The stress hormone can make you thick, sluggish and sad.
You can listen to the article. If you are more convenient for you, turn on the podcast.
Listen to how to reduce the level of cortisol to live longer and better on Yandex.Music
What is cortisol
Cortisol is the main glucocorticoid hormone of a person that is produced in the adrenal cortex and regulates the body’s response to stress.
In a calm state, men produce 15–20 mg of this hormone per day, and in women – 10% less. The level of cortisol increases closer to 6–8 in the morning, is at the peak 30-60 minutes after waking up, and then gradually decreases and reaches the lowest values by midnight.
In response to the danger, real or imaginary, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland gives the command of the adrenal glands to produce cortisols – and its level in blood plasma increases several times.
The hormone goes into the bloodstream to prepare the body for bad times: to provide energy in the form of glucose, which may be needed for a fight or flight, and reduce inflammation when wounded.
In addition, cortisol suppresses the digestive and reproductive systems, slows down growth. In other words, “turns off” everything that will not be needed in a dangerous situation.
When the threat disappears, cortisol returns to a normal level after 1-2 hours. But if stress factors do not disappear, the main glucocorticoid can remain increased for a long time. And it’s very bad.
As a high level of cortisol can harm the body
Large emotional load at work, constant quarrels in the family, any long -term stress can raise the level of cortisol for a long time and cause:
- Reducing cognitive abilities. Chronically increased cortisol worsens the memory of personal information (episodic), places and directions (spatial), the ability to concentrate and correct behavior, taking into account the goal, the speed of information processing and social cognition. A person becomes less flexible and acts on templates, misses the context and makes bad decisions.
- Great weight gain and the development of metabolic syndrome. Cortisol promotes the accumulation of fat on the abdomen (abdominal obesity), increases the craving for sweet and fatty foods and can lead to metabolic syndrome – a state in which sensitivity to insulin decreases, the pressure of type II and heart diabetes increase increases and increases.
- Mental disorders. The high level of cortisol is observed in patients with depression and those who are at risk for this disorder. Also too strong a response to stress can lead to the development of anxious disorder.
- Reducing immunity. While acute stress can reduce inflammation, long, on the contrary, suppresses immunity and makes the body vulnerable to various diseases.
- Premature aging. Researchers found that the high level of cortisol due to prolonged stress is associated with shortened telomers – end sections of chromosomes, which protect the DNA from damage. The reduction of telomeres due to nervous tension in the future can lead to premature cellular aging and the development of various diseases.
Thus, the high level of cortisol is able to seriously harm the body, and therefore it is necessary to fight stress. Fortunately, almost everyone can do this.
How to reduce cortisol yourself
There are several scientifically proven methods to reduce the amount of stress horm1. Try them all.
Substerate
The disadvantage and poor quality of sleep increases the concentration of cortisol, so it is very important to fully rest 7-8 hours per night.
To get enough sleep, use tested methods:
- Go to bed and get up at the same time.
- Do not eat before bedtime, but do not go to bed hungry.
- Exclude alcohol, especially in the evening.
- Make sure that the bedroom is quiet, dark and cool.
- If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, take yourself calm, for example, read. Go to bed again only when you feel drowsiness.
Also consider that the high level of cortisol due to psychological stress often turns into a loss of sleep. In order not to get stuck in a closed cycle of sleepless nights and too active glucocorticoids, you can use proven techniques to combat stress.
Perform breathing exercises
According to studies, deep breathing techniques help switch the vegetative nervous system to a parasympathetic department – the one that dominates in a calm state.
In one experiment, 90 minutes of such exercises once a week significantly reduced the level of cortisol and the heart rate of the subjects, and also affected the mood well.
First, try the simplest respiratory equipment – “square”. Inhale in four scores (seconds or heart impact). Then hold the air in the lungs at the same time. Now take four counts for exhalation and another breath holding. As you get used to it, you can increase the number of scores in a square – for example, up to six or 8.
