cause is eliminated nervous shocks, however, try to control yourself. If you absolutely cannot live without eating something, it would be better if it were fruits and juices. If you realize that the stress that makes you run to the refrigerator is not stress at all, try to overcome it, because in in this case it's really possible: train your willpower.

Stress and weight. How to get rid of “eating” due to nervousness?

Eating during stress

Have you ever asked for more during a family meal, not because you were hungry, but to please your mother-in-law who was trying so hard? Or maybe you've ever ordered dessert in a cafe just because your best friend really wanted to share a large piece of butter cake with you? You didn’t want sweets at all, but you honestly ate your half, because your friend would be offended if you refused...

If you have been in similar situations, it is very possible that you suffer from a pathological desire to please others. At the same time, the desire to make your family and friends happy forces you to eat more than you need. And this is just one of the emotional reasons that can lead to extra pounds.

Anger, loneliness, guilt, regret, sadness - these feelings and stress often cause us to seek comfort in food. A cup of hot chocolate, a slice of cake, a little cheese and wine - and life no longer seems so sad, and the weather no longer so cloudy and cold. There is hardly a woman who, at least once in her life, has not tried to brighten up the agonizing wait with a bag of chips or console herself for a scandal at work with a package of ice cream with roasted nuts and chocolate chips.

Stress and excess weight

Everyone's favorite

You eat for others, not for yourself. Psychologists have long noticed: when in a company where it is customary to eat a lot, even those who are usually used to limiting themselves unconsciously increase their portions. That is why this statement is true: if all your friends are overweight, then your chances of gaining unnecessary pounds also increase. And if, among other things, you also strive to please others, you will begin to eat even more.

And after overeating, depression sets in, and not only because you can’t fit into your favorite jeans. When your main desire is to please others, it turns out that you allow others to decide what is good for yourself. You stop listening to your own desires. There is only one way out of this situation: listen to your inner voice.

Think about what you want. If you are not really hungry, praise the hostess, you can say something like this: “The pies are simply wonderful, and the aroma is such that you will lick your fingers. But I was so full at lunch that I think I’ll abstain now.” Ask to wrap up some pies to take home and eat them at home when you get hungry. Or treat them to friends and colleagues at the office.
Learn to say no. Of course, you are used to doing everything the way others like, and it will be difficult for you at first. Mainly because you will be forced to fight your own habits, even reflexes. After all, most likely, you grew up with the conviction that you need to take care exclusively of your loved ones and not take your own interests into account. And you can cope with it only with some effort. You have to master a skill that you didn’t know before, that’s all.

Gradually learn to say a polite “no.” Start with those who push unnecessary services or goods on you. Then try to refuse friends who invite you to an uninteresting event. And when you master all this, perhaps you will be able to refuse a second piece of cake at the birthday party of your aunt, who is famous for her culinary talents, without remorse.

Looking for a thrill

You're bored and take out a bag of candy. Most likely, what you need is not food, but an influx of dopamine, a substance that is produced in the brain and is responsible for pleasure, arousal and appetite. Dopamine is associated with basic human needs and is necessary primarily so that we remember to eat on time.

But the frequent use of various medications and poor nutrition have led to the internal systems of the body becoming confused and failing. Substances that are designed to ensure that our body receives the necessary energy become the cause of a variety of addictions and overeating. It has already been proven that in the process of digesting sweet and fatty foods in the brain, approximately the same sharp release of dopamine occurs as after taking drugs. The only difference is in the strength of the effect, but the principle, as doctors assure, is the same.

More emotions! Think about what activities might lift your spirits. Dancing? Skiing? Scuba diving? Every person has their own idea of fun. Some people need to jump with a parachute to get a jolt, while others just need to master crocheting. Listen to yourself and choose what you like.
Maximum variety. Do you always get to work by subway? Get off one station early and walk the rest of the way. If you need to lose weight, don't focus on one program. When you get tired of counting calories, switch to separate meals, then to a protein diet, then to the menu. In the same way, change the types of physical activity: today you do dancing, tomorrow you do yoga, and the day after tomorrow go to a strip class.

sleep against hunger

Workaholic and altruist

If this is your problem, know that even small lifestyle changes can help curb your appetite.

Start with the simplest things. Think about ways to reduce the stress you are often exposed to. For example, make it a rule to take a five-minute break between work and home. Sit in your car for five minutes before going home. Close your eyes, listen to pleasant music, meditate. Or just stand in the fresh air, looking at the sky. Take a few deep breaths and go to your family in a good mood.
Learn to listen to yourself. When you are worried and your hands reach for a box of chocolates, take a little time out - at least for 5-10 seconds. Think about what else you can do to please yourself at the moment. And let this joy not be associated with food! Make a list of things you can do during a short break to take a little break and calm down. Play solitaire on the computer, call a friend, and if you have pets, pet a cat or dog.
Voice your intentions. A recently published study by Greek scientists suggests that people who are trying to learn a new skill perform better when they say key words out loud. When you're feeling anxious and ready to reach for the box of cookies, try to change the situation by saying out loud, "Now I'm going to read for five minutes." This will help you break the vicious cycle of automatic actions. Your autopilot will turn off and you will be in control of your actions again.

