Cortisol is the stress hormone, which is released in response to stress and also causes stress (as a feeling). It is produced in the adrenal glands, which also produce adrenaline.
Its important to know that cortisol is also released in response to biological stress, or the actual state of your cells, tissues, organs, and body. This is different from the conventional image of stress as emotional, social, mental, etc. It illustrates how your stress or elevated cortisol levels can be entirely caused by physical issues or mundane (solvable) deficiencies like low blood sugar. This is also important to understand as you can’t always ‘think away’ cortisol & stress, or, its not always ‘in your head’ and you don’t need to ‘just calm down’.
When decreasing cortisol and the negative health effects of cortisol are discussed, its always in the context of chronically elevated and inappropriately produced cortisol, similar to inflammation. Essentially, cortisol plays an important biological role and is fundamental to your body like many other compounds or hormones, but many modern factors such as societal aspects, poor diet, toxins, and more all keep it chronically elevated which is unnatural and unhealthy, or cause it to be inappropriately released/produced when it shouldn’t be.
One of the most common causes for high cortisol or stress is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which is often caused by low calorie caffeinated drinks (e.g. black coffee), work, and skipping meals. When your blood sugar is low, your body has to liberate glycogen (stored blood sugar) from your liver and muscles, which is stimulated by cortisol and adrenaline. As hypoglycemia persists, the body releases even more cortisol and adrenaline to start breaking down tissues like muscles for energy or calories. The jitters you might get from caffeine isn’t arbitrarily from the caffeine itself, but from low blood sugar caused by caffeine which increases cellular metabolism, burning through calories in your blood stream faster.
Therefore one of the best and most fundamental ways to reduce cortisol is to keep blood sugar adequate, by not skipping meals, snacking, and eating plenty of fruit or starches like potatoes throughout the day. This is also why craving something sweet or a snack, and feeling hungry or stress & jittery go hand-in-hand.
Negative Health Effects of Cortisol Include:
- Muscle Loss
- Inflammation
- Poor Memory
- Lack of Focus
- Brain Fog
- Procrastination
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Poor Sleep
- Digestive Issues
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Jitters or Shaking
- Depression
- Decreased Muscle Growth or Repair
- Acne
- Hair Loss
- Dry Skin
- Skin Breakdown (Aging)
How To Reduce Cortisol:
1. Protein
2. Magnesium
3. Testosterone (For Men)
4. Progesterone (For Women)
5. Eat Glucose
6. Vitamin B6
7. B Vitamins
8. Lithium
9. Sleep
10. Circadian Rhythm
11. Baths
12. Showers
13. Epsom Salts, Dead Sea Salts, and Chloride Flakes
14. Pleasant Scents
15. Cleaning or Clean Room and Environment
16. Thyroid
17. Fresh Air
18. Daily Walks
19. Exercise
20. Sunlight
21. Red Light
22. Warmth (like a fireplace in winter or a warm bath)
23. Weighted Blankets (or a duvet or comforter)
24. Social Interaction
25. Relationships
26. Swimming
27. Hobbies
28. Art or Creative Expression
29. Music (your favourite music and/or relaxing, peaceful music)
30. Massage
31. Stretching
Apex of Men 