If you’re like most highway drivers, you’ve probably seen a car passing you suddenly swerve into your lane and swerve quickly to avoid a collision. Not only will you feel your heart beating faster and your breathing faster, but your muscles may become tense and you may sweat.
This is called the “fight-or-flight” response, and it has been honed over centuries to deal with stressful situations. It works like this: When under threat, our bodies release a hormone called cortisol, which allows us to remain on high alert. Once the threat passes, cortisol levels decrease.
Cortisol is also involved in circadian rhythms, which partially influences how much energy you have throughout the day, but cortisol also plays a role in managing the body’s response to acute stressors, so cortisol is a Also called “hormones”.
“Cortisol is a steroid produced by the adrenal glands,” says Irina Bankos, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of endocrinology, metabolism, and nutrition and principal investigator in Mayo Clinic’s Adrenal Research Institute. “Due to stress, the pituitary gland produces large amounts of her ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), which travels to the adrenal glands to tell them they need to produce cortisol.”
These stressors can be environmental, such as the possibility of a car accident, or anticipatory, such as preparing to speak in public, says Janet M. Bennett, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology research at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. (e.g. preparing to speak in public). Have difficult conversations with your boss or spouse.
When it comes to cortisol levels in the body, “there’s usually a sweet spot,” she says. “A range that is good for your health or helps your body function properly.”
The problem is when cortisol levels are consistently too high, Bennett says, which can put you at risk for a variety of health conditions, including high blood pressure, high heart rate, and high blood sugar levels. He may feel tired, experience lack of sleep, get sick more often, and experience cognitive changes such as increased forgetfulness. Chronic stress is often the culprit.
“In the past, stressors were life-or-death, like running away from a tiger or lion or fighting another tribe,” Bennett says. “But even today, our bodies can exhibit the same biological responses to everyday stressors. So we try to reduce and minimize the involvement of biological stress responses. We need to work on how, because often we don’t have control over the situation we find ourselves in.
How to lower cortisol levels
Blood, urine, and saliva tests can detect high cortisol levels.
If your levels are found to be high, you should first rule out whether you have an adrenal tumor that produces cortisol, says Bankos. These tumors can be benign or malignant and can contribute to Cushing’s syndrome, a metabolic disorder that causes weight gain, a full moon face, high blood pressure, dry mouth, and increased urination.
“If you have high cortisol levels due to lifestyle habits,” says Melissa Groves Azzaro, owner of RDN, LD, Hormone dietitian“In that case, we need to address not only the causes of stress, but also the management of reactions to stress.” When people think about stress, they tend to focus on external sources of stress, such as work, family, and finances. I think, but we don’t focus as much on the internal factors that can just as much contribute to adrenal insufficiency.”
be careful what and when you eat
In addition to eating a balanced diet, Azzaro encourages her clients to maintain healthy spending habits.
“Skipping meals or going too long without eating can put stress on your body,” she says. “Riding the “blood sugar roller coaster” of restricting your diet and then binge eating and drinking all day long puts stress on your body. That’s important, but other “consuming” things like watching the news or scrolling through social media before bed can also stress your adrenal glands and lead to increased cortisol production. Alcohol can also contribute to stress and inflammation in the body. ”
Get enough sleep and exercise
Both Bennett and Azzaro emphasize the importance of consistent quality sleep and exercise.
the study We know that poor sleep quality can lead to higher stress levels, which can lead to poor sleep quality. Deal with daily stressors and regulate emotions.
Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep a night, Bennett says. Sleep habits are also important. According to the US, this includes going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, sleeping in a quiet, dark and cool room, removing devices from the bedroom and taking a break before bed, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed. It is said to include things like that. Centers for Disease Control.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, exercise also helps lower stress levels and has the added benefit of stabilizing mood and improving sleep and self-esteem.
on the other hand, Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Although 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of strength-strengthening activity are required, split into one week, that may not be an option for people just starting out, Bennett said. says.
“Anything that moves your body is fine,” she says. “That could be walking or yoga, or it could be riding your bike, or parking far away from your store or workplace and walking across the parking lot.”
People who are already physically active and in high-stress situations “need to add other forms of stress management, such as meditation or expressive writing,” she says. “Contact a therapist or find someone to talk to about your problems. What are the things, things, and things that you’re struggling with that are triggering your anxiety?”
change the way you think
Bennett says that finding ways to approach stress cognitively can help you gain control over the situations that cause you anxiety, and may reduce the impact stressors have on you.
“Find meaning,” she says. “When you find yourself in a situation that feels overwhelming or unbearable, ask yourself what motivated you to get into that situation in the first place. This is when you first joined XYZ or decided to do XYZ. It helps you refocus on why or what it means to you. If you can take back control of the situation, you can control your emotional or psychological reactions to it, even if you had no control over the situation or the outcome. You can control it. It may have a calming effect on your mind and body.”
practice self-care
In addition to cutting back on bad habits that may be contributing to daily stress, Azzaro says we should focus on what “fills us.”
“This is different for everyone,” she says. Increasing the oxytocin produced when you hug loved ones, including pets, is an easy hack to lower cortisol and improve overall stress. ”
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