Too Much Brain Activity Leads To Bigger Food Consumption

A bigger appetite stems from a busy brain. Experts found that too much mental activity such as researching and reviewing for an exam or any similar activity drains too much energy from a person's brain that it commands the body to refuel by eating food with calories.

A busy brain requiring more food occurs even though no physical activity was done. This process is prevalent in college students like in post-study food binges, the New York Times reported.

College is filled with social activities that usually involve food, promoting a binge eating culture. Binge eating is typically unnoticed by people as they struggle to fulfill academic and work obligations and keep up with their social lives, according to Eating Disorder Hope.

The stress brought upon by college also increases people's tendency to binge eat. When unchecked, binge eating can lead to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, and other serious health conditions.

A study published by Eating and Weight Disorders found that binge eating is more common in women than in men. Out of 2,073 students surveyed, 29 percent engage in binge eating and 73.8 percent of those are females.

An overworked brain -- one that feels foggy and jammed -- makes it hard for a person to concentrate and process information, according to the Belfast Telegraph. When a person feels like his/her brain is worn out, there's a high likelihood of low-level depression and the disappearance of joy, purpose, and motivation.

Dr. Mike Dow, a psychotherapist and author of the book "The Brain Fog Fix: Reclaim Your Focus, Memory, and Joy in Just 3 Weeks," said beating brain fatigue can be done by identifying its root cause and the factors that contribute to it. The brain's chemicals (serotonin, dopamine, and cortisol) are hugely affected by how people eat, sleep, work, and live.

Dow said the brain needs several healthy practices for it to function properly. This includes exercise, sufficient and restful sleep, regular circadian rhythms, relaxation and restoration, proper consumption of healthy food laden with nutrients and vitamins, purpose and meaning, spirituality, and feeling connected to something larger than yourself, the Belfast Telegraph listed.

For binge eaters, it's important to seek help from therapists or psychologists in counseling centers. They should also stay away from sugar and junk foods. Sugar raises Alzheimer's risk while junk foods trick the brain into wanting to consume more food, leading to obesity and overeating, according to a report from Mercola.

Exercise can lessen sugar cravings, as well as organic, black coffee. Sour taste like lemon or lime juice can also reduce sugar cravings.