Meditate
There are a lot of meditative techniques, but in fact they are all aimed at developing awareness – the ability to concentrate on the present moment, and not float with thoughts to the past or future.
Researchers have found that awareness is directly related to the level of cortisol in the evenings. The more people were in the present moment, the less stress they experienced. Scientists suggested that this occurs because of the lack of experiences about the past and future.
In another experiment, with the participation of medical students, only four days of practice of meditation of awareness significantly reduced the production of cortisol.
Meta analysis of 10 studies showed that meditation significantly reduces the level of stress hormone in people who have encountered problems – physical or mental ailments and complex life circumstances.
In general, start to meditate for 5-10 minutes a day. Just focus on breathing, body sensations or some external objects, such as the sounds of the ocean, trying to remain in the present moment to the maximum and not float into thoughts.
Engage in creativity
Participants in one experiment were provided with materials for creating a collage, glue for modeling and markers and asked to do something – everything that would want. After 45 minutes they collected work, and the subjects of cortisol were checked from the subjects. It turned out that the stress hormone has decreased significantly, and his decline did not depend on whether people had a creative experience.
Draw, make collages, paint. It doesn’t matter what exactly you will create. The main thing is to immerse yourself in the process and enjoy it.
Try an expressive letter
It is about, without caring for grammar, pour on paper everything that has accumulated: thoughts about problems and traumatic events of the past, assessing their emotions, discussions about the causes and consequences. The procedure has a strictly specified duration, for example, 15 minutes, during which it is impossible to stop, even if it seems that there is nothing more to write.
Researchers have checked whether such a technique will help people with post -traumatic stress disorder. After a session of an expressive letter, the symptoms of PTSD did not disappear anywhere, but the thoughts of negative events have spoiled the mood much less to people, and the level of cortisol decreased.
If you are forced to be nervous unpleasant memories, try this method. Just be sure to include your experiences in the story at that moment and now, analyze what happened, its causes and influence on your personality and life. This is what, and not a dry retelling of events, will help get rid of stress.
You can listen to the article. If you are more convenient for you, turn on the podcast.
Listen to how to reduce the level of cortisol to live longer and better on Yandex.Music
What is cortisol
Cortisol is the main glucocorticoid hormone of a person that is produced in the adrenal cortex and regulates the body’s response to stress.
In a calm state, men produce 15–20 mg of this hormone per day, and in women – 10% less. The level of cortisol increases closer to 6–8 in the morning, is at the peak 30-60 minutes after waking up, and then gradually decreases and reaches the lowest values by midnight.
In response to the danger, real or imaginary, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland gives the command of the adrenal glands to produce cortisols – and its level in blood plasma increases several times.
The hormone goes into the bloodstream to prepare the body for bad times: to provide energy in the form of glucose, which may be needed for a fight or flight, and reduce inflammation when wounded.
In addition, cortisol suppresses the digestive and reproductive systems, slows down growth. In other words, “turns off” everything that will not be needed in a dangerous situation.
When the threat disappears, cortisol returns to a normal level after 1-2 hours. But if stress factors do not disappear, the main glucocorticoid can remain increased for a long time. And it’s very bad.
As a high level of cortisol can harm the body
Large emotional load at work, constant quarrels in the family, any long -term stress can raise the level of cortisol for a long time and cause:
- Reducing cognitive abilities. Chronically increased cortisol worsens the memory of personal information (episodic), places and directions (spatial), the ability to concentrate and correct behavior, taking into account the goal, the speed of information processing and social cognition. A person becomes less flexible and acts on templates, misses the context and makes bad decisions.
- Great weight gain and the development of metabolic syndrome. Cortisol promotes the accumulation of fat on the abdomen (abdominal obesity), increases the craving for sweet and fatty foods and can lead to metabolic syndrome – a state in which sensitivity to insulin decreases, the pressure of type II and heart diabetes increase increases and increases.
