Danny Davis
Are you struggling to lose weight? You’re not alone. Many people find it difficult to shed those extra pounds, no matter how hard they try. While there are many things you can do to help boost your weight loss efforts, one of the most important is reducing stress.
When stressed, our body releases cortisol which causes us to store more fat. This makes it harder for us to lose weight and can even lead to weight gain over time. In fact, cortisol decreases your brain’s sensitivity to leptin, a hormone that signals fullness.
Ghrelin is another hormone that increases our feelings of hunger, and its levels rise alongside cortisol. (*)
The relationship between cortisol and weight gain is well established, so let’s explore some strategies for reducing stress in our lives. (*)
Reduce sugar intake
One thing cortisol does to keep us alive is to boost our blood sugar levels when we are stressed or threatened. While this gives us extra energy to deal with the situation, a sharp rise in blood sugar is followed by a large drop. Our bodies then crave sugar to return us quickly to a normal state. We start reaching out for soda and sugary snacks to deal with the decline in energy.
This new spike in blood sugar creates a vicious cycle and creates a stress-driven roller coaster ride that leaves us exhausted and malnourished. Reach instead for food with healthy fats or low glycemic carbs that will give you steady energy instead of bursts of sugar.
Listen to Music
Music is not just for entertainment. Many studies have been published on the powerful therapeutic effects of music. A meta-analysis in the Health Psychology Review journal details our current understanding of music therapy.
The analysis asserts that music therapy can reduce stress and makes a strong case for applying music therapy within the context of mental health care practice. Listening to music is low-cost and risk-free, so break out your headphones and watch your stress melt away. (*)
Get More Sunlight
Blue light is a part of the spectrum of light that the sun produces. We get a healthy dose when we spend time outside, and this light can reduce our stress.
The Journal of Biological Rhythms published a study on the effect of bright light on cortisol and found significant results. Study subjects were exposed to blue light for 6 hours, and their cortisol levels dropped 25% from baseline. The next time you take a break from work, take a walk outside and soak up the sun.
Moderate Caffeine
Caffeine plays with a whole host of chemicals in your body: adenosine, adrenaline, cortisol, and dopamine. Too much will play havoc with your body and leave you feeling tense and stressed. This can increase cravings for unhealthy foods before and after the inevitable crash.
The Journal of Food Science published a study claiming that caffeine intake reduces our ability to taste sweetness, which increases our craving to meet that demand for sweetness. If you do drink coffee or tea, be mindful of your intake and desire for sugar as you consume caffeine.
Practice Yoga
Yoga is an ancient practice that dates back thousands of years. This exercise which focuses on flexibility, strength, and breathing, has been shown to reduce cortisol with just one week of practice.
A study performed by Thomas Jefferson Medical College observed the changes in cortisol levels of participants who did one week of yoga and compared the results to simply sitting quietly while reading and writing.
The difference was substantial and produced evidence for what the Hindus have known for millennia. Break out your yoga mat and show us your best sun salutation.
Meditate
Once your body is nice and limber from a yoga session, take a moment to meditate. Meditation is a powerful way to reduce cortisol, and yoga is the perfect way to prepare the body for more effective meditation so that you can multiply your stress relief.
The Journal of the American Medical Association published a meta-analysis of 47 studies, confirming the stress-reducing powers of meditation. The studies usually lasted about eight weeks and showed reduced stress, depression, anxiety, and pain in subjects studied. Find yourself a quiet place and breathe your stress away. (*)
Ditch the Cigarettes
It’s quite well known that tobacco is not great for your health, but if you do smoke, you ought to know the connection between smoking and cortisol.
The Oregon Research Institute in Eugene tested a group of young women to find slight weight gain in the smoking group compared to the non-smoking group. The lead author, Eric Stice, theorized that smoking could change the brain’s reward circuits to increase overeating, even for light smokers.
Drop the Alcohol
The Alcohol Research journal published a study in 2012 investigating the relationship between alcohol and stress. They found that cortisol increases with consumption, not only while drinking but even after the body detoxifies the toxin. This partially explains the hangover effect we get from drinking, but our sleep is also affected by alcohol, which is another significant indicator of stress.
Take Sleep Seriously
Everyone knows how stressful it is to go through a long day after a night of poor sleep. Most don’t know just how incredibly impactful sleep is on every aspect of our health. It’s easy to see how it affects our brains, but it also strongly impacts our immune system, heart health, endocrine system, and even our longevity.
Here are a few tips to improve the quality of your sleep. Get more bright light during the day and less before bedtime. Take advantage of your device’s night light and red light features, so you don’t inhibit melatonin release hours before bedtime. Try to avoid naps and hold a regular sleep schedule. Our circadian rhythms prefer a routine that matches the day/night cycle. Take care of your bedroom environment. Cold temperatures are proven to improve sleep quality as much as noise and light reduction. Turn that thermostat down at night. Invest in a great mattress, and of course, don’t eat too close to bedtime.
Get Your Exercise
When you exercise, your body releases cortisol in the short term to deal with the stress of working out. However, in the long run, an adaptation occurs that improves the body’s ability to deal with not only physical stress but also psychological stress. The stronger this adaption is, the less cortisol is released for the same environmental trigger.
Some types of exercise work better to lower cortisol levels over time. Published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology is a study that claimed endurance athletes had much higher long-term cortisol exposure based on hair samples. Stick to weight training and high-intensity interval training for the best effect on your stress. (*)
Now that you know a few more strategies for lowering stress in your life, you can use them to make your weight loss journey easier. Don’t let this long list stress you out, though! Just pick a few that work for you and once they are habitual, come back for more.
