It is normal to emphasize, but it should not affect your daily functioning. If you experience Chronic stress And exhaustion that affects your daily life can be more than just a bad week. Chronic stress and fatigue like this can be a red flag for something deeper – it can be a sign that you can have cortisol imbalance. But you are not alone; a few Topics of red Show several users dealing with the same problem and wondering what accurate steps they can take to control cortisol levels.
Both tall and low Levels of cortisol – Also known as “stress hormone”- it can leave you with symptoms that make you feel “off” and unlike yourself. The good news is that there are ways to better manage stress. If you believe that you have cortisol imbalance or generally concerned about your health, be sure to consult a doctor so you can do the appropriate exams.
What is cortisol?
Over-functioning of the adrenal glands lead to symptoms of exhaustion.
Cortisol is the primary hormone for stress on the body, says Melissa Grove AzaroRegistered dietician and author of a balanced approach to PCOS. The hormone is produced in the adrenal glands in response to internal or external stresses.
Most people know cortisol about their role in the “fight or flight” answer, which matters, but cortisol actually plays a lot Other roles in the body.
In addition to preventing any functions of the body that are inexitive in a scenario for struggle or flight, cortisol also:
Most of your body cells contain cortisol receptors, so it is an important hormone, but like any hormone, too much or too little of it can be harmful to your body and health.
Signs of cortisol imbalance
The experience of everyone with cortisol imbalance will vary, especially when different between high and low cortisol.
Symptoms of high cortisol include:
- Weight gain, especially in the abdominal area
- Anxiety and irritability
- Trouble sleeping and falling asleep
- Nervousness
- Shakakas
- High heart rhythm
- The instability of blood sugar and the instability of blood pressure
Symptoms of low cortisol include:
- The overall low energy
- Feeling “wired but tired”
- A severe fatigue and a lack of focus
- Wishes for sugar and salt
- Apathy
- Low libido
- Problems with memory
What causes cortisol imbalance?
Prolonged stress is the main cause of cortisol imbalance.
“In general, cortisol imbalance can occur as a result of extremely high stress or prolonged stress,” Azaro says. “While there are clinical diagnoses of high (Cushing syndrome) and low (Addison disease), which require medical treatment, there is a large range of cortisol levels “out of range” or inappropriate cortisol patterns that can affect our daily lives. “
More importantly, cortisol imbalance is not always a simple job of high or low. Having an imbalance of cortisol can also mean that your cortisol is too high at certain times of the day or too low at other times, rather than a constant surplus or deficiency.
Regardless, there are some common culprits behind the imbalance of cortisol of each species.
Stress
Excessive and prolonged stress is the primary cause of cortisol imbalance, whether it is high or low.
“High cortisol occurs when the body perceives stress,” says Dr. Tara ScottDoctor of Functional Medicine. “Your brain does not know if you are running from a bear or having a job time.”
Excess cortisol increases your heart rate, makes you more awake with an increase in norepinephrine (neurotransmitter that can also make you feel anxious) and raises your blood sugar, Scott explains.
“Low cortisol occurs after prolonged stress, when your body sends it a negative signal of feedback to the brain saying,” We have a lot of cortisol here, do not stimulate greater production! “” Says Scott. So your brain reduces adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH, On the day or they can be low throughout the day, Scott says.
Exercise
Too much exercise can eject cortisol levels.
Exercise is considered to be EU Esstres, or good stress, says Azaro – to some point. “While there is an immediate rise in cortisol with exercise, the overall impact is to improve mood and lower stress. But if we Excessive useStress becomes harmful, “she says.
Azaro recommends considering your full life stress when planning an exercise regimen. If you do not sleep enough and struggle with high stress at work, it may not be the best time to include high -intensity exercise, Azaro explains.
“If you feel more likely to get sick or feel impoverished after a workout, rather than energized, you probably work too hard for your current cortisol level,” she says.
Nutrition
The food we eat can help reduce cortisol or reinforce, says Lauren Mincen, registered dietician and nutritional consultant for Fresh. “Processed foods that are rich in carbohydrates and sugar can immediately help reduce cortisol at the beginning, but the blood sugar jump caused by these foods, in fact, over time, over time, to increase stress, inflammation and cortisol levels in the body.”
“Sugar is known for being one of the largest cortisol triggers, and white refined flour foods produce a similar chic of blood sugar and the effect of cortisol, so eating foods high in these ingredients can regularly lead to elevated cortisol over time.”
Alcohol And Caffeine They also affect cortisol levels and consuming too much or both over time affect cortisol levels. Alcohol increases the inflammation, which puts stress on the body, causing cortisol production. Withdrawal from intoxication also stimulates more cortisol in the bloodstream, says Minchen.
“Depending on how much coffee regularly drinks and how high the level of cortisol is from day to day, increasing caffeine intake may have little or no effect on raising cortisol even more,” Mincen says. “This effect can lead to feel more tired with more caffeine as a result of exhaustion of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands can work so hard just before they can increase cortisol production anymore.”
On the other hand, eating healthy carbohydrates with all food, such whole grains, fresh fruits, legumes and potatoes, can provide assistance in cortisol management. Also consuming a balanced amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats It helps your body get the energy it needs to keep your blood sugar accessible and stable, which ultimately helps keep cortisol under control, Mincen says.
How to fix high or low cortisol
Holiday is the best way to repair high or low cortisol.
“It's not great sexy,” says Azaro, “But your body tells you to rest. The dirty thing to correct cortisol imbalance is to identify what the main reason for the imbalance is and then to straighten it to return cortisol to balance.”
We discussed the general reasons for cortisol imbalance above, but we dig deeper. Go beside the “diet” or “exercise” and ask yourself if the hormone level is awake for:
- Your job
- Stress on a relationship (significant other or family)
- A culture of hustle/making too much
- Lack of sleep
- Too much of a kind of exercise (probably Hi)
- Alcohol consumption or caffeine
- Lack of practices or practices for stress management
It is also important to identify your Specific imbalancesays Ina MelamedPharmacist and physician for functional medicine. Ask your primary health care provider whether they are running hormone tests or can you apply to an endocrine specialist. Or order a cortisol test online to take it home and send it to the laboratory.
This step is crucial because what works to repair high cortisol levels may not work to repair low cortisol levels. To really get to the underlying reason, “testing should ideally be for cortisol, DeaSexual hormones, and even melatonin just to see a better picture of the health of the adrenal glands, “says Melamed. Your symptoms can be the product of more hormone imbalances.
Fixing cortisol imbalance will take a lot of work and patience. First and foremost, rest. When you feel rest, try to make a list of all possible stresses in your life – and be honest.
Then, write down how you could reduce to reduce any stress. You may be reducing your weekly routine of five sessions to four; You may have a serious conversation with your stress level and home responsibilities; You may be asking your boss to illuminate your burden for a while (or better yet, to rest completely).
High or low levels of cortisol can make life much harder than it should. The fight against constant stress, anxiety and fatigue is not easy, and as always, if you need mental health support, Use the resources available to you.