If none of these remedies work, don't be so quick to blame yourself. Instead, be curious and reflect on what went wrong and what you can do differently next time. As a rule, those people who know how to take into account their experience achieve what they want and use it so as not to repeat mistakes. Therefore, turn to your natural wisdom, and you can find answers to these simple questions.

How to stop stress eating

Do you eat up any excitement? This means you need to be able to cope with stress without overeating. In this article we will tell you how to create a personal “anti-stress” nutrition plan.

Trying to be perfect can sometimes lead to stress. Diets also cause stress. Illnesses of loved ones are another cause of stress, as are things at work, family responsibilities, and other endless worries. What is our reaction? We begin to look for a “cure” for mental pain, fatigue or melancholy. Alcohol? Drugs? For many women it becomes such a medicine. food. Excess food naturally leads to weight gain, which, as you might guess, only increases the same stress.

Mini test. If you answered “yes” to at least three questions, then you most likely use food as a stress reliever.

1. Does your willpower disappear in the afternoon and evening?

2. Does food help relieve emotional stress and bring you satisfaction?

3. Do you eat as if in a fog, not noticing how your hand takes chips or nuts out of the bag?

4. When you feel exhausted during the day, do you try to “recharge” with sweets or fatty foods, caffeine and nicotine?

5. You consume most calories after five o'clock in the evening?

Why does stress increase appetite?

The content of stress hormones in the body - cortisol and anxiety hormone (its scientific name- “releasing corticotropin”) - reaches its maximum early in the morning, at 6–8 o’clock. It is at this time that you feel energetic, it is easy for you to focus your attention and concentrate on something. By lunchtime, the level of stress hormones gradually decreases, and in the afternoon you feel a lack of energy and find it difficult to concentrate. This usually occurs between 15:00 and 16:00. Biologically, your body begins to prepare for rest and then sleep after a long, stressful day. Finally, hormone levels are at their lowest during sleep so you can be fully rested. By 2 a.m. they begin to grow again, preparing you for the morning awakening.

That is, following the natural biorhythm of stress hormones, we would have to have dinner early and go to bed at 8–9 pm.

Overeating in the afternoon is a leading cause of stress-related excess weight in women. The time between 15:00 and 24:00 can be called the CortiZone: the level of the stress hormone cortisol drops. Today, we no longer live according to the natural cycle of stress hormones. When it's time to rest, we still have a lot of urgent matters to deal with, hustle and bustle in transport, business dinners and countless household chores. Tired and anxious, we look to food for a source of energy and a cure for negative emotions caused by the need to cope with stress in the afternoon. It is not surprising that at dinnertime a person wants to “reward” himself for surviving another day. Women who feel especially exhausted and overloaded often like to enjoy themselves after dinner, late at night. They are looking for quick, immediate pleasure on the plate.

Golden rules of nutrition for every day

You need to learn how to safely overcome the CortiZone and finally break the vicious circle of overeating.
During main meals, 55–60% of calories should come from carbohydrates, with preference given to complex carbohydrates (unrefined grains, vegetables and fruits); 15–20% is the share of proteins and 25% is the share of fats.
If you have breakfast before 7 am, have a snack 3 hours later. Be sure to eat something protein (like yogurt) and fruit, and lunch should be between 12:00 and 13:00. If you eat breakfast after 8am, ideally you should only snack on fruit between breakfast and lunch.
The afternoon snack should be 3 hours after lunch. It is necessary that it contains proteins, carbohydrates and little fat. For example, soup with biscuits, skim cheese with fruit, low-fat yogurt or kefir.
Try not to have the lion's share of what you eat during the day during the CortiZone. Consume most of your calories (about 65%) before 5 pm.
Keep track of the time! Eating too much after 8 pm will make you gain weight.

How to tame “overeating hormones”?

People who overeat under the influence of stress “program” their “CortiZone” problems in the very morning, during breakfast. In the morning, they either eat too many carbohydrates and too little protein, or skip breakfast altogether. They also skip lunch or eat completely symbolically: yogurt, a little cottage cheese, a couple of sandwiches or a bowl of soup. It’s no wonder that by the time “hour X” arrives, they feel very hungry. If stress stimulates your appetite, your job is to develop resistance to it. To do this, you need a nutrition plan for the “dangerous” time of day - CortiZone. You'll also need to change your daily habits to keep your stress hormone levels as close to normal as possible and avoid mindless chewing (and the inevitable excess weight that comes with it).

5 ways you can do this

1. It is necessary to psychologically come to terms with the fact that, for objective reasons, you feel physical and mental fatigue after 15:00, and not worry that “there is still a lot of work ahead, but your strength is already running out.” Try to plan your day so that after three o'clock in the afternoon you have less stressful and difficult work. If you have no choice, during the CortiZone you are forced to work like a bee, break each task into small task stages that will be easier to cope with.

2. Be careful with products from which you are accustomed to draw strength and calm. These “benefits” come at a high price. Caffeine, nicotine, medications (eg for weight loss), alcohol, refined sugars and fats create new problems.

3. Physical activity at any time of the day helps you feel more energetic during the CortiZone. Both regular and “emergency” workouts are the easiest way to both calm down and invigorate at the same time. Ideal in stressful situation, for example, walk at a brisk pace for 30–45 minutes. Even if you walk for a couple of minutes, the stress noticeably recedes. Exercise regulates stress hormones: the body produces beta-endorphins, which act as a natural stimulant. Endorphins block stress reactions in the body.

