From the 24/7 news cycle to the latest drama with your BFFs to the constantly "on" feeling from your omnipresent smartphone and other tech, life in 2023 can feel like a lot. According to the latest Stress in America survey by the American Psychological Association, 27% of adults admit that we're so stressed by a variety of triggers that most days we can't function. (Or at least can't seize the day with as much gusto as we once could.)
No matter the trigger of your stress, your brain isn't the only thing being affected by the fretting, rumination and anxiety. Since stress—like sleep, hunger and blood sugar—is related to hormone production in the body, stress that starts in the brain doesn't stay there.
Read on to learn more about cortisol, the primary hormone related to stress, and how to tell if you might have levels outside of the norm. Plus, we have pro tips on how to chill out for better health and mental well-being.
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What Is Cortisol, Exactly?
Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by your adrenal glands in response to stress—both the good kind and the bad variety, explains Caroline Thomason, RD, CDCES, a Warrenton, Virginia-based registered dietitian. In addition to playing a crucial role in the body's response to stress, cortisol helps regulate various bodily functions such as blood pressure, blood sugar, metabolism, immunity and your sleep-wake cycle.
Some amount of cortisol is perfectly healthy and normal—like when you're excited for an event—and your levels naturally ebb and flow throughout the day. But if this stress hormone remains high from, say, constantly being fried at work, then it can lead to negative health consequences.
Under normal conditions, cortisol levels peak in the early morning and gradually decline throughout the course of the day until the hormone reaches its lowest level at night, adds Akil Palanisamy, M.D., an integrative medicine doctor in San Francisco and author of The T.I.G.E.R. Protocol: An Integrative, 5-Step Program to Treat and Heal Your Autoimmunity. Looking at daily levels on average, you don't want too much or too little. The optimal situation is the Goldilocks scenario: a "just right" middle ground of cortisol.
Certain external cues can cause cortisol levels to bump up instead of steadily drop. "The primary function of cortisol is to mobilize the body's energy stores and prepare it for a 'fight-or-flight' response that's associated with activation of the sympathetic nervous system. When you encounter a stressful event, whether physical or psychological, cortisol levels rise to increase the availability of glucose in the blood—to give you energy to fight or flee—and have other beneficial effects to address stressful situations," Palanisamy says.
Anything that the body perceives as a stressor can cause cortisol levels to rise. Such as:
- Emotional stress
- Extended fasting
- Extreme caloric restriction
- Insufficient sleep
- Caffeine consumption on an empty stomach
- Acute infections
- Toxin exposure
- Workouts
The Symptoms of High Cortisol Levels
So how do you know what's a normal amount of stress and when it's gotten out of hand? Your primary care physician can administer a blood, urine or saliva test to assess your cortisol levels, if you think yours might be elevated too often. Your body can also be a guide, suggests Alisa Vitti, the New York City-based creator of the Cycle Syncing Method, founder of FLOLiving and the myFLO app, and author of WomanCode and In the FLO.
Symptoms of chronic high levels of cortisol include:
- Fatigue
- Feeling "fuzzy" or experiencing brain fog
- An inability to fall asleep or stay asleep
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Elevated blood pressure
- Elevated blood sugar
- Muscle weakness
- Excessive hair growth
- Decreased ability to balance
- Increased heart rate
- Appetite changes
Over time, if high cortisol levels are left unaddressed, Vitti says that they can lead to accumulation of belly fat and weight gain, type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions, as well as disruptions to your normal sleep-wake cycle. If cortisol remains elevated enough, it might even lead to bone weakness and fractures or impair memory, attention and concentration, Palanisamy says: "High cortisol is an important area to address. This can be a game-changer for some of my patients, especially among those dealing with fatigue and brain fog. Optimizing cortisol levels can be highly beneficial in addressing those symptoms."
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6 Fast Ways to Lower Cortisol Levels
Lifestyle changes that can reduce stress are the number one way to tamp down cortisol levels, according to our experts. The following strategies may help manage and potentially lower cortisol:
1. Move Your Body
Even though exercise might present a short-term source of the good kind of stress for the body (our muscles, especially our hearts, are working hard!), over time, regular exercise makes us more resilient to life stressors and buffers against increased cortisol levels, Thomason says.
Anything from walking and yoga to strength training and dancing can be beneficial. Around 30 minutes per day is the sweet spot, according to Harvard Health experts. (Too much physical activity can have the opposite effect.) Our walking plan to reduce stress is a great place to start.
2. Prioritize Sleep
"Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to increased cortisol levels," Palanisamy says. This is because a lack of R&R can throw off the activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, which affects hormone secretion—including cortisol.