- Mental disorders. The high level of cortisol is observed in patients with depression and those who are at risk for this disorder. Also too strong a response to stress can lead to the development of anxious disorder.
- Reducing immunity. While acute stress can reduce inflammation, long, on the contrary, suppresses immunity and makes the body vulnerable to various diseases.
- Premature aging. Researchers found that the high level of cortisol due to prolonged stress is associated with shortened telomers – end sections of chromosomes, which protect the DNA from damage. The reduction of telomeres due to nervous tension in the future can lead to premature cellular aging and the development of various diseases.
Thus, the high level of cortisol is able to seriously harm the body, and therefore it is necessary to fight stress. Fortunately, almost everyone can do this.
How to reduce cortisol yourself
There are several scientifically proven methods to reduce the amount of stress horm1. Try them all.
Substerate
The disadvantage and poor quality of sleep increases the concentration of cortisol, so it is very important to fully rest 7-8 hours per night.
To get enough sleep, use tested methods:
- Go to bed and get up at the same time.
- Do not eat before bedtime, but do not go to bed hungry.
- Exclude alcohol, especially in the evening.
- Make sure that the bedroom is quiet, dark and cool.
- If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, take yourself calm, for example, read. Go to bed again only when you feel drowsiness.
Also consider that the high level of cortisol due to psychological stress often turns into a loss of sleep. In order not to get stuck in a closed cycle of sleepless nights and too active glucocorticoids, you can use proven techniques to combat stress.
Perform breathing exercises
According to studies, deep breathing techniques help switch the vegetative nervous system to a parasympathetic department – the one that dominates in a calm state.
In one experiment, 90 minutes of such exercises once a week significantly reduced the level of cortisol and the heart rate of the subjects, and also affected the mood well.
First, try the simplest respiratory equipment – “square”. Inhale in four scores (seconds or heart impact). Then hold the air in the lungs at the same time. Now take four counts for exhalation and another breath holding. As you get used to it, you can increase the number of scores in a square – for example, up to six or 8.
Meditate
There are a lot of meditative techniques, but in fact they are all aimed at developing awareness – the ability to concentrate on the present moment, and not float with thoughts to the past or future.
Researchers have found that awareness is directly related to the level of cortisol in the evenings. The more people were in the present moment, the less stress they experienced. Scientists suggested that this occurs because of the lack of experiences about the past and future.
In another experiment, with the participation of medical students, only four days of practice of meditation of awareness significantly reduced the production of cortisol.
Meta analysis of 10 studies showed that meditation significantly reduces the level of stress hormone in people who have encountered problems – physical or mental ailments and complex life circumstances.
In general, start to meditate for 5-10 minutes a day. Just focus on breathing, body sensations or some external objects, such as the sounds of the ocean, trying to remain in the present moment to the maximum and not float into thoughts.
Engage in creativity
Participants in one experiment were provided with materials for creating a collage, glue for modeling and markers and asked to do something – everything that would want. After 45 minutes they collected work, and the subjects of cortisol were checked from the subjects. It turned out that the stress hormone has decreased significantly, and his decline did not depend on whether people had a creative experience.
Draw, make collages, paint. It doesn’t matter what exactly you will create. The main thing is to immerse yourself in the process and enjoy it.
Try an expressive letter
It is about, without caring for grammar, pour on paper everything that has accumulated: thoughts about problems and traumatic events of the past, assessing their emotions, discussions about the causes and consequences. The procedure has a strictly specified duration, for example, 15 minutes, during which it is impossible to stop, even if it seems that there is nothing more to write.
Researchers have checked whether such a technique will help people with post -traumatic stress disorder. After a session of an expressive letter, the symptoms of PTSD did not disappear anywhere, but the thoughts of negative events have spoiled the mood much less to people, and the level of cortisol decreased.
If you are forced to be nervous unpleasant memories, try this method. Just be sure to include your experiences in the story at that moment and now, analyze what happened, its causes and influence on your personality and life. This is what, and not a dry retelling of events, will help get rid of stress.