Cortisol is a naturally occurring, necessary hormone. Unfortunately, stress, a poor diet, and insufficient sleep can make this necessary hormone production grow to a dangerous level.
Why is Higher Cortisol an Issue?
High levels of cortisol can lead to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, unhealthy food cravings, and sleepiness. Learning how to lower cortisol naturally can protect your health and increase your joy in daily activities.
Know-How Cortisol Functions in the Body
Cortisol is not a bad hormone; in fact, without it, our reactions may be too slow to keep us safe. However, humans evolved to pay attention to hazards, and we have a hard time differentiating between the stressful events that will kill us and those that are just irritating. Work-related stress generally won’t put your life at risk, but high levels of cortisol in reaction to work-related stress can kill you. Balancing out your stress reaction is key to beating that stress.
Factors to Focus On
Eat Nutrient-Rich Foods
Stay away from processed foods. Try to make most of your grocery purchases in the produce section and stay away from foods that include a lot of sugar, salt, and white flour. When you load your plate with food, try to make at least half of the plate vegetables and fruit, preferably raw, then add four ounces of protein and a simple starch, such as brown rice. Fruits and veggies are loaded with antioxidants and can help your body shed toxins.
Lower your Stress
If you tend to spend time ruminating on difficult events, you may be triggering higher levels of cortisol production. To stay on top of this, you may need to start a daily meditation or consider some counseling. The place where your brain puts its focus can actually shorten your life, so getting some help is critical.
Sleep Well
For those who use their phone for an alarm, make sure you plug it in across the room. Don’t lay in bed and scroll. Try to reduce your screen exposure so your brain can drop into sleep more quickly and fall into a deep sleep, which cleanses the brain of toxins that can contribute to dementia.
Exercise Regularly
Building better habits will make healthy living easier, so try to set up your exercise habit early in the day. Not only will you have a better chance of actually getting it done, but you can enjoy an early success each day.
Prioritize Relaxation
No matter how busy you are, have a shutdown time. If your evenings are chaotic, try to block out some time early in the day to order the rest of your activities. If you can’t schedule time for just blanking out your brain, that early morning time will at least reduce the number of unknowns you have to contend with each day.
Avoid Alcohol. Caffeine or Tea
Make your go-to beverage water. If you have to have caffeine to think straight and get moving, you probably aren’t getting enough rest, or you’re forcing yourself to get up in the middle of a sleep cycle.
Getting your cortisol in balance requires self-care. This doesn’t have to mean going to a spa, but blackout curtains in your sleeping space and a new water bottle are a wonderful start.