High Cortisol Symptoms And Treatment: 7 Signs of Increased Stress Hormone, And How to Manage it

If someone is experiencing a lot of stress, cortisol can be secreted throughout the day and night, which can interfere with their ability to sleep at night.

Cortisol is the body’s natural response to threats. It’s like a natural built-in alarm system. Hormone levels can vary throughout the day. But high cortisol levels are common now. When the body produces too much stress hormone, it is called Cushing’s syndrome. But what causes high cortisol levels? “The brain’s hypothalamus interacts with various glands in our body to regulate hormone levels. When it comes to cortisol, this is known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis,” the Healthline report explains. When cortisol levels are low, the hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which triggers the anterior pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH then causes the adrenal gland to create and release more cortisol.”

Cortisol release occurs in a circadian fashion, so it is naturally highest in the morning, when you need a burst of energy to wake up, and decreases during the day, being lowest at night, just before bed. Of course, if you experience a lot of stress, cortisol can be secreted throughout the day and night, which can interfere with your ability to sleep at night.

SIGNS OF HIGH CORTISOL

As the body’s main stress hormone, cortisol surges when we perceive danger and causes all the symptoms we associate with “fight or flight.”

1. Weight gain especially around the abdomen and face.
2. Muscular weakness
3. High blood sugar
4. Hypertension
5. weak bones
6. swings mode
7. Problems with memory and concentration.

IMPORTANCE OF CORTISOL

It also plays other important roles:
• Manages how the body uses carbohydrates, fats and proteins
• Keeps inflammation down
• Regulates blood pressure
• Increases blood sugar
• Controls the sleep-wake cycle
• Increases energy so you can manage stress and restore balance afterward.

When cortisol in the body is consistently high over a long period of time, due to chronic stress or a medical condition, for example, you may begin to experience health consequences as mentioned above.

WAYS TO CONTROL HIGH CORTISOL

There are several things you can do to try to lower your cortisol levels and keep them in optimal ranges:

• Get quality sleep
• exercise regularly
• Learn to limit stress and stressful thought patterns
• Diary
• Practice deep breathing exercises
• Participate in fun hobbies and activities.

Too much stress is the main trigger for high cortisol levels. Therefore, it is better to stay away from these symptoms and prepare well.