4. Learn to mobilize strength in the face of stress. Equipment will come in handy deep breathing, meditation, ability to switch attention from negative thoughts to neutral or positive.

5. Arm yourself with a daily meal plan (see above “Golden Rules of Nutrition for Every Day”). Plan in advance what you will eat for afternoon snack and dinner.

Loss of appetite due to nervousness: what to do

At first glance, it seems that stress and depression cause disturbances only in the nervous system. Any nervous disorder provokes a malfunction of all body systems, the autonomic nervous system.

55% lose their appetite and food seems less tasty.
30% emotional disorder provokes functional disorders intestines and digestion.
For 10%, unpleasant thoughts about life’s problems distract them from eating.
Less than 5% experience nausea or vomiting on nervous soil.

Lack of appetite can result in undesirable consequences due to stress, which already has a negative effect on the body.

What to do if a person has experienced mental disorder and refuses to eat? We'll tell you in the article.

Why there is no appetite during stress

Any disorder provokes nervous exhaustion, emotional overload, and fatigue.
When stressed, the autonomic nervous system, which controls the functioning of internal organs, suffers.
Neurosis and depression are a provoking factor of general tension, spasm of the gastrointestinal tract, which is manifested by loss of appetite and altered perception of the taste of food.
Being exposed to constant stress, metabolism and hormone secretion changes.
Low levels of leptin and estrogen, sudden changes in cortisol due to stress are one of the main causes of nervous loss of appetite.

What could be the consequences?

Without treatment, the risk of rapid weight loss and nervous exhaustion very big.

A long-term lack of appetite can result in sleep disturbances and insomnia.
A common complication of nervous weight loss in women is a disorder menstrual cycle.
In children's and adolescence there is a high risk of vitamin deficiency, sharp decline immunity, impaired formation of the musculoskeletal system, susceptibility to colds and viral diseases.
A dangerous consequence of neurosis and depression is anorexia nervosa with quick loss weight to the point of exhaustion.
Loss of appetite is accompanied by headache, severe drowsiness and weakness, muscle pain, arrhythmia, muscle spasms, impaired intestinal motility.

For any nervous disorder nutrition - important factor to maintain body functions.

How to recover from an eating disorder

Appetite regulates the function of the body's intake of nutrients, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The center of hunger and satiety is located in the hypothalamus. If your blood glucose level drops, it sends a signal to eat and increase your energy balance.

At unbalanced diet and the habit of snacking on sweets, the body does not receive the required amount of nutrients.

You can recover from an eating disorder by following three simple rules:

You should eat at least three times a day.
In your diet you need to adhere to the formula of 50% carbohydrates, 25% proteins and 25% fats.
Consume sweets in small quantities (up to 100 g) as a snack between main meals, and never eat on an empty stomach.

Replenishing the lack of amino acids

Reason bad sleep and appetite, fatigue and malaise may be a lack of amino acids. The amino acid tryptophan is essential for humans and is involved in the regulation of vitamin B3 synthesis and appetite. You can fill the deficiency with certain products:

Soybeans and legumes, lentils, chickpeas, peas.
Dairy products, yogurt, milk, fermented baked milk, kefir.
All nuts contain tryptophan. It is enough to consume up to 50 g of almonds per day, walnuts, cashew, hazelnut.
Mushrooms and dried fruits, dates, raisins, figs.
Meat and fish, especially sea fish.

B vitamins

Essential vitamins in food:

Walnuts contain sufficient amounts of vitamin B1, B5 and B6.
Bananas are rich in vitamin C and B5-6.
Almonds and cashews are a source of a whole complex of group B - B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9.
Avocados and oats are rich in vitamins B1, B5 and B6.
Spirulina, spinach, asparagus and pumpkin are rich in vitamins B12 and B6.

Foods rich in zinc

In the body, zinc takes part not only in the metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and enzymes, but also promotes sexual development, the functioning of the immune system and the functioning of the pancreas with the synthesis of insulin.

You can compensate for the lack of zinc with the following products:

Barley and buckwheat groats;
lean turkey, rabbit and duck meat;
peas, beans and chickpeas;
low-fat cheese and cottage cheese;
pine nuts, peanuts.

Medicines to increase appetite

First of all, it is necessary to make sure of the cause of the eating disorder, since the methods of treating psycho-emotional disorders are extremely different from the treatment of somatic diseases.

Restore appetite in case of syndrome anorexia nervosa, depression and neurosis.

Indirectly affect appetite and improve psychosis emotional condition.

Regulate metabolism and increase tone.

Participates in metabolic processes and restores the metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, thereby regulating eating behavior and appetite.

The importance of diet

Regular nutrition not only enriches the body with essential nutrients, but also sets the rhythm of functioning of all digestive and metabolic organs. At the same time, it is important to eat regularly and in a balanced manner, observing the intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Four or five meals a day are optimal.

Breakfast should be in the first 2 hours after waking up, in a 2:1 ratio of carbohydrate and protein foods.
The first snack can be between breakfast and lunch. Fruits are suitable light salad, dairy products.

