Article 16: Calming and Relaxing the Body-The Effects of Stress on the Body and Sensory Soothing

When life becomes unbearable, I become a complete stress eater. I immerse myself in this emotion and don't pay attention to what I'm eating. However, afterwards, I become very concerned about what I ate. I lack the emotional energy to help me make more decisions or find more ways to cope with stress. Eating helps me relieve anxiety. Because I can't escape the troubles of daily life, I have to find a way to deal with them. For example, turning off my phone for an hour helps me relax and gives me some time to recharge.

-Carli

Many stress eaters do so in the hopes of finding a way to relax. Eating a burger or ice cream is a way to relax and pamper the body. The good news is that there are many healthy ways to soothe your nerves and body without eating. In this chapter, your task is to try new ways to relax. Paying more attention to your body helps you take better care of yourself. Fortunately, your body is one of the best natural tools for coping with daily busyness and stress. In this chapter, you will learn relaxation techniques, exercises, yoga, and other ways to satisfy your feelings. Soothing your body can make your mind less sensitive to stress.

Stress has a direct impact on your body

Your body is often subjected to the impact of stress and stress eating. People experiencing chronic stress often exhibit the following: they are more prone to colds due to a weakened immune system; they gray hair earlier; and feeling overwhelmed and burdened can lead to weight loss or gain. Furthermore, when you have chronic stress, your body tends to store fat in your abdomen. The effects of stress on the body are a very good reason to seek healthy ways to comfort yourself, rather than resorting to unhealthy emotional eating.

Let's briefly look at what stress does to your body. Generally speaking, when you experience a threat, the HPA axis (which includes the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands) is activated. This triggers your body to release stress hormones-cortisol and adrenaline-and the neurotransmitter-norepinephrine. These substances lead to a fight-or-flight response, preparing your body to cope with the stressful event. This complex response affects your body in several ways. One of these ways is by eating to store energy.

You may have noticed a sudden surge in cravings for sweet, fatty, and salty foods when you're under stress. This is because your body is quickly and naturally restoring its hormonal and neurotransmitter balance. When stress persists and your body fails to return to this natural balance, it sends signals to the brain, prompting it to seek a way to restore equilibrium. You may then seek out foods that regulate neurotransmitters and stress hormones, thus temporarily boosting your energy.

When you calm down, the psychological and chemical stress responses in your body decrease. Therefore, how you cope with stress has a direct impact on your body. Your task is to calm your mind and stress physiological responses. Soothing your body helps you restore its natural balance, which in turn helps regulate your appetite.

Satisfy your five senses

Drinking tea is my favorite calming activity. It helps me stop eating impulsively because I genuinely enjoy tea. As I slowly sip my tea, a warm current spreads throughout my body. I try to shake off my worries and savor this warm feeling, as if I were sitting by a cozy fireplace.

-Carmela

It's no mystery why some foods are so comforting. Freshly baked cinnamon rolls smell especially delicious. A bowl of hot beef stew can warm you up on a cold day. A dish of creamy ice cream can cool your tongue as it stimulates your taste buds. People often seek out comfort foods because they are a way to satisfy their senses. Fortunately, there are many healthy, calorie-free ways to enhance your awareness of your senses-that is, to enhance your ability to see, hear, touch, taste, and smell.

Self-soothing techniques

Soothe your body

When you seek comfort, try to satisfy one or more of your bodily sensations, which can be very effective in reducing the need for emotional eating.

Light therapy. Sunlight or bright full-spectrum light can significantly improve your mood. This is a primary method for treating seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a mild form of depression that some people experience during the less sunny winter months. Sunlight helps reset your internal clock and increases serotonin levels in your body. When you feel the need for comfort, sit by a window and receive indirect sunlight or go directly outdoors for about 30 minutes. However, don't forget to use sunscreen and sunglasses. If you live in an area with little sunlight in winter or cannot go outdoors, you can purchase a light therapy device. You can use these bright lights indoors; they have the same therapeutic effect as sunlight.

Enjoy a cup of hot or cold tea. If you have a stress eating pattern, you might want to schedule some tea time when you feel the urge to eat for emotional reasons. Tea is a chemical complex containing many different components that affect neurotransmitters and other mood-regulating compounds. Black tea can lower the stress hormone cortisol. Chamomile is a cooling tea known for its comforting and calming properties.

Use a hot or cold towel. To calm your body, place a damp towel over your eyes, feet, or forehead. Whether to choose a warm or cool garment depends on what will comfort you most at that moment.

Wrap yourself tightly in a blanket. This will not only make you feel warm, but also safe and comforted. You may also want to use soft flannel sheets and down comforters in your bed.

Buy a fountain. The sound of cascading water is very relaxing and pleasant for listeners. In recent years, reasonably priced desktop waterfalls have become quite common.

Wear your favorite clothes. Wear a comfortable sweater or skirt that you love and people always compliment. Wearing attractive clothes is a great way to cheer yourself up when you're feeling down.