Stress, sleep and weight
By Amy
@artemis432 (7474)
Abernathy, Texas
April 19, 2009 11:41pm CST
Do you ever feel as if you are doing everything in your power to maintain a healthy weight or lose weight yet your weight either doesn't budge or keeps going up? Are you varying your exercise and keeping a balanced healthy diet where you're eating a rainbow of foods? Are you drinking plenty of water?
First I would always suggest consulting a physician. If nothing physical can be found, ask him to check your cortisol levels to see if stress is playing a part in your weight. The commercials are all true. Your body produces cortisol to deal with stress which has been found to lead to fat in the belly area.
If these come out normal, and even if they don't, consider also an overnight stay in a sleep lab. Many are unaware what a huge role sleep plays in optimal health. Many have lived with weight problems, stress, fatigue, headaches, foggy thoughts and a whole slew of other things without knowing that this IS NOT normal! I'm so fascinated with this area that I almost became sleep technician. Those who find they are not sleeping soundly through the night - and for many this means not always getting oxygen to the brain - once things are straightened out - are amazed with the results. They are thinking clearer, retaining more in their memory, feel healthier, more energetic and even lose weight.
Believe it or not, many insurance companies will pay for this!
Of course it could also be a need for a good colon cleansing as many people hold several pounds in there but that is a topic for another discussion - which I've already had! And the symptoms are much the same - weight gain, sluggishness, brain fog etc.
So if you are doing everything right and still not losing weight, consider a trip to your doctor...it could mean not only weight loss but better quality of life.
2 responses
@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
20 Apr 09
Absolutely! Glad you shared that. Exercise is excellent for that. And if you do strength training - which I haven't really in years - you can burn calories while flipping channels. What I'd really like to know is have you ever been doing everything right - exercise, diet etc and not lost weight?
@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
20 Apr 09
Or even gain weight - without strength training. This is the situation I suggest that readers consult their doctor.
@Aurone (4755)
• United States
20 Apr 09
I haven't ever gotten to that point. I have been heavy (like 100 pounds overweight) all my life. I have never eaten properly or exercised regularly like I should. I joined weight watchers last October and have been following their plan and on the weeks I do well and follow it which is most of the time. I have lost weight consistently. I know stress plays a big role in eating and so does sleep. I depression eat so when my moods are out of whack, I will eat more as a comfort thing. There are all sorts of things they are starting to find out about that link to weight problems. Sometimes simply eating right is not enough. One thing it could be is a thyroid problem which is a major medical issue. I had some problem with mine a few years back and it can be very difficult to deal with. I think if you are eating right and are not at a healthy weight then a trip the doctor is definitely in order.
@jillhill (37353)
• United States
20 Apr 09
I have heard this and do think it's true....and stress also causes other things like colds, etc. as it weakens your immune system.....and this I have also found to be true...sometimes when I am upset the next day I get a headache and then I get the cold....
@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
20 Apr 09
Me too, I don't get colds too often. I remember that when I was a weight loss consultant I had this tiny tiny office. I very often left the door open but most clients closed the door and in the winter sniffled, sneezed and wheezed as they hoarsely told me all of their perceived sins of the week. I often found later that they had bronchitis, pnuemonia, strep throat, the flu. I didn't follow suit, but times when no one else seemed sick but I went through stressful times - usually moving - from another state - I would get a cold!
Do you have a headache today?