Lunch should contain at least 40% protein, 30% fat and 30% carbohydrates. Share simple carbohydrates– flour and sweet, should be one third less than the amount complex carbohydrates(cereals, cereals, legumes).
The optimal second snack is protein products (eggs, cottage cheese), nuts, 1 fruit of your choice, vegetables in any form.
Dinner should be light, mostly protein with sufficient quantity vegetables, fiber. Carbohydrates before bed are not recommended.

Appetite stimulants - spices and seasonings

Some foods especially increase hunger and appetite, and can rightfully replace medications.

Marinades, pickles, canned and lightly salted cucumbers and tomatoes.
Herbal spices - basil, cilantro, dill, red paprika and chili.
Ground black and white pepper.
Horseradish, mustard, ginger and wasabi.
Fresh sour berries or fruit drinks from cranberries, lingonberries, lemon and pomegranate juice.

However, if you have a stomach disease, gastritis or peptic ulcer- stimulating the appetite with peppery, salty and sour foods is prohibited. This can provoke inflammation of the gastric mucosa and exacerbation of the underlying disease.

Conclusion

Loss of appetite may not be the only manifestation of emotional overstrain and stress. To prevent nervous exhaustion and anorexia during depressed state, you should not resort to methods of increasing appetite without the advice of a doctor. Currently, an experienced psychoneurologist can easily identify the causes poor appetite, and will prescribe the most appropriate treatment and remedies that will not cause harm to the body.

What diseases do women get due to stress and how to deal with it?

Stress affects your physical and emotional well-being in worse ways than you think. It threatens with many problems: from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract to heart attacks. 75–90% of initial visits to the doctor are due to stress. And the female body reacts especially sensitively to stress.

Women react to stress differently than men. Although the sex hormones and neurochemical processes of the fairer sex protect to some extent from stress, women are more susceptible to its physical and emotional effects. Women do not run away from stress and do not fight it, but survive it for a long time.

How stress affects women

The natural anti-stress hormone oxytocin is produced in women during childbirth, breastfeeding, and in both sexes during orgasm. So in this regard, the fair half of humanity wins. However, women need much more oxytocin than men to maintain their emotional health.

According to Dr. Paul Rosch, Vice President Emeritus International Association stress management, women are less likely to be abstinent and experience more relationship stress than men.

According to experts from the American Academy of Family Physicians, stress is an expression of the natural instinct of self-preservation. And while it may alert a woman to immediate danger, such as a fast-approaching car, long-term stress has negative effects on physical and emotional health.

What diseases can you get due to stress?

According to the American Institute of Stress, 75–90% of initial visits to the doctor are complaints of stress-related health problems. The effects of stress can manifest in a variety of ways, from headaches to irritable bowel syndrome.

Here are some other body reactions to stress:

Violations eating behavior. Anorexia and bulimia are 10 times more common in women than men, and this is most likely related to stress levels. Like depression, these disorders are caused by a lack of serotonin and are often treated with antidepressants that increase the production of the happy hormone.
Stomach ache. Stress makes you reach for unhealthy and “comfort” foods that are high in calories and easy to prepare. Another case: due to stress, you cannot eat anything at all. The main stress-related disorders are cramps, bloating, heartburn, and irritable bowel syndrome. Depending on whether you stress eat or, on the contrary, starve, you gain or lose weight.
Skin reactions. Stress can aggravate existing conditions and cause itchy rashes or spots.
Emotional disorders. Stress can lead to constant bad mood, irritability, or more serious mental problems such as depression. Women are better at hiding anger than men because they have a larger area of the brain responsible for such emotions, but women are twice as likely to be affected by depression. The impact of stress on women's emotional well-being can vary from postpartum depression to depression during menopause.
Sleep problems. Among women, stressed, often have trouble falling asleep or are too light a sleeper. And this is especially bad because strong healthy sleep helps reduce the negative effects of stress.
Difficulty concentrating. Stress makes it difficult to concentrate and cope effectively with work and home affairs. If stress is caused by problems at work, and then it interferes with work, then it becomes a vicious circle.
Heart diseases. Stress negatively affects the cardiovascular system, increases blood pressure, and leads to heart attacks and strokes.
Decreased immunity. One of the most difficult physical reactions to stress - a decrease in the body's ability to fight diseases, be it a cold or chronic diseases.
Cancer. Some scientists believe there is a link between stress and breast and ovarian cancer. Thus, it was found that the risk of developing breast cancer was 62% higher in women who experienced more than one difficult event, such as divorce or the death of a spouse.

How to Reduce Stress Levels

A study presented at a recent meeting of the Western Psychological Association found that 25% of your happiness comes from how well you manage stress. And the most important strategy for managing stress was planning or anticipating what might upset you and using stress-reducing techniques. And these techniques are as old as time.

Start eating right

Avoid junk food and eat balanced meals. This way you will improve your physical state, and then emotional. Here are some of our articles to help you:

Find time to exercise

Exercise is a phenomenal way to combat stress and depression. Research shows that exercise improves your mood and releases endorphins, natural chemicals that improve your emotional state.

Find ways to relax

Meet with relatives and friends with whom you enjoy communicating. Think about your previous hobbies. For example, knitting and lace-making reduce the effects of stress. Yoga, meditation and tai chi also successfully combat stress.

