Day-to-day routines, work and family obligations, can make us live a situation of continued stress. This stress manifests itself in the body with hormonal and physiological alterations that can lead us to suffer health problems.

High cortisolthe main stress hormone, poses a risk which should be controlled through changes in lifestyle.

If you want to know why cortisol rises and how to recover normal values, in this article we give you the keys to lowering cortisol naturally and understanding the cycle of this hormone in the body.

In this video you will find a guided meditation to relax and combat stress.

By Africa Villarroel, endocrine doctor

What is cortisol and what is it for?

Cortisolalthough it has a certain bad reputation for its relationship with stress symptoms, it is essential for many reasons.

On the one hand, intervenes in the regulation of metabolism, helping to get us going in the mornings and to respond to specific physical and mental challenges.

This is because cortisol makes it easier to obtain energywell stimulates the liver so that blood glucose (energy for cells) increases. Also intervenes in the conversion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates into available energy to face the day and the most demanding situations.

But not only that: cortisol has an anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, when there is strong inflammation, corticosteroids are used, which in high doses exert immunosuppressive effects.

Also participates in mineral balance and blood pressure regulationin addition to regulating appetite.

It has been proven that, if we eat during the day, being the higher cortisol levels that at night, we feel satiated sooner and digestion is better.

Cortisol levels throughout the day

This hormone so important It is synthesized from cholesterol in the adrenal glands, two small triangular-shaped glands located above the kidneys. Under normal conditions, cortisol secretion follows a circadian rhythm.that is, a 24-hour cycle that corresponds to the succession of light and darkness.

• Between 23 and 24 hours, cortisol levels are at their lowest. It is a time when we should already be in bed asleep, and although repair and regeneration processes take place, we do not need much energy because we are not moving.
• Throughout the night the level of cortisol increases until reaching its peak.
• Around 8 in the morning what we call the «cortisol peak» occurs. about an hour after the time we should wake up if we followed the circadian rhythm. Now cortisol is higher because it will help us have energy to face the day.
• Throughout the day, the level decreases with small variations depending on the stressful situations we face.until at 23-24 hours they are again at a minimum.

High cortisol or low cortisol due to illness

There are pathologies in which cortisol levels are very highas occurs in Cushing’s syndrome. Other times they can be found very diminishedas in adrenal insufficiency.

These disorders appear well due to dysfunction in the adrenal glands, or due to alterations in the pituitary gland (the «mother gland» that regulates the endocrine system) and/or in the hypothalamus (region of the brain that controls the nervous system and pituitary gland).

It is very important to detect these disorders on time.

Cushing syndrome

In Cushing’s syndromecortisol values ​​are elevated and manifest with symptoms and signs such as redness of the face, easy bruising, depression, hypertension, weight gain, body hair growth, menstrual disorders, glucose intolerance and osteoporosis.

adrenal insufficiency

In adrenal insufficiency Cortisol is greatly decreased. It can manifest with nausea, vomiting, abdominal, headache or joint pain, constipation and diarrhea, hypotension, weight loss, decreased pubic and armpit hair, anemia, excess potassium and calcium or deficiency of fasting glucoseamong other signs and symptoms.

High cortisol due to stress or anxiety

The most common non-pathological cause –at least initially– of alterations in the rhythm, functioning and levels cortisol is stress.

In the face of any stressor, be physical (such as trauma, infection, hunger or cold) or emotional (an argument, a problem at work, an emotional trauma, etc.), a series of ancestral mechanisms are set in motion to get over it.

In a situation in which life is in danger (millions of years ago it could be a predatory animal, wars, fights in general), the first reaction of the organism is a fight or flight response and cortisol levels increase to facilitate obtaining the necessary energy. Today the stressors have changed, but the body responds the same.

When we are under chronic stress, whether physical (such as chronic pain) or emotional (daily worries, relationship problems, financial problems, etc.), our body produces cortisol in high amounts continuously. This persistent elevation may have several consequences on healthsuch as insulin resistance, overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension or insomnia.

Furthermore, it is associated with cognitive problems, predisposition to infections and autoimmune diseasesdue to deregulation of the immune system.

