Today we are living in what could be called the “Cortisol Age.”
Cortisol is the hormone that helps us respond to stress. It is essential for survival. It kicks in during emergencies, giving us the energy and focus to handle dangerous situations.
One of its primary functions is to raise blood sugar during stress by mobilizing glucose stores and breaking down proteins. This is an evolutionary mechanism that gives us enough energy to respond to stressors. However, a continuous flood of cortisol is extremely hard on the body. It breaks down tissues which can lead to muscle loss, hormone imbalances, weakened immune function, degeneration, and slowed healing.
Unfortunately today, many of us are living in a state of constant stress, leading to chronically elevated or dysregulated cortisol. I think this could be driving a lot of the chronic disease we see today.
However, this isn’t just about stress. It’s about how disconnected we’ve become from our natural rhythms. Our ancestors experienced stress in short bursts, typically in response to immediate threats, after which they could quickly recover.
Today, we’ve lost this balance. We spend the majority of our day sedentary and indoors under artificial light. Instead of winding down at the end of the day, our bodies are exposed to blue light from our phones and computers, disrupting our sleep cycles and preventing cortisol from dropping at night as it should. Our food choices often exacerbate the issue, as processed diets lead to metabolic stress, further driving cortisol imbalances. I believe frequent social media use, a lack of love, tradition, and stability, etc. are all also playing a role. These stressors are constant, and we are rarely able to let ourselves recover.
Most of us are experiencing chronic physical stress; by this I mean our environments are not conducive to our physiology. A few factors driving cortisol imbalance:
- Lack of sun exposure: Healthy cortisol levels peak in the morning when the sun rises. Without sufficient sunlight exposure on our eyes and skin, this rhythm is disrupted, leading to hormonal imbalances.
- Excessive artificial/ blue light exposure: Exposure to artificial and blue light from screens, especially at night, keeps cortisol elevated when it should be declining for restful sleep.
- Poor nutrition: A diet low in nutrients and high in processed foods & unhealthy fats causes metabolic stress and inflammation, disrupting cortisol balance.
- Toxin exposure: Daily exposure to environmental toxins from pollutants, chemicals in household products, and pesticides overwhelms the body’s detoxification systems, triggering a stress response. (PMID: 33604604)
Although it requires some intention and work, it is possible to optimize our environments for healthy cortisol levels. A few tips:
- Reconnect with natural rhythms. Spending time in sunlight, especially in the morning, can help reset your circadian rhythm and regulate cortisol levels. Sunlight exposure early in the day supports melatonin production later on, helping you sleep better at night and allowing cortisol to lower as it should.
- Block blue light at night. Limiting screen time, especially in the evening, and using blue light filters can help prevent cortisol from staying elevated when it’s time to relax. The goal is to allow your body to naturally wind down at night.
- Balance sex hormones. Progesterone, testosterone, and pregnenolone are powerful cortisol antagonists. Ensuring healthy levels of these protective hormones can decrease excessive cortisol production and restore balance.
- Ensure adequate sodium and potassium intake. These minerals are essential for healthy function of the adrenal glands, the primary site of cortisol production. Studies demonstrate that sodium & potassium synergize to reduce stress. (PMID: 34934578)
- Ground in nature everyday. Spending time outdoors in nature helps reduce stress, balance cortisol, and reconnect your body with its natural rhythms. Walking barefoot on the earth, known as grounding, can also promote relaxation.
- Become conscious of your thoughts. Our thoughts can stimulate stress responses throughout the entire body. Fortunately, our thoughts are one thing we have absolute control over. We can think our way into peace and healing with conscious effort.
- Eat enough carbs. Eating enough carbohydrates is important for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, which if too low, can stimulate cortisol production to maintain energy. Eating enough is one of the simplest anti-stress tools.
- Connect with loved ones. Love is a powerful antidote to stress. Spending quality time with family and friends releases oxytocin, a hormone that counteracts the effects of cortisol.
For personalized support with hormone balance Raena Health is my go to!