This Is Why You Eat Your Feelings, According To Science

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Do you ever notice how it’s the most stressful days that send you home in a fit of “IDGAF!” and leave you downing an entire pizza by yourself before the night is over? Well, it’s not a coincidence, and there’s something we can do about it, according to new research from Michigan State University.

The study, which was published online in the Journal of Applied Psychology, addresses the well-established pattern of workday stresses leading to unhealthy (and excessive) food choices in the evening. But on the plus side, it also suggests that a good night’s sleep makes us more resilient against work stress, leaving us less inclined to binge on junk food at the end of the day.

The researchers conducted two observational experiments with a total of 235 workers in China. The first group of people worked in information technology, so their main stressor was feeling like there was never enough time in the day to finish the work they needed to do. The second group of people worked in a call center, so their main stressor was dealing with rude and demanding people over the phone all day long. Both groups struggled with a stress-induced negative mood at work, which translated into poor eating choices at home.

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“First, eating is sometimes used as an activity to relieve and regulate one’s negative mood, because individuals instinctually avoid aversive feelings and approach desire feelings,” co-author Yihao Liu said in a statement explaining the reasoning behind the studies’ results. “Second, unhealthy eating can also be a consequence of diminished self-control. When feeling stressed out by work, individuals usually experience inadequacy in exerting effective control over their cognitions and behaviors to be aligned with personal goals and social norms.”

They then found that quality sleep the night prior to a stressful day at the office helped protect the workers from feeling overwhelmed by stress and, therefore, from the overindulgence in unhealthy food at the end of a long day as well. These two healthy behaviors are clearly and strongly linked, so at least we have a known buffer that is fairly easy to act upon.

This is one of the first pieces of research that addresses the connection between psychological experiences in the workplace and eating behaviors, and how the former can ultimately shape the latter. It also reveals how important it is that all workers learn how to manage their sleep and work schedules to live healthily. Otherwise, we don’t really stand a chance because life is just freaking hard sometimes.

So the next time you barge into your apartment in a fit of work-related rage, take a few deep breaths and tell yourself, “We’re just going to press reset and start over tomorrow.” And, go to bed early. You’ll be better off for it the next day.