Cortisol: The Stress Hormone
*Note: I am in no way a doctor. I’ve simply gathered this information from the net. Please consult a doctor before trying any of these tips!
The hormone cortisol is produced in the adrenal cortex in response to adrenal cortical stimulating hormone (ACTH) produced in the pituitary gland. Cortisol plays an important role in regulating blood sugar, energy production, inflammation, the immune system and healing.
If you have too little cortisol, you may suffer from fatigue, chronic fatigue, exhaustion and a disease of the endocrine system called Addison’s disease. If your adrenal glands are producing too much cortisol, you may develop conditions such as weight gain, especially around the abdomen, depressed immune function with all of the consequences, accelerated aging and stomach ulcers.
I recently had my brain apped, checking for malfunctioning brain connections (Ms. Modern suffers from bipolar disorder & ptsd). I found that when my brain is in a state of “rest” all hell is basically breaking loose. This means that when I actually come into contact with a stressor, my brain goes into double overload. The result of being in a constant state of stress produces too much cortisol which in turn is making my tummy bigger (fun info about Ms. Mod, I know).
So, I decided to do some research to see how I could naturally reduce my cortisol level. Here’s what I found:
1. Eliminate Caffiene from Your Diet. One 12 oz mug of coffee increases blood cortisol levels by 30% in one hour! Cortisol can remain elevated for up to 18 hours in the blood.
2. Sleep Deeper & Longer. The average 50 year old has nighttime cortisol levels more than 30 times higher than the average 30 year old. Try taking melatonin, a natural hormone produced at night that helps regulate sleep/wake cycles, before going to sleep to boost your own melatonin production that also decreases with age.
3. Exercise Regularly. This will build muscle mass and increase brain output of serotonin and dopamine, brain chemicals that reduce anxiety and depression.
4. Keep Your Blood Sugar Level Stable. Avoid sugar in the diet and refined carbohydrates to keep from spiking your insulin production. Eat frequent small meals balanced in protein, complex carbohydrates and good fats like olive oil and flax seed oil. Diets rich in complex carbohydrates keep cortisol levels lower than low carbohydrate diets. Keep well hydrated – dehydration puts the body in stress and raises cortisol levels. Keep pure water by your bed and drink it when you first wake up and before you go to sleep.
5. Take Anti-Stress Supplements. Take anti-stress supplements like B vitamins, minerals like calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc, and antioxidants like vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid, grape seed extract, and Co Q 10. Adaptogen herbs like ginseng, astragalus, eleuthero, schizandra, rhodiola and ashwagandha help the body cope with the side effects of stress and rebalance the metabolism.
6. Meditate or Listen to Relaxation Tapes. The production of alpha (focused alertness) and theta (relaxed) brain waves help calm you. Avoid jolting alarm clocks that take you from delta waves (deep sleep) to beta waves (agitated and anxious) and stimulants like caffeine that promote beta waves while suppressing alpha and theta waves. (Ms. Modern, as mentioned above, is 80% in a state of high beta waves – causing the cortisol level to be high).
Does anyone else have this problem? I’m all ears for more solutions!
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I’ve heard from a naturopath (sp) that taking melatonin regularly will cause the body to produce less. She suggested taking valerian root instead, which also helps one to sleep (it also is supposed help with anxiety). I’ve taken both and melatonin definitely does work, but I use it will much less frequency now.
I am also not a doctor.
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