THE EFFECTS OF CHRONICALLY ELEVATED CORTISOL
Mar 27, 2023
Cortisol, also known as your stress hormone, is the most demonized hormone out there.
But the truth is, we need it.
It plays a vital role in managing stress, regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation, regulating blood sugar, and controlling sleep/wake cycles.
Cortisol gives you a burst of energy so that you can handle high-stress situations. This is also known as your fight-or-flight response.
Your fight-or-flight response allows you to react quickly to life-threatening situations. Things that take an immense amount of focus, energy & effort. Think: getting chased, saving someone's life, facing an intruder, etc.
Unfortunately, in today's day and age, most stressors aren't actually life-threatening. Things like...
Work pressure
Money
Traffic Jams
Relationships
Poor Food Quality
Chronic Dieting
Overdoing exercise
Not enough exercise
Poor Sleep
Social Media
Etc...
These things leave us chronically stressed. And the thing is, your body's response to stress is the same whether it's a bear chasing you or an issue at work. Chronic stress = chronically high cortisol levels, leading to dysfunction in the body.
This is the problem.
When you're cortisol levels are constantly on high, the rest of your body's functions get put on the back burner.
Basically, your body says "we can worry about digesting food later, we need to focus on surviving right now."
This can lead to a whole host of issues, such as...
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Low progesterone in females leads to menstrual cycle issues/PMS
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Lower testosterone in men & women leads to decreased libido and ED (erectile dysfunction)
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Hormone dysfunction
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Fertility problems
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Down-regulation in thyroid hormones
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Lower resiliency to stress
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Increased inflammation
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Increased water retention
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Poor mood/memory
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Poor sleep (feeling tired & wired at night, waking up throughout the night, feeling lethargic in the morning)
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Poor recovery
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Inhibits muscle growth
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Muscle loss
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Blood sugar imbalances
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Increased appetite
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Increased fat storage
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Weakened immune system
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Digestive issues
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High blood pressure
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Increased anxiety & depression
HOW TO MANAGE CORTISOL
We don't always have control over our external stressors, but we do have control over our internal state. The point is not necessarily to get rid of stressful situations, but to learn how to respond effectively when stress arises.
How you perceive a situation and your internal dialogue is important here. Are you frantic every time a challenge arises, or do you see it as an opportunity for growth?
Your response to stress plays a massive role in your overall well-being. I personally have to work on this daily.
Here are a few things you can do to reduce stress...
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Do things that bring you joy
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Prioritize your sleep
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Eat a whole foods, nutrient-rich diet
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Exercise regularly, but not too much
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Breathwork
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Go out in nature
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Journal
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Pray
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Manage your time better
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Read
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Play with your dog
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Self care
Lastly, what did you do when you were a kid, before all this stress came into your life? Do that.
Go play. Go recharge. :)
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