This post is a part of Sprig & Vine’s month of wellness 2019: expect Good Food Good Vibes all January long! We will be posting content throughout January that will help you kickstart the year feeling well and good, with healthy eating hacks, feel-good recipes, and tons of wellness inspiration.
Let’s face it — chronic stress is on the rise. Between managing jobs, lives, relationships, and devices, we’re living overstimulated, hectic, high-strung lives. Our to-do lists never end, and there are always a millions tabs open in our brains. All of this catches up us eventually, and at some point we need to take a break to fix this new “normal.”
What is cortisol, and what does it have to do with stress?
Cortisol is our stress hormone, released in our systems as a response to stress. When we have high levels of cortisol in our system, we can turn into a frazzled, anxiety-ridden mess. When unbalanced cortisol levels are left untreated, it can wreak havoc on our health with symptoms like anxiety, depression, insomnia, adrenal fatigue, weight gain, IBS, blood sugar issues, poor gut health, and skipped menstrual periods; to name a few. Thus, it’s very important for us to learn how to effectively manage our cortisol levels and reduce chronic stress.
Understanding cortisol
Cortisol is a chemical made by the adrenal glands, and is necessary for a host of bodily functions such as blood sugar and metabolism, regulating immune response, and activating the “fight or flight” response which is the body’s ability to cope with stress by increasing heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure.
Cortisol is also responsible for our sleep/wake patterns — the levels are highest in the morning around 6 – 8 am, in order to meet the demands for the day; and gradually decreases throughout the day to reach its lowest point in preparation for sleep. This pattern is known as circadian rhythm.
Though cortisol gets a bad rep, it’s actually really important for our bodies. The problem arises when cortisol is not in balance and our body has to overcompensate to try and achieve balance again, potentially worsening the existing conditions too.
How to manage cortisol in order to reduce stress + anxiety
Chronic elevated cortisol levels take time and effort to bring back into balance, and are almost always treated with lifestyle changes. Even though we may not be able to directly control things that stress us out, we can develop coping mechanisms that help us feel a sense of calm and balance cortisol levels. Managing stress and anxiety in today’s world is not an easy task, incorporating small changes into your lifestyle will go a long way to support your endocrine system.
DIET
Cleaning up your diet is the first step to managing cortisol levels. A healthy diet brimming with fruits, vegetables, fiber, healthy fats and proteins provides the required vitamins and minerals needed to address high cortisol levels. Reduce sugar intake, starchy processed foods, and stimulators like caffeine and alcohol.
MOVE
Exercising regularly is very important to manage stress and anxiety. Try free flowing movement and stretching type exercises like yoga, pilates, tai chi, versus high impact workouts like bootcamps.
SLEEP
Maintain a regular sleep pattern with a bedtime between 10-11 pm. This allows cortisol levels to drop to an optimal level and ensures quality sleep throughout the night. Have trouble falling asleep? Try this natural strategy to sleep better.
RELAX
Find an active relaxation technique that works for you — deep breathing, a leisure walk or stroll, meditation, yoga. Sometimes just getting outdoors with a change of scenery is enough! Epsom salts baths are wonderful for relaxing, as is using essential oils — find something that contains lavender as it’s a herb known for invoking calm and relaxation. Practicing self-care can be an excellent way to relax and take your mind off stress.
SUPPLEMENT
Sometimes we need to supplement our lifestyle changes with multivitamins to help balance the stress response, such as vitamin C, zinc, and most importantly, magnesium — the mineral that aids relaxation. Adaptogenic herbs or adaptogens are natural healing substances that help the body adapt to stress and reduce cortisol levels. Steep holy basil into a calming tea, or wind down with an adaptogenic ashwagandha latte.
TALK
Find a support group, talk to people who put you in a great mood, or participate in a community activity. Generally, people with supporting communities are good with managing stress and have better health over time.
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What is your strategy or technique to manage stress and reduce cortisol levels?
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