Feeling peckish? Craving something sweet, a snack, or a treat? Is a salad not your desire? There is a good chance that what you are feeling is not hunger but boredom.
During this lockdown, it’s no surprise that many of us are boredom eating. In fact, a PubMed study describes boredom eating as “consuming food to escape awareness of the bored self.“
Boredom eating is a form of emotional eating, and it uses food to self soothe. We don’t feel emotional hunger in our stomach; instead “hunger” circulates in our mind. At the same time, we open and close the fridge and rummage through the pantry for something exciting to eat.
On the other hand, physical hunger is your empty stomach growling, feeling irritable, losing concentration, and even feeling weak and dizzy. Physical hunger is easily appeased with any food.
It’s normal to feel restless during lockdown; when the days are repetitive, offer little mental stimulation, are mundane or don’t have a perceived meaning or life purpose. Boredom eating is simply driven by the desire to escape monotony. [Science Direct 2015]
Boredom eating on occasion isn’t terrible. A mood-boosting chocolate or ice cream on a boring day is delightful! But using food to alleviate perpetual boredom is not a prudent mental or physical health strategy.
Food SHOULD be enjoyed and eaten not just for its nutritional value, with daily exercise, food is an integral part of living life with health and WELLth. Access your 9 Minute Fitness Program with the link below.
Live well with Health and WELLth!
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