Imagine you're on your way to a crucial job interview. You're stuck in traffic and worried you'll miss the appointment. You can't take an alternate route, and time is ticking.
If you could see your cells, you would realize that your body is most likely responding by releasing cortisol, a "stress hormone."
Stressful situations, lack of sleep, and even busy lifestyles can elevate cortisol levels in your body.
However, when cortisol levels stay high for long periods, it can have a negative effect on your health. Fortunately, you can easily and naturally lower your levels of this stress hormone.
Cortisol is a stress hormone that plays a role in your body's fight-or-flight response, which is how your body reacts to stress or threats.[1] When you're in danger, your body prepares to either stay and "fight" or run away and "flee."
In prehistoric times, the fight-or-flight response was crucial for our ancestors to survive attacks from enemies or animals. But you don't have to be fighting tigers in a jungle to feel ongoing stress. Our bodies have similar reactions to less life-threatening issues, like stressful meetings at work or arguments with loved ones. A daily, busy lifestyle alone may lead to high cortisol levels.[1]
Cortisol affects many parts of your body. It increases your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, muscle tension, and blood sugar levels. This is why your heart pounds, you sweat, and experience heavy breathing when you're in a stressful situation.
Cortisol also slows down certain body processes, like digestion and reproduction, to conserve energy. Cortisol can even suppress the immune system, increasing your risk of infection.[1]
What Is Cortisol? | Dr. Group, DC
Length: 15 minutes
Cortisol levels can vary based on gender, age, health history, and time of day. In general, your cortisol levels are higher in the morning and decrease as the day progresses. Its levels are lowest at midnight.
From 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., normal levels range from 10 to 20 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL). Around 4 p.m., normal levels range from 3 to 10 mcg/dL.[2] All this can change with daily stress.
| Time of the Day | Cortisol Levels (mcg/dL) |
|---|---|
| 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. | 10 to 20 |
| Around 4 p.m. | 3 to 10 |
Your adrenal glands, hypothalamus, and pituitary glands control cortisol levels in your body. Together, they form what scientists call the "hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis."
The hypothalamus (located in the brain), pituitary gland, and adrenal glands all play a role in releasing cortisol into your bloodstream.[1] The following factors can lead to elevated cortisol:
Unfortunately, the stress response rarely if ever shuts down in many people. We worry about work, stress about kids, or bicker about chores with our partner — all of which trigger the release of cortisol. Sleep deprivation and poor diets can also increase cortisol levels, as can drinking a lot of caffeine.[3]
The side effects of certain drugs may also include raising your cortisol levels. For example, birth control pills for contraception, or corticosteroids that are prescribed for autoimmune diseases, can raise cortisol.[4]
Occasionally, concerns with your pituitary gland, a small organ in the brain, or concerns with your adrenal glands can elevate cortisol levels.[5]
High cortisol levels can lead to a variety of symptoms. Too much cortisol has a negative effect on your health, and continued exposure may lead to what doctors call Cushing's syndrome (also called hypercortisolism).[5] Cushing's typically leads to weight gain around the mid-section, face, and upper back, with weight loss from legs.
High cortisol levels can also cause adrenal fatigue, which happens when your adrenal glands are in overdrive from producing this hormone.[6] Other common symptoms of elevated include:
If you're wondering how to lower cortisol levels, lowering your stress levels and following a healthy diet can go a long way. In addition, specific supplements and herbs may also normalize cortisol levels. Below, we've listed several natural options.
Studies show that stress often affects your eating behaviors; in particular, you may crave foods high in fat, sugar, and carbohydrates.[7] Shifting to a plant-based diet centered around fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats is naturally anti-inflammatory.
The incredible array of healthy antioxidants you get from eating this way helps reduce both physical stress within your body ("oxidative stress") and emotional stress — both of which influence cortisol. There is also a specific anti-inflammatory diet you can follow.
Try stress-relieving foods, including dark chocolate, walnuts, avocado, garlic, figs, Swiss chard, dulse seaweed, citrus fruits, and pumpkin seeds (which are also rich in amino acids).
Avoid dehydration — which can raise cortisol — by drinking plenty of water.
One of the most important ways to lower cortisol involves healthfully managing your stress. Consider deep breathing exercises or focusing your mind on a soothing word when you begin to feel stressed. Some people like to visualize tranquil scenes and practice being happy in their mind's eye. For more ideas, check out Dr. Group, DC's Recommendations for Stress Management article.
Finding ways to relax can help you reduce stress. Try these suggestions:
Having more fun can help you manage stress. Try these ideas:
Relationships, whether friendships, children, parents, workmates, or life partners, often cause a lot of our stress. Learning how to have healthy relationships goes a long way to lowering stress — and hence cortisol. Try these simple but powerful suggestions.
Sometimes, supplements can help us manage the daily stresses of life. An adaptogen is a substance that helps your body "adapt" to stress. Some people benefit from taking adaptogenic herbs to normalize cortisol levels. Here are the ones I recommend:
Over time, poor sleep habits can raise cortisol levels.[13] Strive to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Try these tips to improve your slumber:
Earthing or grounding refers to having direct contact with our planet's surface, which can help your body better manage stress. When 60 people slept on conductive carbon fiber mattress pads, which helped ground their bodies to the earth, they reported falling asleep faster, having more energy, and experiencing less pain.[14]
Try these grounding ideas:
Both meditation and yoga can lower stress. When 30 students did mindful meditation, their cortisol levels went down, from 381.93 nmol/L to 306.38 nmol/L.[15] Here are my tips for meditation or yoga:
Although getting your nutrition from food is always ideal, a busy and stressful lifestyle can make it difficult to find the time to eat properly. Supplements can fill the gaps in your nutrient intake and provide beneficial antioxidants, among other benefits. The following supplements may help reduce daily stress and normalize cortisol in your body:
Not only does physical activity benefit the body and improve health, but it can also help you manage cortisol levels. Aerobic exercise can improve your sleep and mental health. Studies show that physical activity also reduces daily stress.[20]
I recommend trying tai chi if you can't do strenuous physical exercise like aerobics. Some fun ideas include dancing, swimming, running, biking, hiking, and walking.
When you're under stress, your body releases cortisol. Too much of this stress hormone can hurt your health. High cortisol symptoms can range from weight gain to muscle weakness. However, there are natural ways to manage it — from meditation to yoga to adaptogenic herbs.
The most important step to lowering cortisol is managing stress in your life because the two go hand in hand. I recommend eating a healthy, plant-based diet, finding ways to relax, exercising, and having fun.
You may also want to try supplements like holy basil, lithium orotate, or omega-3 fatty acids. Getting enough sleep, staying grounded to the earth, meditation, yoga, and aerobic exercises can also help you manage stress.
Do you have other methods to lower cortisol levels? Please share them with us and our community!
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