The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

Moment 156: Your Stress Is Making you Fat & Sick... Here's How To Fix It!

Apr 5, 2024

10:35

Snipd AI

Neuroscientist and bestselling author, Dr Tara Swart, discusses the physical impacts of stress, specifically how it can lead to increased belly fat due to cortisol release. She also highlights the negative effects of 'leaky cortisol people' in leadership roles, causing stress in organizations. Dr Swart emphasizes the importance of addressing stress to reduce belly fat, as diet and exercise alone may not be effective.

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Quick takeaways

Chronic stress can lead to belly fat accumulation due to cortisol release, which can only be reduced by addressing the root stress triggers.

Highly stressed leaders can create a negative impact on their employees' stress levels, emphasizing the importance of stress management in organizations.

Deep dives

Importance of Sleep for Brain Health and Stress Levels

Adequate sleep is crucial for brain function and stress management. Sleeping for 8 hours allows the brain to lay down memories, process emotions, and regenerate cells. Research has uncovered the glymphatic system, a mechanism that actively cleanses toxins from the brain during sleep, lasting 7-8 hours. Insufficient sleep can impact mood and hinder the brain's cleansing process, affecting diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Tips like sleeping on your side can aid in promoting this brain detoxification process.

Brain Cleansing During Sleep

00:47

Investing in Innovation for a Better Future

00:47

Introduction

3min

Managing Stress Levels in the Workplace and Coping Strategies

3min

The Crucial Role of Sleep in Brain Health and Toxin Cleansing

4min

In this moment, neuroscientist and bestselling author, Dr Tara Swart discusses the brain-body impacts of stress and the dangers of being around stressful people. While people think of stress as being solely a mental health problem, it can physical health impacts, the most obvious being an increase in belly fat. This fat is a result of the stress hormone cortisol, which because of evolution, tells your body to hold onto fat as a survival mechanism. Because of this, you can’t shift this belly weight with either diet or exercise, the only thing that will change it is addressing the stress that is causing the release of cortisol. Dr Swart also says that leaders who cannot handle their stress, who she calls, ‘leaky cortisol people’, can cause a trickle down effect in an organisation, causing stress and negative health impacts on the people below them.

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