Feeling drained, tense and tense? It may stem from a cortisol imbalance

Stress is a normal part of life. Although everyone feels stressed sometimes, it should not affect your daily work. If you encounter Chronic stress And fatigue, which affects your daily life, may be a sign that something deeper is going on, such as a cortisol imbalance.

Both high and low Cortisol levels — also known as the “stress hormone” — can leave you dealing with symptoms that leave you feeling “out of sorts” and unlike yourself. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to check in with your body and manage your stress levels better. If you think you have a cortisol imbalance or are generally concerned about your health, be sure to consult a doctor before making any drastic changes.

What is cortisol?

Cortisol The body’s primary stress hormone, he says Melissa Groves Ezroregistered dietitian and author of The Balanced Approach to PCOS. The hormone is produced in the adrenal glands in response to internal or external stressors.

Most people know cortisol for its role in the “fight or flight” response, which is important, but cortisol actually plays a lot more. Other roles In the body.

In addition to suppressing any body functions that are not necessary in a fight-or-flight scenario, cortisol also:

The majority of your body’s cells have cortisol receptors, so it’s an important hormone, but like any hormone, too much or too little of it can be harmful to your body and health.

Signs of a cortisol imbalance

Each person’s experience with cortisol imbalance will vary, especially when differentiating between high and low cortisol.

Symptoms of high cortisol include:

• Weight gain, especially in the abdominal area
• Anxiety and irritability
• Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep
• Nervousness
• Shakakess
• High heart rate
• Blood sugar instability

Symptoms of low cortisol include:

• Low energy all day long
• Feeling “wired but tired”
• Extreme fatigue and lack of concentration
• Cravings for sugar and salt
• Indifference
• Decreased sexual desire
• Memory problems

What causes cortisol imbalance?

“In general, a cortisol imbalance can be caused by very high stress or prolonged stress,” says Azro. “While there are high clinical diagnoses (Cushing’s syndrome) and decrease (Addison’s disease), which require medical treatment, there is a wide range of “out of range” cortisol levels or inappropriate cortisol patterns that can impact our daily lives.”

Importantly, cortisol imbalances are not always a matter of high or low. A cortisol imbalance can also mean that your cortisol is too high at certain times of the day or too low at other times, rather than a consistent excess or deficiency.

Regardless, there are some common culprits behind cortisol imbalances of every type.

pressure

Excessive and prolonged stress is the main cause of cortisol imbalance, whether high or low.

High cortisol says when the body perceives stress.” Dr. Tara Scottfunctional medicine physician. “Your brain doesn’t know whether you’re working from a bear or have a deadline at work.”

Excess cortisol increases your heart rate, makes you more alert by increasing norepinephrine (the neurotransmitter that can make you feel anxious) and increases your blood sugar.

“Low cortisol occurs after prolonged stress, when your body sends a negative feedback signal to the brain saying, ‘We have too much cortisol here, don’t stimulate more production!’” Scott says. “So, your brain reduces adrenal corticotropic hormone (ACTH, the hormone that stimulates cortisol production), and periods of low cortisol occur. Levels may fluctuate during the day or can be low throughout the day,” Scott says.

He practices

Exercise is eustress, or good stress, Ezro says — to a point. “While there is an immediate rise in cortisol with exercise, the overall effect is improved mood and decreased stress. But if we… Excessive exercise“The stress becomes harmful,” she says.

Azzaro recommends considering your overall life stress when planning your exercise regimen. If you’re not getting enough sleep and you’re battling high stress at work, this may not be the best time for you to incorporate a high-intensity workout, Ezro explained.

“If you find yourself getting sick more often or feeling exhausted after a workout, rather than energized, you’re probably working too hard on your current cortisol levels,” she says.

feeding

says registered dietitian lauren minchin, registered nutrition consultant for Fresh. “Processed foods high in carbohydrates and sugar may immediately help lower cortisol at first, but the blood sugar spikes caused by these foods can increase stress, inflammation, and cortisol in the body,” Minchin says.

“Sugar is known to be one of the biggest cortisol triggers, and foods with refined white flour produce a similar blood sugar and cortisol effect, so regularly eating foods high in these ingredients may lead to higher cortisol over time.”

Alcohol and Caffeine They also affect your cortisol levels, and consuming too much of either or both over time affects your cortisol levels. Alcohol increases inflammation, which puts stress on the body, which leads to the production of cortisol. Withdrawal from intoxication also stimulates more cortisol into the bloodstream, Minchin says.

“Depending on how much coffee one drinks regularly and how high their cortisol levels are on a daily basis, increasing caffeine intake may have little effect on raising cortisol further,” Minchin says. “This effect may cause you to feel more tired from more caffeine, due to adrenal fatigue. The adrenals can only work so hard before they are no longer able to continue increasing cortisol production.”

On the flip side, eating healthy carbohydrates from whole foods, such as whole grains, fresh fruits, legumes and potatoes, can provide assistance in managing cortisol. Also, consume a balanced amount Protein, carbohydrates and fats It helps your body get the energy it needs to keep your blood sugar available and stable, which ultimately helps keep cortisol in check, Minchin says.

How to fix high or low cortisol levels

“It’s not very sexy, but your body is telling you to rest,” Azzaro says. “The dirty work of correcting a cortisol imbalance is identifying the root cause of the imbalance and then correcting that to bring cortisol back into balance.”

We discussed the general causes of cortisol imbalance above, but dig deeper. Go past “diet” or “exercise” and ask yourself if your hormone levels are upset because:

• Your job
• Relationship stress (significant or family)
• Hustle culture/does a lot
• Lack of sleep
• Too much of one type of exercise (maybe Welcome)
• Consumption of alcohol or caffeine
• Lack of mindfulness or stress management practices

Also, it’s important to identify your imbalance, he says Ina MeliamedDoctor of Pharmacy and Occupational Medicine. Ask your primary care provider if they do hormone tests or if they can get you a referral to an endocrinologist. Or order a cortisol test online to take at home and send to a lab.

This step is crucial because what works to correct a high cortisol level may not work to correct a low cortisol level. To get to the root cause, you should test for both cortisol, DHEA“Sex hormones and even melatonin just to see a better picture of one’s adrenal health,” Milliamd says.

Fixing a cortisol imbalance will take a lot of work and patience. First and foremost, get some rest. When you’re feeling down, try creating a list of all the possible stressors in your life — and be honest.

Next, write down how you can reduce each stressor. Maybe reduce your weekly exercise routine from five sessions to four; Maybe you have a serious talk with your partner about stress levels and household responsibilities; Maybe ask your boss to take your load off at work for a while (or even better, take some time off altogether).

High or low cortisol levels can make life much harder than it needs to be. Battling constant stress, anxiety and fatigue is not easy, and as always, if you need mental health support, Use the resources available to you.