Are you constantly on edge, have a racing heart, and can't sleep at night? A persistent excess of the stress hormone cortisol could be to blame. Here, we'll tell you exactly what cortisol is, how it works, why you actually need it, and when it becomes harmful.
Table of contents
1. What is cortisol and how does it work?
Cortisol is a primary stress hormone released from the adrenal cortex during periods of stress. In the short term, the release of cortisol is very helpful and serves as a kind of protective function for your body. In combination with the other stress hormone, adrenaline , these two hormones perform numerous important functions in the body.
For example, they prepare you to perform well in stressful situations. The hormones also help the brain use glucose as an energy source. In short, cortisol contributes to your performance.
When you have to perform in a demanding situation, the stress hormones noradrenaline and adrenaline are released first in a rapid burst. This is followed by the release of cortisol. In combination, this increases your heart rate , blood pressure , and much more. Essentially, cortisol activates you in demanding situations, which is a huge advantage for you.
2. The consequences of chronic stress
It only becomes problematic when you're chronically stressed , because then the stress hormone is continuously released from your body. Too much of this hormone in your body can contribute to a wide range of physical and mental illnesses .
In medicine, excess cortisol is often associated with heart disease , high blood pressure , insomnia , and immune system dysfunction . However, persistently elevated cortisol levels can be particularly problematic for your brain.
The hormone can damage areas of the hippocampus , the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory processes. A study from the Department of Biological Sciences at Stanford University found that cortisol can "overstimulate" nerve cells, causing premature aging.
The formation of new nerve cells in the brain can also be negatively affected under certain circumstances. In the study, subjects with excess cortisol experienced memory loss and difficulty concentrating . [1]
A persistently elevated cortisol level can also often lead to sleep problems or significantly reduced sleep quality. Cortisol is the antagonist of melatonin , your sleep hormone. So, if your cortisol level is elevated in the evening, it can lead to you being constantly on alert instead of getting restful sleep.
This means you don't get that valuable deep sleep and can't recover sufficiently to fully recharge the next day. In fact, poor sleep can often lead to even higher stress levels , and you find yourself in a vicious cycle.
Take-Home Message #1: The stress hormone cortisol can have a stimulating effect on the cardiovascular system in stressful situations and increase your performance. However, cortisol can have negative effects if released continuously. This often affects your ability to concentrate and sleep, which in turn can increase your stress level.
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3. Therapy against chronic cortisol excess
Fortunately, you can reduce excess cortisol production . How can this work? It all comes down to proper nutrition and physical exercise . These are the two main factors that can break down cortisol and reduce the hormone's production.
1. Reduce your sugar consumption
Foods themselves don't contain cortisol. However, some products can positively influence the release of the hormone. This hormone is linked to diet, as it is largely responsible for regulating blood sugar levels.
For example, if you consume a lot of baked goods that contain a lot of sugar , your blood sugar and thus your cortisol levels will go haywire. The higher your blood sugar level, the more cortisol is produced to regulate it.
Ironically, many people eat sugary foods to relax. But sugar triggers increased cortisol and adrenaline levels that can last up to five hours. Combined with the white flour found in many baked goods and sweets, this drives cortisol levels up even further. The better alternative : opt for whole-grain products .
2. Avoid caffeine
Now it gets even harder. It's not just sugar that's bad for your cortisol levels. Coffee and caffeine also dramatically increase hormone production. The caffeine in coffee, energy drinks, and the like stimulates the adrenal cortex, which then releases more cortisol.
Regular caffeine consumption can more than double the stress hormone in the blood. Those who can't do without caffeine should switch to green tea instead. Although it contains only about a quarter of the caffeine, it also has a relaxing effect , as a study by the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University has recently discovered. [2]
3. Avoid unhealthy fats
The third major factor affecting your cortisol levels is fatty, fried foods . French fries and the like contain large amounts of so-called trans fatty acids , which in turn cause cholesterol levels to skyrocket . Cortisol is also responsible for regulating cholesterol levels. Therefore, the higher the cholesterol level from fat, the higher the level of the stress hormone.
Take-home message #2: While sugar, caffeine, and fried foods don't directly contain cortisol, they indirectly increase your levels because cortisol is involved in various metabolic and regulatory processes.
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4. Melatonin for faster sleep
Healthy, high-quality sleep is particularly helpful in lowering cortisol levels . As already mentioned, high levels of stress automatically lead to restless sleep , and low levels of sleep lead to more stress . To break this vicious cycle, melatonin can help you fall asleep more easily.
The sleep hormone increases as soon as it gets dark , and cortisol decreases when you go to sleep. If both hormones are out of balance, sleep quality suffers significantly. Therefore, supplementing with melatonin may be beneficial for helping you fall asleep more easily.
BRAINEFFECT HACK: If the stress hormone cortisol doesn't drop sufficiently in the evening, sleep problems are often inevitable. Taking melatonin can help counteract this, as it reduces the time it takes to fall asleep. You can get melatonin in our SLEEP capsules and our SLEEP SPRAY .
5. Exercise against cortisol excess
It's well known that regular physical exercise can support mental performance well into old age. There are many different reasons for this. One of them is the reduction of cortisol levels through exercise, because excess cortisol can cause your brain's nerve cells to age.
Physical activity isn't about training as hard and as long as possible. Quite the opposite: too much or too hard training actually increases cortisol levels. The reason for this is rooted in the human "fight-or-flight" response.
For example, running a marathon can trigger a complex stress response. Your brain receives the message that you're fleeing danger and releases the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. However, if you want to lower your cortisol levels , you should engage in moderate exercise .
A study by the Stanford University Faculty of Medicine examined which types of exercise are best for reducing cortisol levels. Calming exercises, such as yoga or meditation, stood out. [3] However, other, more active exercises are definitely suitable as well. 20 to 30 minutes of lighter activity , such as walking or cycling, will reduce your tension and thus burn off excess cortisol .
Take-Home Message #3 : Physical activity can reduce tension and thus lower cortisol levels. However, it's important not to train too hard or for too long.
6. Conclusion
Cortisol has important functions and can even temporarily boost your performance. However, if you fail to regularly balance your stress and suffer from chronic stress, your cortisol levels will rise excessively. Foods like refined sugar, wheat flour, and fried foods also stimulate cortisol release.
With a balanced diet and enough exercise, you can easily reduce excess cortisol.
7. Sources
[1] http://www.jneurosci.org/content/10/9/2897.short
[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21617527
[3] http://www.psyneuen-journal.com/article/S0306-4530(03)00054-4/abstract?cc=y=
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