STRESS REDUCTION AND COMFORT FOOD
by DrJudy
Filed under Stress Research and Studies, Stress World News
STRESS RELIEF AND STRESS REDUCTION LINKED TO PLEASURE-BASED ACTIVITY
Stress research and stress management research undertaken at the Laboratory of Stress Neurobiology at the University of Cincinnati (UC) has found that pleasurable activities including sex and eating food, often resulted in reduced-stress and its effects.
Professors Yvonne Ulrich-Lai and James Herman identified that even small quantities of pleasurable foods resulted in reducing stress effects.
Further, that these stress reducing effects had long-term benefits for at least a week at a time.
STRESS RELIEF AND THE BRAINWAYS OF RATS
Utilizing rats in this research, the rats were fed a daily sugar solution for a two week period, while other rats had access to responsive sexual partners. This was compared to a control group of rats. For those rats accessing sexual partners and receiving sugar they had reduced stress hormone levels and heart rates via their brain pathways. Yet, when the sugar solution was injected directly into the stomachs of rats, this actually did not reduce their stress response.
STRESS REDUCTION EFFECTS AND OTHER RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS
These results confirmed the often held motivation and belief of people that eating comfort or pleasurable food during times of stress can actually have stress reduction effects. Further these results have implications for developing strategies for dealing with metabolic issues and rising obesity rates.
A more complete understanding of this research can be found in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and add to our increasing understanding of stress and stress management.
FROM THE GLOBAL ORGANIZATION FOR STRESS
These stress related news and research updates are brought to you by the Global Organization for Stress. Basic membership is free and you can start your membership by signing up right now for more related information on stress, stress relief and stress management…