Cortisol is a steroid hormone made from cholesterol. People often dub it the “stress hormone.”
When your body feels threatened, your central nervous system (CNS) kicks in to respond, producing a “fight-or-flight” response which helps provide you with energy and keeps you alert. Cortisol also helps regulate metabolism, inflammation, and immune system activity.
While your body typically keeps cortisol within a standard range, chronic stress can lead to high cortisol levels and can increase your risk of developing various health issues like fatigue, anxiety, inflammation, and high blood pressure.
This article offers tips to help you balance your cortisol levels when daily life has you feeling burned out.
Eating a well-balanced diet that includes foods high in fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats like omega-3s may help your body better handle stress.
A balanced, nutrient-filled diet rich in whole foods may also help lower your risk of developing chronic conditions like heart disease.
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- vegetables
- fruits
- whole grains
- fish
- nuts and seeds
- legumes
- occasional meat-free meals
- lean cuts of meat when possible
They also recommend limiting foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium.
If your idea of unwinding includes sipping a cup of tea, consider making it green tea. L-theanine is a non-protein amino acid found in green tea.
Health benefits
- improved mental health
- better sleep quality
- stress relief
- better cognitive function
If you don’t love the taste of green tea or the prospect of drinking 4 cups to get an effective dose, you can also get L-theanine through dietary supplements.
Stress can come from all directions, whether you’re overloaded by work, family responsibilities, or events in the news. And overwhelming situations can impact both your mental and physical health.
Knowing the symptoms of stress can help you recognize when it’s time to take steps to better manage it.
According to the
- changes in appetite
- difficulty concentrating
- sleep issues
- increased consumption of alcohol or drugs
- feeling frustrated, worried, sad, or angry
If you’re having trouble coping with stress, a licensed professional like a therapist may be able to help you learn effective coping strategies.
Chronic stress
One way to help reduce inflammation is to eat anti-inflammatory foods, which include foods high in antioxidants. Great foods to try include:
- olive oil
- leafy greens
- nuts
- fish
- fruit
- legumes
- cocoa
- fermented foods
Other things that can help reduce inflammation include:
- getting moderate exercise
- getting enough sleep
- avoiding excessive alcohol, drugs, and tobacco use
- keeping stress levels low
Dealing with stress can leave you feeling drained. You may find yourself both emotionally and physically tired.
That could be because stress can affect your sleep. Research has shown that elevated stress levels may make it harder to fall asleep, stay asleep, and get good quality sleep.
When you don’t get enough sleep, you might experience a lack of energy and other symptoms, including:
- trouble focusing
- increased risk for disease
- depression
- a weakened immune system
- inflammation
- impaired motor skills
Reducing stress in your daily life may help improve your ability to get better sleep. Other things you can do to promote sleep include:
- avoiding too much caffeine
- limiting screen time before bed
- creating a calming bedtime routine
- exercising
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It’s also important to stay hydrated.
While cortisol is essential for a variety of functions in the body — including regulating the stress response — consistently high cortisol levels due to chronic stress can lead to health issues.
Taking steps to manage your stress levels and maintaining healthy habits like eating a well-balanced diet, exercising, and getting enough sleep, are some things that may help.
If you’re experiencing persistent health issues or chronic stress and nothing seems to help, it may be a good idea to talk with a medical professional about your symptoms.