How to lower cortisol in 12 keys

Most of us live under more or less continuous stressors, however, not all of us manage them in the same way. On the one hand, Our lifestyle habits can cause the adrenal glands to respond in one way or another. On the otherthe attitude and the «weapons» we have to manage stress and emotions influence positively or negatively.

Aiming to lower cortisol is one way to achieve greater well-being. When cortisol returns to a normal level, physical discomfort is reduced and mental clarity is gained.

To achieve this, our lifestyle must also revolve around rest and enjoyment.not only around the activity.

• RESPECT THE BIOLOGICAL CLOCK. He respect for the circadian rhythmis essential. The most intense activity should be carried out during daylight hours, and at night you should rest. In general, it is advisable to wake up at dawn, around 7 in the morning, and go to bed around 11 p.m., or even earlier if possible. This way The cycle of melatonin (the sleep hormone) and cortisol is regulated.
• MORE NATURE. He contact with nature reduces stress. A 90-minute walk through a natural environment reduces worry and anxietyaccording to Dr. Gregory Bratman, from Stanford University (United States). Thinking routines are modified and causes of stress disappear around us.
• PHYSICAL EXERCISE. physical exercise reduces cortisol and increases endorphinshormones that produce satisfaction. Physical exercise too can help improve sleepwhich is another important factor in reducing stress. Both aerobic exercise (running or jumping rope, for example), and practices that include meditation and breathing exercises, such as yoga or tai chi, are useful.
• BREATHING AND RELAXATION TECHNIQUES. The Buteyko breathing manages to reduce cortisol levels. It consists of making a slow inhalation and exhalation through the nosethen you hold your breath with empty lungs until you can’t take it anymore, Three deep breaths are taken and normal breathing is recovered. There are other relaxation techniques that promote relaxation and stress control.
• ANTI-STRESS DIET. A natural foodfree of ultra-processed products and added sugars, rich in vegetables, proteins and quality fats, promotes resistance to stress.

• REGULATORY SUPPLEMENTS. The use of certain supplementsalways under the supervision of a health professional, can sometimes help maintain an adequate cortisol level. They can be nutrients such as vitamins B, D and C, omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium, or plants such as ashwagandha, rhodiola, lemon balm or ginseng.
• TAKE CARE OF RELATIONSHIPS. The Rich personal and social relationships help you not feel alone in stressful situations. Several studies (such as those conducted by Dr. Janice Kiecolt-Glaser) show that People with more social relationships suffer less stress.
• EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT. It is equally important to have tools and self-knowledge to adequately manage emotions and challenges that are presented to us day by day.
• MEDITATION. A meta-analysis conducted by Dr. Michaela C. Pascoe and collaborators at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia, concluded that Different forms of meditation reduce physiological markers of stress, such as cortisol, blood pressure, heart rate, C-reactive protein, triglycerides and inflammatory cytokines.
• MINDFULNESS. The mindfulness-based stress reduction technique or mindfulness, which is done during 8 weeks, according to the program created by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinnreduces psychological stress and associated inflammation, as proven by a study published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

• DEEP BREATHING. Slow, deep breathing (6 respiratory movements per minute) reduces cortisol, especially when the expiration is somewhat slower than inspiration (4 seconds for inspiration, 6-8 seconds for expiration). This breath produces a feeling of well-beingaccording to research led by Angelo Gemignani, from the University of Pisa (Italy).
• TAKE CARE OF SPIRITUALITY. A study by Dr. Harold G. Koenig, from Duke University (United States), shows that People with spiritual beliefs have lower cortisol levels. People without these types of beliefs can benefit from meditation and other personal development techniques.

burnout or adrenal fatigue

«Adrenal fatigue» It is not a term recognized by conventional medicine, but it perfectly expresses the situation in which a person is subjected to constant and sustained stress.

In «adrenal fatigue» no physiological disorder is observed and normal cortisol values ​​can be had or be discreetly elevated, but the circadian rhythm of secretion is altered.

Due to chronic stress, there comes a time when the adrenal glands are not able to respond adequately. Besides, the secretion of other hormones can be altered adrenals, such as dehydroepiandrosterone.

This alteration manifests itself with symptoms such as fatigueproblems with concentration, attention or memory, «brain fog», tendency to gain weight (especially around the waist), decreased libido, dizziness, muscle and joint painmenstrual disorders, low…