If you feel that you are being haunted by constant stress, be sure to learn to manage it. Learn new techniques, consult a doctor, do not leave everything as it is until constant experiences have had too strong an impact on your body.

Stress theory: why do some people lose their appetite while others overeat?

Why is it that some people can’t get a piece of food down their throats due to nervousness, while others can’t be torn away?

Do not rush to classify the first strong-willed individuals, and call others weak-willed gluttons. Character and willpower have nothing to do with it.

Animal reactions

When they say that some people eat less when stressed, while others eat more than usual, the conclusion suggests itself: it means that they have different stress, says Dmitry Voedilov, psychologist. - During times of very strong stress associated with a danger to life, when a person is preparing for extreme shocks, severe pain, etc., the need for food fades into the background. The body, even if it is very hungry, switches to a more important task - “to save itself!” For example, it is useless to persuade a soldier to eat before a battle. Conversely, moderate stress, not associated with a threat to life, but constant, contributes to gluttony. Remember the phrase of one of the characters in the cartoon “Shrek 2”: “That’s it, you upset me. I’ll go eat two hamburgers.” Recently, some researchers asked the question: why are all sinners fat? Therefore, it turns out that they are in constant stress and are forced to eat to calm down.

Constantly eating unhealthy foods can in itself cause stress to the nervous system. These are mainly foods that contain little protein and vitamins, without which it cannot work normally (everything fatty, cakes, pastries, pickles, smoked foods). Do not be under the illusion that smoked sausage is a source of protein, but rather a supplier of fat, salt and preservatives, and the meat in it can be replaced with starch and other additives.

Having noticed that food really calms you down (the body remembers how good it felt after eating the cake), a person resorts to this method again and again, adds Andrey Konovalov, psychologist, psychotherapist. - And soon it becomes an obsessive habit: even in case of the slightest stress, a person pounces on food. In psychology this is called “positive consolidation.” The same thing is used when training animals: the dog fulfilled the command - here's some dry food or sugar. And the more a person is unaware of his actions under stress, the more inclined he is to reproduce these animal reactions.

Hormones and vitamins

In addition to mental ones, there are also “material” reasons that force you to eat or not eat. One of the main ones is violation hormonal balance in organism. During very strong sudden stress, a large dose of adrenaline is immediately released into the bloodstream - it suppresses appetite. But constant, exhausting stress causes the adrenal glands to increase the release of another hormone - cortisol. By the way, it can be measured using a simple saliva test. The more it is, the stronger a person’s desire to eat heavily.

Stress takes a toll crushing blow on reserves of some vitamins and microelements.

When a person is nervous, vitamins B (contained in dairy and meat products) and C (black and red berries, Bell pepper, kiwi), explains Tamara Popova, a nutritionist of the highest category at the Central Research Institute of Gastroenterology. - The magnesium content decreases sharply, and an irresistible desire arises to eat foods that contain it, such as chocolate, nuts, dried fruits. Therefore, even people who are not prone to overeating in ordinary life sharply increase their consumption of sweets in difficult times. It is better to replace unhealthy snacks with healthier mini-snacks: cereals or rye bread, crackers, spinach salad with crushed sunflower seeds. Stimulants such as tea and coffee are best avoided.

But it’s much more effective to deal with stress itself, and if it does happen, find relief not in food.

If you do not remove the irritant - the cause of stress, then no diet will help: the person will gain kilograms, says Dmitry Voedilov. - After all, due to prolonged extreme work, the brain will always need nourishment - glucose, which is provided by carbohydrates and sweets.

They help to discharge physical exercise, massage, new interesting activity. “Give yourself a goal: I will get out of stress in such and such a period,” says Andrei Konovalov, “and control the number of days remaining. Oddly enough, this technique works.”

Why does stress cause loss of appetite and nausea?

When you're nervous, you don't want to eat.

The reason for this is adrenaline released into the blood.

With its large presence, processes occur in the human body in which the feeling of hunger does not appear.

When adrenaline is released, the number of heart contractions, sweating, lack of air, and hand tremors increase. At the same time, I don’t feel like eating at all.

To reduce the release of adrenaline, take beta blockers as prescribed by a doctor. I have used them myself more than once. We must remember that they can contribute to cardiac arrest. Without a doctor, no, no!

But I know for sure that there are people who, when excited, begin to absorb food in large quantities.

It's different for everyone.

Judging by your question, you are a unique person! By at least I have yet to meet people who lose their appetite due to nervous overload! This is due to the fact that when a person is nervous, he spends more energy than in a calm state, which means the body requires replenishment of lost energy! Appetite comes accordingly! Personally, when I’m nervous, I can tear the refrigerator into pieces, if at home, of course, and if there is something to eat in the refrigerator))))

For me this is a very good way to lose a few kilos. But many women, on the contrary, get better when they are stressed and start consuming sweets to distract themselves. - 5 years ago

Why don't you feel like eating when you're nervous?

You don’t feel like eating when you’re nervous, and nausea can even set in when a person has just experienced some fairly strong short-term stress. It could be an unpleasant conversation, a fight, or something else that caused a strong emotional outburst. In this case, creeping nausea and lack of appetite are normal, because it’s not for nothing that at such moments they say that a piece won’t fit into the throat.

