Stress over eating frequently? Psychiatrist Shares 6 Tips to Break the Cycle of Emotional Binge Eating

Do you swallow an entire packet of chips mindlessly, without thinking, without thinking? Being stressed is real, whether it’s the night before an exam, during a breakup, or after coming back from a busy work day. When a person is emotionally excited, he or she often turns to food as a source of comfort. Your clean eating plans fail when you engage in emotional eating. This is why emotional regulation is essential.

To understand more about what goes on in the mind of a person under stress, Dr Nishtha Laspal, consultant psychiatrist at Kailash Hospital, Noida, tells HT Lifestyle that it is a coping mechanism, something that temporarily dulls the sharp edges of overwhelming emotions.

Also read: Psychiatrist explains how ‘Human Library’ builds empathy and human connection through the power of storytelling

Why is there emotional eating?

So what exactly is emotional eating? According to Dr. Laspel, when someone eats to control emotions, they do not feel physically hungry. “Negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness, boredom or stress disrupt regular eating patterns, often causing people to seek out comfort foods high in sugar, fat and salt,” the psychiatrist explained. Stress eating is more about a psychological need than about satisfying hunger, a form of distraction from charged emotions.

Besides, it’s not just in your mind; When you eat during stress, physiological changes occur in your body, which further this cycle.

The psychologist said, “Persistent stress and anxiety alter the body’s hormonal balance, particularly cortisol, which increases hunger and cravings for calorie-dense, sugary foods. Eating such foods activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to increased cortisol release, which stimulates appetite for sugar- and fat-rich foods, leading to stress eating. And a cycle of weight continues. To get.”

6 Tips to Break the Cycle of Stress Eating

So how can you break free from this cycle? Emotional eating can feel like you’re stuck in a stress-guilt-repeat cycle, but you can reset your eating habits with the help of a few conscious changes.

Here are 6 tips shared by Dr. Laspel:

1. Keeping a mood and food journal to keep track of triggers, emotions, and food choices.
2. Practice mindful eating by recognizing true hunger and pausing before reaching for food.
3. Seeking alternative coping mechanisms such as exercise, deep breathing, or connecting with friends.
4. Creating healthy routines to combat boredom, fatigue, and loneliness, all common causes of emotional eating.
5. Remove tempting comfort foods from home and replace them with healthier snacks.
6. Accepting failures without guilt and focusing on gradual positive change.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions you may have about a medical condition.