Eating as a coping mechanism for stress is a common reaction to intense emotions, which is known as stress eating. This post will discuss the fundamental reasons behind stress eating, how it affects mental and physical health, and—most importantly—effective methods on how to stop stress eating habits.

After a particularly stressful day, many have felt relieved when they bite into a satisfying crunch of potato chips or enjoy a forkful of warm pasta or a sweet scoop of ice cream. Food can serve as more than just fuel for us, and it’s quite common for people to gravitate toward larger meals or more snacks even when they’re not truly hungry.

But it’s best to work with a professional who can help you stop stress eating if emotional eating during stressful times becomes a regular occurrence and is preventing you from reaching your wellness goals. While eating to relieve stress is a common response, eating too much on a regular basis can have a harmful impact on your health and raise your stress and anxiety levels.

Stress eating is defined as consuming food when your body is experiencing stress or hyperarousal, such as tense muscles, dyspnea, and possibly exhaustion, according to Christine Celio, Ph.D., head of psychology at the telemedicine startup Calibrate. Similarly, emotional eating, according to her, covers a little wider ground and can involve eating not only when under stress but also when experiencing anxiety, depression, sadness, nervousness, worry, boredom, or even joy.

Cara Harbstreet, M.S., R.D., L.D., owner of Street Smart Nutrition, says stress eating frequently results from a trigger or event that causes someone to turn to food as a sense of comfort and then causes distress to the person experiencing it. She goes on to say that stress eating can also lead to inadequate nutrient intake, financial strains, and a decrease in the variety of foods consumed.
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