When fatigue builds up during a long workday, stress is usually blamed on deadlines, notifications, or lack of sleep. Diet is rarely part of the conversation.
Yet what people consume between meetings and commutes can subtly push the body into a constant state of alert.
Cortisol
From a physiological perspective according to Real Simple, this is closely tied to cortisol, the hormone that helps regulate stress responses.
Cortisol reacts not only to psychological pressure but also to metabolic signals such as rapid changes in blood sugar and stimulant intake.
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Nutrition researchers note that this sensitivity matters more today than it did decades ago, as modern workdays often involve prolonged sitting, irregular meals, and frequent reliance on quick energy fixes.
Processed foods and drinks
Real Simple has highlighted how highly processed foods and drinks can add to this burden.
The issue is less about specific products and more about how they affect the body’s internal balance.
Consider a familiar routine: a sweetened coffee in the morning, an energy drink mid-afternoon, and a handful of salty snacks to get through the last hour.
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Each provides a short-lived boost, followed by a dip that prompts the body to release more stress hormones.
Over time, these repeated swings can make the nervous system more reactive, even in the absence of acute pressure.
Lower resilience over time
Experts emphasize that this does not mean such habits directly cause stress. Rather, they lower the body’s threshold for coping with it.
When metabolic stress is layered on top of mental demands, resilience can erode.
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The broader point, according to Real Simple, is that diet now belongs alongside sleep and physical activity in discussions of stress management.
In a working culture built around convenience, food choices shape not only long-term health, but also how heavily everyday life weighs on the body.
Sources: Real Simple.
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