How To Raise Cortisol Levels

Sleep In A Completely Dark Room

10 Ways to Raise Low Cortisol – Adrenal Series #4

You want lower cortisol levels and higher melatonin levels at night so you can sleep. Even small amounts of light in your bedroom can affect your cortisol and melatonin production.

Get rid of the chargers, alarm clocks, or whatever else is flashing small lights into your room. Black-out curtains can be a good investment if you have a lot of artificial light coming in through your windows. Any light while you sleep will alter your natural cortisol curve. Turn the lights off and enjoy the sweet darkness of night time.

Your Natural Cortisol Curve

Cortisol production happens in your adrenal glands. The adrenal glands secrete cortisol in a circadian rhythm, meaning it follows our internal 24-hour clock. When well-balanced, you will have high cortisol levels in the morning to help wake up. Your cortisol levels then slowly taper in the afternoon and evening, so you sleep well. Salivary testing at four different times of the day allows your doctor to see what your individual cortisol curve looks like.

In my practice, I find people at various stages of adrenal fatigue, often relating to how long they have lived with high levels of stress. For some, cortisol is elevated throughout the day, or low all day, or has a zigzag pattern, or spikes at night instead of the morning.

The good news is that simple diet and lifestyle changes can help restore a normal cortisol curve. Whether youve been told you need to raise or lower your cortisol levels, all these practices will be healthy and helpful.

These small lifestyle changes remind your body when cortisol should be high and low .

Symptoms And Side Effects Of Cortisol Imbalance

If you love your current workout routine, the thought of dialing it back may sound counterintuitive, but the cost of working out at 100 percent when your mental and emotional stress levels are at 100 percent is compromised muscle mass, strength plateaus, weight gain, and generalized exhaustion, says Molloy of the side effects of cortisol imbalance.

There are other non-exercise related symptoms, tooÃ¢most of which are similar to the symptoms of overtraining syndrome. Some other symptoms of a cortisol imbalance are:

Because the whole endocrine system is interconnected, this is just the tip of the iceberg, says Len Lopez D.C., a chiropractor and fitness expert. For example, your body needs progesterone to make cortisol. When theres an overproduction of cortisol, it can cause an imbalance in your progesterone and estrogen levels, which can lead to estrogen dominance, he says.

Its also worth mentioning that mental health issues like anxiety and depression have a direct relationship with cortisol. Some studies have linked heightened cortisol levels with mental health issues, while others have found that chronically elevated cortisol levels increase your risk for mental illness in the future.

Because, again, cortisol touches every single system in the body, chronically elevated cortisol levels can lead to other scary health issues such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

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Does Lack Of Sleep Cause High Cortisol Levels

While excess cortisol incites sleep problems, the resulting sleep loss also intensifies your body’s cortisol concentration. Not meeting your sleep need means your body isn’t given ample time to curb cortisol secretion, leading to elevated daytime levels of the stress hormone.

A 1997 study by Leproult and colleagues found that just missing a few hours of sleep for one night is enough to hike up your cortisol levels the following evening. The study also notes a lag time of at least an hour in suspending cortisol production. More recently, a scientific review published in June 2021 highlighted that there is ample research indicating a short sleep duration of 5.5 hours or less hiked up cortisol production in the afternoon and evening.

In other words, not only do you feel too wired for sleep, but your target bedtime is also delayed. You are now trapped in a vicious cycle of ever-increasing cortisol and sleep deficiency, which bodes ill for your day-to-day functioning and overall wellbeing.

A recent article published in April 2022 showcases this phenomenon in night shift workers: Based on salivary cortisol samples, female hospital workers have a more muted CAR on the mornings following their night shifts. Whatâs more, the study highlighted that the muted effect was more pronounced in shift workers who identify as morning chronotypes .

Holistic Approach To Lower Cortisol

Too high cortisol level and how to deal with it

Our team of functional medicine specialists have the knowledge and experience to help you lower your cortisol naturally while rebalancing your adrenal hormones. Our comprehensive treatment plan includes guidance for eating a healthy diet and some lifestyle modifications to lower your stress levels. These will help to help restore your health and for sustainable weight loss.

Moderate Exercise To Lower Cortisol

Enjoying regular exercise can help to reduce your cortisol levels because it helps to cope with stress better.

The Journal of Endocrinological Investigation reported that moderate, low-intensity exercise has a positive effect on cortisol levels. However, intensive exercise increases cortisol secretion in the body.

Interestingly, sweating after exercise can cause high concentrations of cortisol in the body and these concentrations are detected in hair. Doctors can test hair samples for cortisol to help diagnose conditions related to chronic stress.

Walking is a great low impact exercise that can act as a cortisol reducer and manage your stress levels. One of the benefits of walking every day is that it helps to get rid of excess body fat.