To set yourself up for sleep success, stock up on and enjoy these Mediterranean foods for better sleep, establish a consistent pre-bed routine, and aim to turn in and get up at around the same time each day so your body gets used to a regular schedule.
If possible, adjust your bedroom to make it a more conducive sleep environment, as well. (Don't miss our top 7 bedroom design tips for better sleep.) One of the experts' biggest tips? Make it a screen-free zone. Since blue light, which emits from many of our screens, stimulates the production of cortisol and keeps it constant all day, "it can suppress the production of melatonin and disrupt your sleep and your other hormones," Vitti says. So steer clear of as many screens as possible in the 90 minutes leading up to bedtime, according to the Sleep Foundation.
Finally, we're hoping you won't need these, but in case you do, here are 5 tips to fall back asleep when you wake up in the middle of the night, according to a sleep specialist.
3. Carve Out Time for Stress-Relievers
Activities that add stress (meaning those that feel like "work" or a "should" rather than a "want to do" task) vary from person to person, but doing deep-breathing exercises, spending time in nature, meditating, practicing mindfulness, doing progressive muscle relaxation, journaling and doing yoga have shown positive effects at reducing cortisol levels and feelings of stress, says Palanisamy.
"Experiment with different techniques to find what works best for you, as there is no 'one-size-fits-all' stress-buster," he adds.
We swear by these 3 tricks to feel happier and reduce stress that are easy and free, and here are 7 more science-backed ways to relieve stress in 10 minutes or less.
4. Eat a Balanced Diet
Be sure that you have regular meals and snacks—and that you get enough food to satisfy you! If your body believes it's starving, it will surely send out a SOS via your stress hormones. (Another one of the many reasons why EatingWell dietitians highly recommend avoiding any and all detoxes or fad diets.) Here's how to estimate how many calories you need per day, so you can ensure you're getting the nourishment you need.
While no specific foods or drinks appear to have a direct impact on cortisol, there are a few best practices that can help with the symptoms related to too much stress.
- Eat a variety of plant-based foods, such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts and seeds, to help lower blood pressure and potentially help combat fatigue, Thomason suggests.
- Aim to maintain stable blood sugar levels. A high-fiber diet with a balance of complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats can be beneficial to help prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes, Palanisamy adds.
- Since excess cortisol causes your body to excrete potassium into the blood, consuming avocados, bananas, mushrooms and chocolate may help bring things back into balance, Vitti says.
- Ease up on the caffeine. "Moderate consumption of 1 to 2 cups of coffee a day is considered safe—even though it may temporarily increase cortisol levels," Palanisamy says. If you regularly drink coffee, research from Psychosomatic Medicine suggests that the blips in elevated cortisol may be small with this level of consumption. But as with many things in the world of nutrition, moderation is key; as the coffee cups stack up, so does the caffeine and the potential cortisol spike.
5. Make Connections
"Maintaining strong social connections and seeking support from loved ones can help buffer the effects of stress and reduce cortisol levels," Palanisamy says.
If you'd like to forge new relationships, consider joining a club, a religious group or a nonprofit organization, or sign up for local events or classes related to your hobbies. Or simply prioritize time with family and friends—even on crazy busy days.
And if you're interested in tapping an objective source to listen and share support, check out the APA's tool for how to find a good therapist.
6. Consider Supplements
The scientific jury is still out about their effectiveness, and it's important to keep in mind that most supplements are unregulated, which makes it hard to know what you're getting. But there are some supplements that have a growing body of evidence behind them, Thomason says.
For example, some preliminary research suggests that a class of herbs known as adaptogens may help the body adapt to stress. In particular, ashwagandha, L-theanine, holy basil and Rhodiola rosea might have favorable effects on cortisol. "However, without lifestyle changes in conjunction with these supplements, it's like putting a Band-Aid over a wound," Thomason says.
The Bottom Line
Cortisol is a primary stress hormone within our bodies. We start each day with higher levels, and under normal circ*mstances, cortisol should fall throughout the day. However, stressors can trigger the release of unhealthy amounts of cortisol, and since so many Americans walk around with excess stress on the regular, we're also at higher risk for constantly elevated cortisol levels. The best and fastest ways to lower cortisol levels are similar to many of the ways to reduce risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia. To keep your cortisol in better balance, fuel up often and with a balanced diet and try to regularly move your body. In addition, set aside time to connect with loved ones and shoot for seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you feel like you may have especially high levels of cortisol or that your stress is impacting your quality of life, reach out to your doctor ASAP for help.
