It is true, depression can make you gain weight. Many times when you are depressed you find yourself eating out of boredom, loneliness, isolation or any number of emotional reasons. Some people use food to comfort themselves only to feel unaccomplished after binging. It's like the more food you eat, the more weight you gain and the worse you feel.
There are several factors that contribute to depression and weight gain; stress, lack of sleep and change in weather.
1.Stress is a major contributor for both depression and weight gain. When you have too many things to balance and your stress level rises to an unhealthy level, you go into what they call the “fight or flight” mode. When your body struggles with the fight or flight decision, it is also releasing too much cortisol in your bloodstream, which causes an increase in your appetite. It is not uncommon for people to reach for food as a way to relieve stress when they feel anxious or overworked. The increased cortisol production can also explain the spare tire around the middle. When the body is in "fight or flight" mode it wants to protect its vital organs and thus retains fat around your mid-section..
2. When you have trouble getting to sleep at night, wake up frequently, have trouble falling back to sleep and rise long before your alarm is scheduled to go off, you are not getting the sleep your body needs. To lose weight, you need to get plenty of sleep.
3. Cold weather also affects depression and weight gain. When it is cold or rainy people tend to exercise less and thus burn fewer calories. In addition, a lack of sunlight (over an extended period of time) can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). When you experience SAD, you tend to sleep more, feel fatigued, crave carbs and have an increased appetite.
http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/symptom-158732-74.html