When To See A Doctor

If you are experiencing symptoms of Addisons disease or Cushings syndrome or otherwise suspect that your cortisol level is too high or too low, make an appointment with your primary care doctor and/or an endocrinologist for diagnosis.

The doctor can order tests to measure the level of cortisol in your urine, blood, or saliva. The urine test is often done over the course of a full 24 hours , since cortisol levels naturally vary throughout the day.

Depending on the results of the cortisol tests, your doctor might order further testing or imaging or start you on treatments to get your cortisol levels back to normal.

Phosphatidylserine As A Cortisol Supplement

The supplement phosphatidylserine has a positive effect on your mind and memory and can help reduce cortisol production.

One small study found that phosphatidylserine supplements of 600 mg a day can lower cortisol levels after intensive exercising. This can be an effective way for athletes or people who enjoy regular intensive exercise to avoid the effects of too much cortisol.

High Cortisol Signs And Symptoms In Women

Does Fasting Raise Your Cortisol Levels?

When cortisol production is balanced, levels of the hormone naturally rise and fall during the day. These patterns are tightly connected to your circadian rhythm sleep/wake cycle.

Cortisol levels are usually lowest between midnight and 4:00 AM and then gradually increase until around 8:00 AM. Rising cortisol helps you to wake up and start the day. After 8:00 AM, cortisol declines incrementally throughout the day to gradually prepare you for sleep.

This daily rhythm is the norm unless you encounter a stressful event. In response to danger, your body temporarily raises levels of cortisol and adrenaline to handle the stressful event. After the stressors have passed, cortisol and adrenaline levels return to normal.

Thats the way its supposed to work. Yet when chronic stress leads to unnaturally high cortisol levels, it creates a state of adrenal imbalance that often triggers a cascade of adrenal-related symptoms:

Thyroid imbalances

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Set Good Sleep Habits

Seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night is the gold standard for optimal health and it makes for a powerful cortisol reducer. If youre not clocking enough sleep, try bumping bedtime up. If you feel wired late into the evening, try dimming the lights and powering down phones, computers, and TVs at least one hour before bedtime.

The blue light from electronic devices throws off our sleep-wake cycle known as our circadian rhythm, and makes it harder to fall asleep. Replace Netflix with a book, warm bath, or relaxing music to help you unwind and prepare for sleep. Candles, aromatherapy, and sound machines can also help you relax before bedtime.

Balanced Cortisol Levels = Better Sleep + Better Days

Now that you understand how cortisol can work for and against you, it’s time to turn this stress hormone to your side. A well-functioning cortisol rhythm is essential for helping you sleep and wake at the right times, as well as deal with short-term stressors. The key is not to let your body’s cortisol levels get out of hand, or else you risk getting caught in the maelstrom of never-ending cortisol secretion and sleep loss.

Start by reviewing your lifestyle and identifying stressors that are contributing to your chronic stress levels. Next, prioritize good sleep hygiene to keep sleep debt low and your circadian rhythm aligned. Also, don’t forget your evening wind-down to tone down your body’s stress response.

The RISE app can remind you when you should start winding down, plus when to practice good sleep hygiene techniques from dawn till dusk based on your unique chronobiology. Only when your cortisol rhythm is properly working will you meet your sleep need and have the energy for better days ahead. RISE users on iOS 1.202 and above can click here to set up any of the appâs 20+ sleep hygiene habits.

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How Cortisol Functions In The Body

While many people are concerned with lowering the amount of cortisol in their body, the truth is that a healthy balance of this hormone is necessary for optimal healthand can actually be lifesaving in the right circumstances. Thats because cortisols main job is to help fuel your bodys fight or flight response. When you encounter a dangerous situation, your adrenal glands release cortisol into the bloodstream. Your blood pressure rises, enabling your fight or flight response and prepping your body for immediate action. Your blood sugar also increases to provide immediately available fuel for your muscles. After the threat passes, your cortisol levels go back to normal and homeostasis returns.

The trouble comes when constant stress causes our cortisol levels to remain elevated above a natural baseline. This can cause a variety of symptoms that can be quite uncomfortable and compromise your quality of life.

Ptsd And Low Cortisol

There is most definitely a relationship between PTSD and low cortisol levels. In fact, a low cortisol response can be driven by chronic anxiety, or what we might otherwise call post-traumatic stress disorder . The solution here is to seek help in order to come to terms with your anxiety levels, and what is plaguing you deep down.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a proven way to help with chronic anxiety and PTSD. It can also help with cortisol levels. Mindfulness meditation is also extremely effective, easy to do, and can make a big difference in your life.

Hopefully, after seeking help, it will be able to balance out your PTSD and low cortisol levels. I truly hope this helps.

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Is Cortisol A Stress Hormone

Cortisol is widely known as the stress hormone. However, it has many important effects and functions throughout your body aside from regulating your bodys stress response.