But if a person experiences emotional stress for quite a long time, then the body begins to adapt and tries to protect itself, but then, on the contrary, a strong appetite appears and the likelihood of gaining overweight, if the stressful situation is not resolved in a short time.

But for me it happens differently.

There was a time when I was very nervous, I couldn’t get a bite into my throat, I could hardly force myself to drink at least tea, my body was constantly in nervous tension, and as a result, during the shooting range of the day I lost 3 kilograms of weight in two days.

And it happens that when I’m nervous, on the contrary, I’m always hungry, my legs themselves carry me to the refrigerator in search of something edible, I don’t even notice that I’m constantly chewing something, it feels like my brain just turns off, but what’s strange , that in this case I’m probably not gaining extra pounds nerve cells manage to burn all the extra calories.

Severe stress

Any strong impact on a person leads to the activation of the protective abilities of his body, or stress. Moreover, the strength of the stimulus is such that existing barriers cannot provide the necessary level of protection, which leads to the launch of other mechanisms.

Severe stress plays an important role in a person’s life, as it neutralizes the consequences caused by the stimulus. The stress reaction is characteristic of all living beings, but due to the social factor it has reached its greatest perfection in humans.

Symptoms of severe stress

All types of such body reactions are characterized by some general signs burnout, which affects not only the physical, but also psychological sphere person. The number of symptoms of severe stress is directly proportional to its severity.

Cognitive signs include problems with memory and concentration, persistent restlessness, and anxious thoughts, fixation only on bad events.

IN emotional sphere stress manifests itself as moodiness, short temper, irritability, feelings of overwhelm, isolation and loneliness, an inability to relax, general sadness and even depression.

Behavioral symptoms of severe stress include overeating or undereating, drowsiness or insomnia, neglect of responsibilities, isolation from other people, nervous habits(snapping fingers, biting nails), as well as using drugs, cigarettes and alcohol to relax.

Among physical signs may include headaches, nausea and dizziness, rapid heartbeat, diarrhea or constipation, loss of sexual desire, and frequent colds.

It is worth noting that symptoms and signs of severe stress can be caused by several other medical and psychological problems. If the listed symptoms are detected, you must contact a psychologist who will give a competent assessment of the situation and determine whether these signs are related to this phenomenon.

Consequences of severe stress

Under moderate stress, a person's body and mind work most efficiently, which prepares the body for optimal mode functioning. In this case, the set goals are achieved without depleting vitality.

Unlike moderate severe stress remains a positive factor only for a very short time, after which it leads to violations normal life person.

The consequences of severe stress are serious problems with health and malfunctions of almost all body systems: blood pressure rises, the risk of stroke and heart attack increases, the immune system is suppressed, and the aging process accelerates. Another consequence of such overexertion may be infertility. After severe stress, there are also anxiety disorders, depression and neuroses.

Many problems arise or get worse after a stressful situation, for example:

You can avoid the negative impact of stress factors by increasing the level of stress resistance, using existing methods, or using medications.

Ways to increase stress resistance

Help increase stress resistance:

Social connections. With the support of family members and friends, it is much easier to avoid severe stress, and if it does happen, it is easier to cope with it in the company of close people;
Feeling of control. A self-confident person is able to influence events and overcome difficulties; he is calmer and more easily accepting of any stressful situation;
Optimism. With such a worldview, the consequences of severe stress are practically neutralized, a person perceives changes as a natural part of his life, believes in goals and higher powers;
Ability to cope with emotions. If a person does not know how to calm himself down, he is very vulnerable. The ability to bring emotions into a state of balance helps to resist adversity;
Knowledge and preparation. Understanding what awaits a person after severe stress helps to accept the stressful situation. For example, recovery from surgery will be less traumatic if you learn about its consequences in advance, rather than waiting for a miraculous healing.

Methods for quickly relieving tension and stress

Some tricks help a short time get rid of severe stress. These include the following methods:

Physical exercises - jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing, playing tennis distract from the problem;
Deep breathing - concentrating on your own breathing helps you forget about the stressor for a while and look at the situation from the outside;
Relaxation – promotes sleep soundly and effectively relieves stress;
A break from everyday life - going on vacation, going to the theater or cinema, reading books, artificially creating images in your head, for example, a forest, river, beach, allow you to escape;
Meditation – gives a feeling of peace and well-being;
Massage is one of the most effective ways relaxation and reduction of the effects of severe stress;
Slowing down the pace of life helps you look at the current situation in a calmer environment;
Revision of life positions - attempts to achieve unrealistic goals lead to nervous breakdowns and stress, and inevitable failures only aggravate the condition.

Sedatives for severe stress

The safest sedatives for severe stress are herbal preparations (motherwort, valerian, mint). They are suitable for people who are able to control their own emotions and, by and large, can calm down on their own. But if the stress is prolonged, such drugs are not suitable. Herbal tablets are optimal for children, as they are deprived side effects, are not addictive and do not linger in the body.

No less popular are bromine preparations, which are relatively safe, although they can accumulate in the body, causing bromism, manifested by apathy, lethargy, adynamia, and in men also a decrease in libido.

