Can stress affect my weight?

Reviewed by Dr Bhavini Shah

We all experience stress sometimes, but for some people it’s an ongoing issue that causes physical and psychological signs such as headaches or problems sleeping. If you’re going through a stressful period, you might have experienced symptoms such as weight changes – read on to find out why.

In this article we look at how stress can cause weight loss and weight gain.

How does stress affect my weight?

There are two main reasons why stress can affect your weight: 

1. It has a direct, physical impact on your body 
2. It leads to unhealthy lifestyle changes

Stress impacts the body by changing which hormones are released, which causes a physical response to chronic stress. Lots or people also find that their appetite is affected when they're stressed. You may find yourself eating more or less than usual.

The main stress hormones are cortisol and adrenaline.

Cortisol

“When we feel stressed, our bodies release cortisol - a significant appetite stimulant. Therefore, we may find ourselves feeling increasingly hungry during stressful periods.” - Dr Sameer Sanghvi 

The stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline make it harder for insulin to work, and this causes your blood sugar levels to rise. Heightened blood sugar is associated with weight changes, and serious conditions like type 2 diabetes.

Adrenaline

When we’re feeling stressed or anxious, our bodies release cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones help our bodies prepare for scary situations, causing our hearts to beat faster, and making us feel more alert.

 If you often feel very stressed, your body will be releasing these hormones regularly. Over time this can have a big impact on your body and make you feel physically unwell, causing symptoms such as the following:

• Problems sleeping
• Feeling very tired
• Headaches
• Chest pains
• Indigestion and heartburn
• Constipation and diarrhoea
• Erectile dysfunction

Psychological changes

As well as physical symptoms, there are mental symptoms associated with stress, including irritability, anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating. These can lead to a worsening of physical health, and to unhealthy lifestyle changes, including:

• Eating more junk food
• Drinking more alcohol
• Skipping meals
• Staying up late
• Sleep problems
• Avoiding exercise

“As well as the physical impact, there are a number of mental symptoms associated with stress too. Such as, anxiety, irritability and depression which can all lead to unhealthy lifestyle changes like eating more junk food, drinking more alcohol, skipping meals and staying up late. Ultimately, all of these are habits that can hinder weight loss.” - Dr Sameer Sanghvi 

Can stress cause me to gain weight?

Periods of stress can lead to weight gain. Studies have shown that people gravitate towards foods high in fat, sugar and calories when they’re stressed. There’s also evidence to suggest that people exercise less due to stress and spend more time being sedentary. Changes in eating and exercise patterns can cause weight gain.

“We have all heard of ‘comfort’ eating and there is a scientific explanation behind it. Scientists have found a potential link between carbohydrates and serotonin, the hormone that helps regulate our mood. Subconsciously, when we’re eating carbohydrate-rich foods, we are attempting to boost our mood. But, of course, eating lots of carbohydrates can cause weight gain." - Dr Sameer Sanghvi

Signs your weight gain may be down to stress

When we’re stressed, there are factors that can increase the likelihood of us gaining weight, these include:

• Increased appetite
• Cravings for junk food
• Lack of sleep
• Not exercising enough

All these factors can combine with other stress symptoms to cause a negative spiral, leading to greater weight gain. For instance, feeling so stressed that you can’t sleep may stop you from doing regular exercise, which in turn worsens feelings of anxiety and stress, perpetuating the cycle and making it harder to break.

Can stress cause me to lose weight?

While many people put on weight during periods of stress, others lose weight.  Stress is known to cause a loss of appetite for some people, meaning that they end up eating less food. Stress can also lead to other poor eating habits like snacking instead of eating full meals.  

The stress hormones that our bodies release can speed up our metabolism, causing us to burn calories faster and lose weight too quickly. In more extreme cases, prolonged stress may lead to depression, which can also cause weight loss. 

Signs your weight loss may be down to stress

Weight loss caused by stress is often unintentional. Meaning you’re not dieting or trying to change your weight. You should speak to your doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms such as:

• Loss of appetite
• Rapid weight loss
• Fatigue
• Change in bowel movements
• Increase in illnesses

Effective treatments for managing stress

If you’re feeling really stressed, and you’re finding that it’s impacting your daily life, it’s a good idea to speak to your GP. You might find that having counselling or CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) helps you learn how to cope with your stress and break out of negative thought patterns. They may suggest new hobbies or ways to relax that could help.

You may also be able to manage your stress by tackling some of the things that are causing it. If you feel that you can't tackle the stress on your own, or if it's affecting your day-to-day life or people around you, talk to your GP or contact Mind. 

Effective weight management treatments

If you’ve experienced weight gain after going through a period of stress, know that you’re not alone. This is common for lots of people and is probably just a temporary reaction to that stressful time. Following a healthy diet and exercise regime should help you lose weight and get back to normal. 

Of course, some people find weight loss a lot more challenging, even with diet and exercise, which is why medicated treatments are available. Here at Online Doctor we can prescribe:

• Xenical
• Orlistat
• Wegovy®
• Mounjaro®
• Saxenda

If suitable, you can access these through a simple online consultation. Find out more at our online weight loss clinic.

“If you’re concerned that you’re struggling to lose weight, you can speak to your GP who can assess your general health by measuring your height and weight to calculate your BMI and to help you identify the cause of your weight gain. 
 
“They will be able to look into if there are any health issues relating to your weight gain and help put a plan in place.” - Dr Sameer Sanghvi

Conclusion

Stress can cause weight loss and weight gain. If you’re feeling stressed and finding it’s impacting your daily life speak to your GP. They will also be able to help with any weight loss or gain you’re experiencing.  

References

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/about-anxiety/ 
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/signs-of-stress/ 
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/emotions/stress 
https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/stress-weight-loss 
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/why-lack-of-sleep-is-bad-for-your-health/ 
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/clinical-depression/symptoms/ 
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/treatment-for-stress/ 
https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102936