9 Ways to Reduce Cortisol Levels and Prevent Stress

Stress is the body's reaction to a potential threat, which may be associated with physical and psychological factors. Learn about the role of cortisol in stress and how to reduce cortisol.

Cortisol is one of the hormones produced by the adrenal cortex. It is involved in many metabolic processes, for example, helping regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. In addition, it plays a role in the process of waking up after sleep. When you wake up, hormone levels rise, peaking after 30 minutes, and then gradually decline throughout the day.

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Cortisol is also called the "stress hormone." When your body senses a threat, physical or psychological, your brain sends a signal to your adrenal glands and they respond by releasing cortisol. Thanks to this hormone, concentration improves, blood circulation and glucose synthesis increase - this helps the body release additional energy to more effectively overcome stress.

Despite the benefits of cortisol, frequent or prolonged increases in cortisol levels can be harmful to the body. For example, chronic stress causes cortisol dysfunction, which leads to inflammation, depression and accelerated cellular aging. It is also associated with the development of osteoporosis, muscular dystrophy and decreased antitumor immunity.

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Chronic stress results from repeated exposure to situations that lead to the release of stress hormones, including cortisol.

We've rounded up nine science-backed ways to naturally reduce cortisol and manage stress. This way, your body will be less likely to experience a state of mobilization to eliminate a potential threat.

This article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for professional advice.

Identify stress triggers

A threat to life or a change in environment are stimuli that provoke anxiety and can become a trigger or stressor. Such irritants include physical pain, problems in relationships or at work, and financial difficulties. It is, of course, impossible to predict when you will hit your foot on a chair. But some types of triggers can be learned to recognize.

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One of the first steps to relieve stress is to understand what causes it. I don’t want to remember or think about unpleasant situations again. But a stress diary will help you recognize irritants so you can learn to react less to them. It is not necessary to remember all the details of an unpleasant event - it is enough to write down the fact and try to analyze why what happened caused you a negative reaction.

Using a stress diary can help you find practical ways to deal with these situations. For example, avoid quarrels, learn to build personal boundaries in relationships and at work, and say “no” in time. Moreover, you will be able to identify hidden causes of stress such as hanging on social networks.

Learn to recognize thoughts that cause stress

Thinking about negative and traumatic events is a trigger for the synthesis of cortisol. British scientists conducted a study in which participants wrote down their most negative memories for 20 minutes over three days. The results showed that it caused high cortisol levels in participants. Scientists link this to long-term consequences for the entire body.

The scientific community also highlights the role of worry and dwelling on negative thoughts in stress levels. It has been proven that negative thinking not only increases cortisol levels, but also has a negative effect on the production of oxytocin, a hormone that calms the nervous system.

Mental practice or mindfulness is one way to combat negative thinking and helps reduce cortisol levels. Hungarian scientists conducted a meta-analysis of ten studies on the connection between meditation and stress hormone levels. The results showed that meditation has a positive effect on people living in stressful conditions, but especially on patients with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

How to reduce stress hormones

The first thing to do when dealing with chronic stress is to normalize your biological clock. Establish a daily routine, eat according to your needs, get enough sleep. To combat stress, quality sleep of at least eight hours a day is important.

The stress hormone cortisol: how to reduce it

To combat high cortisol, you should:

1. Reduce the amount of fast carbohydrates in your diet (sweets, starchy foods).
2. Minimize consumption of coffee and cigarettes.
3. Complete your daily number of steps.

Yoga, meditation and other relaxation methods also play an important role in stress prevention. Consume cortisol-lowering foods. Namely: high protein foods, nuts, red fish.

To calm the stress hormone, just relax and follow preventative measures for a week or two. During this time, you will relax, become calmer and find peace of mind. However, with chronic stress, you should resort to daily meditation practices and psychological relaxation techniques.

Pay attention to the quality of your sleep

It is easier for a person who has had a good night's sleep to cope with the effects of stress and unpleasant situations. The quality and duration of your sleep depends largely on your circadian rhythms and habits. What time you go to bed and wake up also plays a role. Research shows that people who work night shifts and sleep during the day are more likely to have elevated cortisol levels.

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Shift work before age 40 is associated with higher body mass index (BMI) and higher cortisol levels.

Cortisol may be elevated due to lack of sleep or insomnia, especially in the evening after lack of sleep. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system is responsible for the production of cortisol. When a threat to the body appears, the hypothalamus part of the brain synthesizes special substances that are sent to the pituitary gland. This in turn sends a signal to the adrenal glands. In response, the adrenal cortex produces cortisol, some of which returns to the brain, affecting thinking processes. This relationship between the brain and the kidneys is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is also responsible for regulating sleep cycles. The axis can be activated by stress, illness or poor nutrition. This can subsequently impair your sleep and increase cortisol.