However, the main sedatives for severe stress are tranquilizers, or anxiolytics. Tranquilizers remove feelings of fear and anxiety, reduce muscle tone, reduce the speed of thinking and completely calm you down. Such drugs have dangerous side effects, the main ones being rapid addiction, as well as a decrease in mental and motor activity. Anxiolytics are prescribed only by a specialist.

Another type of pill used after severe stress is antidepressants. Although they are not related to sedatives, but they allow you to relieve tension and get your emotional state in shape. Antidepressants have a strong effect on the central nervous system, helping to forget about troubles, but they cannot be taken without a doctor’s prescription, since these pills are also addictive.

All methods are important in the fight against stress, but you should not self-medicate. An experienced specialist will advise the best way treatment in each specific situation.

Stress? Let's eat! Only right...

When stress sets in, many men try to overcome it with drinking, and women pounce on all sorts of goodies and sweets. Why is this happening? Is it really necessary to “eat away” stress? And how to do it correctly so as not to harm your health?

If your mood suddenly changes from good to bad, if you... for a long time You can’t get rid of the feeling of fatigue, if you are constantly thirsty, but, on the contrary, you don’t want to do anything, if you are haunted by apathy and tearfulness, it means that His Majesty Stress has grabbed you in his tenacious embrace!

Stress is not just a bad mood. Everything is much more serious. And the reaction to stress can be different - passive or active.

You can simply give in to depression. Lie down on the sofa and lie staring at the ceiling or wall, feeling sorry for yourself and shedding tears. This is understandable - after all, at such moments you are overcome by severe apathy, you don’t want to deal with stress and don’t want anything at all - not to see or hear anyone!

After lying like this for an hour or two, you almost certainly drag yourself to the refrigerator and think - what delicious thing can you eat to eat this very stress, so that it won’t be so excruciatingly painful and offensive? It seems to you that this is the only way to somehow calm your nerves.

There is another option for the development of events: you stop eating altogether, as they say, “a piece won’t fit into your throat.” For many women, as a result of strong experiences, their appetite completely disappears. In return comes increased excitability, emotionality, nervousness and even aggressiveness. A similar reaction to stress can be observed in women before an important meeting, a trip to the doctor (especially the dentist or gynecologist), exams or an interview.

This reaction is accompanied by the need to constantly move and do something. Sitting and calmly reading, knitting or watching your favorite TV series are hampered by thoughts: what to do, how to do it, or maybe it’s better not this way, but this way... Even if you try to do something at this moment, the result will be far from perfect - an onslaught of problems and thoughts will not allow you to concentrate.

The habit of stress eating is an action based on two main reasons:

1. This can be laid down at the genetic level.

2. And the habit of stress eating can be developed as a result of upbringing. For example, it was customary in the family to welcome guests widely - the table was always laden with food, including sweets and desserts. And when the child was capricious, the kind mother “calmed” him with candy or gingerbread. Since then, the mindset has been fixed in the brain: plentiful tasty food- This is good. And if the child from the very early childhood always forced to finish his portion to the end, regardless of his desire or reluctance, then this habit gets worse. Growing up adult woman, feeling the approach of depression, quickly eats something sweet, after which the hunger only becomes stronger. It’s time for pasta with meat and fatty sauce, you don’t seem to want to eat, but you can’t leave food on the plate - that’s not how you were brought up.

Learning to conquer appetite under stress

Managing your own appetite under stress is difficult, but possible. Diet will not help here because it causes additional stress. Eating a lot, allowing yourself fatty, floury and sweet foods is a habit cultivated since childhood, which means you will have to fight it for a long time and patiently.

As soon as your hand starts to reach for the cake, stop and tell yourself: “I'm not hungry! Why on earth should I eat now? I won’t give in to this bad habit, I’ll eat this cake in an hour!” Now your task is to distract yourself. Any options are suitable for this - go to a concert or a movie, walk the streets, visit a couple of clothing stores, take a bath with many pleasant procedures, go to a beauty salon or hairdresser... Time will fly by, but the cake will not be eaten.

Never keep chocolates or buns in your desk or purse! Let there be nothing high-calorie or sweet on hand at all. If there are such products in the house, hide them away, for example, on the highest cabinets, so that they cannot be reached without using a stepladder or stool. Instead of chocolate, put a bag of walnuts or almonds in your bag. They are quite suitable for a snack, but from the point of view of nutritionists they are much healthier than sweets. Options are apple, orange or kiwi.

If you don’t have the willpower to refuse a delicious cake, if you feel that you will be unhappy if you don’t eat it immediately, give in to yourself! But: take a tiny bite, chew slowly and enjoy the taste, and don’t stuff yourself with calories just to “let go” of stress.

Try consulting a nutritionist and psychologist. These guys will give you practical advice on how best to cope with the feeling of hunger and not harm your body.

Keep a diary in which you write down what and how much you eat every day. This will help later, by analyzing the recordings, to understand what exactly gives nervous hunger the command “Fast!”, and how to avoid similar situations in the future.

Set a rule for yourself: no more than four spoons or pieces! That is, 4 spoons of ice cream and that’s it, or bite into the cake 4 times. The result is a compromise that allows you to inflict less damage on the figure.

If you couldn’t control your appetite and “lost it” - don’t scold yourself! You need to love yourself for who you are. Just start over!

