{"id":12428,"date":"2025-10-02T19:06:26","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T19:06:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/?p=12428"},"modified":"2025-10-02T19:06:26","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T19:06:26","slug":"why-do-we-eat-when-we-are-stressed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jamaicahospital.org\/newsletter\/why-do-we-eat-when-we-are-stressed\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do We Eat When We Are Stressed?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Stress can impact our health in various ways, including our eating behaviors. It can influence our appetite, how much we eat, and the types of food we choose. Studies show that stressful events activate systems associated with metabolism, cognition, and reward.<\/p>\n

When a person is stressed or overwhelmed, their body produces cortisol, the hormone that creates the body\u2019s fight-or-flight response to help protect itself. When a person has elevated cortisol levels for a prolonged period of time, such as during repeated and constant stressors, this can lead to fat storage, weight gain, and increased consumption of foods that are energy-dense and high in sugar and fat. These types of foods are \u201ccomfort\u201d foods that can seem like they are counteracting stress; however, they may contribute to a person\u2019s stress-induced craving for those foods.<\/p>\n

There are several ways to manage stress eating, including:<\/p>\n