Its also important to remember that, biologically speaking, there are multiple different kinds of stress, including:

Acute stress: Acute stress happens when youre in sudden danger within a short period of time. For example, barely avoiding a car accident or being chased by an animal are situations that cause acute stress.
Chronic stress: Chronic stress happens when you experience ongoing situations that cause frustration or anxiety. For example, having a difficult or frustrating job or having a chronic illness can cause chronic stress.
Traumatic stress: Traumatic stress happens when you experience a life-threatening event that induces fear and a feeling of helplessness. For example, experiencing an extreme weather event, such as a tornado, or experiencing war or sexual assault can cause traumatic stress. In some cases, these events can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder .

Your body releases cortisol when you experience any of these types of stress.

Natural Ways To Lower Cortisol

In many cases, the brain and adrenal glands can regulate cortisol on their own. When stress has gone away, the body will stop making cortisol and the levels will return to normal.

However, people with chronic stress, certain medical conditions, or who take certain medications can have cortisol levels that are higher than usual. They may want to try some techniques for lowering cortisol, such as:

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Do Any Foods Affect Cortisol Levels

Feeling stressed? Your diet could play a role. No foods contain the stress hormone cortisol, but there are foods that affect cortisol levels in the body. Here’s how to eat to help manage your cortisol levels and how stressed you feel.

Sleep Hygiene Tips For Lower Cortisol Levels

Tips to Balance Your Cortisol Levers

Go to bed at a regular time each night.
Set an alarm to get you up at the same time each morning.
Wash your bedding and night clothes regularly.
Keep distractions, like noise, tv, and phones, to a minimum before bed.
Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening.
Dont exercise in the evening.
Avoid bright lights and screens before bed.

FACTShift work from early adulthood is associated with increased, prolonged cortisol levels and a higher body mass index .

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Ashwagandha Supplement To Reduce Cortisol

Ashwagandha is a good supplement to provide support during times of emotional or mental stress. Because of this, ashwagandha supplementation can help reduce cortisol levels.

One study found that taking 300 mg of ashwagandha 2 times a day can help to reduce cortisol levels. In the study, the ashwagandha supplement was able to significantly lower cortisol levels without causing any adverse side effects.

Learn more about the proven benefits and uses of ashwagandha.

Do High Cortisol Levels Cause A Lack Of Sleep

While your stress response system usually turns off once a threat has passed, never-ending stressors mean your body is stuck in the fight-or-flight mode, resulting in chronic stress. A common example would be a hectic lifestyle overwhelmed with work demands, family obligations, and little downtime.

As you can imagine, the HPA axis activity goes haywire, leading to out-of-whack cortisol production. Instead of the usual peaks and troughs, your cortisol rhythm is now stuck on high cortisol release. While high cortisol levels are great for jumpstarting your day, a cortisol overload throughout the day and too near your bedtime spells doom for your sleep-wake cycle.

High cortisol symptoms arenât only limited to things like high blood pressure, rapid weight gain, and mood swings. Too much of this stress hormone also threatens your sleep. That’s because adrenaline and noradrenaline also appear alongside said stressor, hiking up your heart rate and body temperature. This makes it harder for you to drift off to sleep, much less transition from light sleep to deep sleep.

Hyperactivity of the HPA axis alters your natural sleep architecture in the following ways:

Increased sleep fragmentation
Reduced sleep time, failing to meet your sleep need

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What Happens When You Produce Too Much Or Little Cortisol

The body usually produces the right amount of cortisol. In a condition such as Cushings syndrome, it produces too much. In a condition such as Addisons disease, it produces too little.

Symptoms of too much cortisol include:

weight gain, particularly around the abdomen and face
thin and fragile skin that is slow to heal
for women, facial hair and irregular menstrual periods

Symptoms of not enough cortisol include:

If you experience any of these symptoms, your doctor may suggest you have a blood test to measure your cortisol levels.

Build A Healthy Plate

Its not just eating that matters, its what you eat, too. Meals and snacks should contain a mix of fat, protein, and fiber. This formula is a cortisol reducer that provides sustainable energy, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and fills you up. High cortisol levels can intensify cravings for sugar and processed snacks, which are no friend to healthy cortisol levels or your body. The best foods that reduce cortisol are healthy fats, like avocados and nuts, plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains, like oatmeal and quinoa, and lean proteins.

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Special Note For Children With Diabetes Insipidus Who Are Taking Ddavp

If the child needs one of the following, you should:

Extra oral hydrocortisone for vomiting and/or diarrhoea:

Give them double doses of hydrocortisone and add in the 4am dose
Do not give them any more DDAVP
Allow them to drink if thirsty
Take them to hospital for a blood test to check their plasma electrolytes

Intramuscular hydrocortisone for any reason:

Give them an intramuscular injection of hydrocortisone
Do not give them any more DDAVP