Why don't you feel like eating when you're nervous?

I've had this all my life, so I'm skinny.

If I had the opposite appetite during stress, I think I would be plump now))

When you're nervous, you don't want to eat.

The reason for this is adrenaline released into the blood.

With its large presence, processes occur in the human body in which the feeling of hunger does not appear.

When adrenaline is released, the number of heart contractions, sweating, lack of air, and hand tremors increase. At the same time, I don’t feel like eating at all.

But I know for sure that there are people who, when excited, begin to absorb food in large quantities.

It's different for everyone.

Stop writing if you don't know the answer. Because with excitement, the sympathoadrenal system is activated. Catecholamines (adrenaline, norepinephrine), which are catabolic hormones, are released into the blood. They activate glycogenolysis, lipolysis, proteolysis, thereby increasing the concentration of glucose in the blood, fatty acids, amino acids. Glucoreceptors in the hypothalamus react to the level of glucose in the blood and the saturation center neurons are activated. That's why I don't want to eat

I conducted an experiment on other people about this a long time ago. When they don't feel like eating, it turns out that their blood sugar levels are very slightly elevated. Usually it is 5.9, 6, 6.1 and everything is around these numbers. I don't know if this has been scientifically proven. But I have a personal glucometer, and I long ago came to the conclusion that Stress increases blood sugar levels, metabolism is disrupted, so you don’t want to eat. It can even make you sick from eating. Conclusion: being nervous is simply terribly dangerous for your health!

When I'm nervous, I destroy everything in my path. At this point, I am required to keep the refrigerator locked. My appetite disappears when I’m sad or sad about something, but my nerves chew and chew.

Judging by your question, you are a unique person! At least I have not yet met people who lose their appetite due to nervous overload! This is due to the fact that when a person is nervous, he spends more energy than in a calm state, which means the body requires replenishment of lost energy! Appetite comes accordingly! Personally, when I’m nervous, I can tear the refrigerator into pieces, if at home, of course, and if there is something to eat in the refrigerator))))

When you are nervous, the level of the hormone adrenaline increases and the sympathetic nervous system is activated. Therefore, the need for food fades into the background. The body thus adapts to solve the problem.

Interestingly, on the contrary, when I’m nervous, I eat. Especially at work. Immediately after an unpleasant conversation with a client, I go to drink tea with something tasty and completely forget about both the client and work. For me, this is a kind of psychotherapy.

How stress affects women

According to Dr. Paul Rosch, vice president emeritus of the International Stress Management Association, women are less likely to be affected by abstinence and experience more stress than men.

Our response to stress has been carefully honed over millions of years as defense mechanism. And this was wonderful for our ancestors, who had to run away from saber-toothed tigers. The tragedy is that today there are no tigers, but there are a lot of annoying things like traffic jams, to which our unfortunate body reacts like in the old days, earning hypertension, stroke and ulcers.

What diseases can you get due to stress?

Stress comes in many forms, but if you're stressed about work, kids, neighbors, and your marriage all at the same time, it's no joke. In women, severe stress can lead to menstrual irregularities or, for example, unexpected symptoms.

Lori Heim

Here are some other body reactions to stress:

Eating disorders. Anorexia and bulimia are 10 times more common in women than men, and this is most likely related to stress levels. Like depression, these disorders occur due to a lack of serotonin and are often treated by increasing the production of the happy hormone.
Stomach ache. Stress makes you reach for unhealthy and “comfort” foods that are high in calories and easy to prepare. Another case: due to stress, you cannot eat anything at all. The main stress-related disorders are cramps, bloating, heartburn, and irritable bowel syndrome. Depending on whether you stress eat or, on the contrary, starve, you gain or lose weight.
Skin reactions. Stress can aggravate existing conditions and cause itchy rashes or spots.
Emotional disorders. Stress can lead to persistent low mood, irritability, or more serious mental problems such as depression. Women are better at hiding anger than men because they have a larger area of the brain responsible for such emotions, but women are twice as likely to be affected by depression. The impact of stress on women's emotional well-being can range from postpartum depression to depression during menopause.
Sleep problems. Women who are stressed often have trouble falling asleep or sleep too lightly. And this is especially bad because strong helps reduce the negative effects of stress.
Difficulty concentrating. Stress makes it difficult to concentrate and cope effectively with work and home affairs. If stress is caused by problems at work, and then it interferes with work, then it becomes a vicious circle.
Heart diseases. Stress negatively affects the cardiovascular system, increases blood pressure, and leads to heart attacks and strokes.
Decreased immunity. One of the most complex physical responses to stress is a decrease in the body's ability to cope, whether from a cold or chronic illness.
Cancer. Some scientists believe there is a link between stress and breast and ovarian cancer. Thus, it was found that the risk of developing breast cancer was 62% higher in women who experienced more than one difficult event, such as divorce or the death of a spouse.

How to Reduce Stress Levels

Start eating right

Avoid junk food and eat balanced meals. This way you will improve your physical condition, and then your emotional one. Here are some of our articles to help you:

Find time to exercise

Exercise is a phenomenal way to combat stress and depression. Research shows that exercise improves your mood and releases endorphins, natural chemicals that improve your emotional state.