Finals are approaching, project deadlines are nearing and stress is building.
And sometimes we turn to our favorite junk foods to deal with this stress overload. I know I’m guilty of it, and unfortunately it got the best of me today.
From the second I got out of bed, the day was not so smooth. I set my alarm for 8:30 a.m. to go on a run before class. But when I woke up it was thundering and lightning, which made running not an option. So I turned my alarm off, set it for 9 a.m. (or so I thought) and went back to sleep. Unfortunately, I didn’t open my eyes again until 10 a.m. In my half-asleep mode, I set my alarm for 9 p.m. as opposed to 9 a.m.
I immediately shot out of bed and made it out the door in record time: six minutes. I didn’t even have time to grab a piece of fruit for breakfast before heading out the door, and skipping this meal is very unlike me.
I was able to make it to my class on time, but I still felt the stress from the morning. I know at that point, I should have just blown it off and moved on with my day, but something just seemed off.
I went to all my classes, turned in all my assignments on time, so I really had no reason to stress. But for some reason, when I got home this afternoon, all I wanted was a cookie.
I gave into my craving and savored every last bite. However, I know this is not the best way to deal with stress.
According to SELF, women with high mental stress are twice as likely to die from stroke than women with lower stress levels.
Next time I’m feeling stressed and craving a cookie, I’m going to ask myself how the situation is right now. SELF recommends focusing on the present and leaving the past in the past.
How do you deal with stress cravings?