Sleep hygiene is one of the decisive factors in its quality. Try to create conditions in which the amount of noise and light is minimal. Thick curtains, an eye mask, and earplugs will help with this. We wrote about this in detail in this article.

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Tips for improving sleep quality to reduce cortisol levels:

• Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time
• Wash bedding and sleepwear regularly - a fresh smell helps the body relax
• Try not to use devices that emit blue light (TV, phone, tablet) 2-3 hours before bedtime
• Avoid caffeinated drinks in the afternoon
• Avoid excessive strength and cardio exercises two hours before bed.

Exercise regularly

Exercise can either increase or decrease cortisol levels, depending on the duration and intensity of the exercise. Despite the benefits of playing sports, it is still a burden and stress for the body. Therefore, as a result of intense exercise, cortisol usually rises briefly, but then falls at night.

At the same time, moderate-intensity exercise does not lead to an increase in stress hormone levels. Like intense exercise, moderate exercise is associated with decreased nighttime cortisol levels.

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Regular exercise can help control cortisol levels. And in addition to reducing the stress hormone, sport has a good effect on the microbiota. But it's best to avoid strenuous evening workouts that will keep you awake. Physical activity isn't just good for your body—many doctors recommend it for improving your mental health, too.

↑ Symptoms of stress

The effect of stress on hormones is a proven fact. An acute reaction begins a few minutes after interaction with the provoking factor. Symptoms include the following:

1. The person becomes disoriented; he seems to distance himself from what happened, but at the same time he is able to pay attention to details. He is characterized by inexplicable actions, devoid of meaning. It often seems to others that he has gone crazy.
2. The expression of delusional ideas is noted. A person begins to talk about events and people that cannot exist in reality. This phenomenon can last for a few minutes, after which it ends abruptly.
3. When contacting a person, he may not react in any way. It is common to ignore requests or to carry them out incorrectly.
4. There is inhibition, both speech and motor. It can manifest itself so strongly that a person gives answers to questions in the form of a short sound or is completely silent, frozen in one position. There is also the opposite situation, when a person constantly says something. There is an incoherent flow of words, which is difficult to stop. This behavior is accompanied by motor restlessness. In severe cases, a person falls into severe panic and injures himself.
5. Vegetative manifestations also occur. They are expressed in dilated pupils, pallor or redness of the skin, nausea, and problems with intestinal motility. Blood pressure may drop sharply. A person is overcome by the fear of death.

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Often people under stress show confusion, despair, and sometimes aggressiveness. As you can see, the effects of stress hormones are largely similar.

Attention! If these phenomena continue for more than 3 days, this is no longer a chronic reaction to stress. Referral to a specialist is required.

A stress hormone test is usually prescribed for chronic stress. The doctor conducts differential diagnostics and prescribes a standard set of clinical tests.

Find something you like

Learning to relax is really helpful, especially if you want to manage stress. Taking up a new hobby is one way that can also help you learn a new skill. It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you enjoy it.

Photo by Steve Johnson / Unsplash

American scientists conducted a study of 50 former combatants who suffered from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or substance abuse. They spent a month doing gardening and occupational therapy. The results showed a decrease in stress and a decrease in cortisol.

Think about what kind of activity you would like - perhaps drawing, music or gardening.

Laugh more often

Laughter is good not only for the soul, but also for the body. It is a natural way to overcome stress and reduce cortisol levels. A study published in 2008 showed that even the anticipation of laughter leads to a decrease in blood levels of cortisol, as well as two other stress hormones - adrenaline and norepinephrine.

Laughter not only reduces stress hormone levels, but also blood pressure.

If you are having a fun and interesting time, you are unlikely to experience extreme stress at the same time. That's why it's so important to plan your time and visit interesting places and events.

Stress hormone in women

Prolactin is a stress hormone, sometimes called the female hormone. Produced in the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. Responsible for reproductive function, lactation.

Prolactin also controls the regularity of the menstrual cycle. Physical or psychological stress increases the level of prolactin in the blood, which leads to the following consequences:

• delays in the menstrual cycle, amenorrhea;
• the occurrence of lactation not associated with childbirth;
• erectile dysfunction in men;

In children, elevated prolactin levels are observed in 2 cases: a pituitary tumor or minor stress. To accurately diagnose the level of prolactin in the blood, a laboratory test is performed.

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If the stress hormone is elevated, don’t panic. You don't need to downgrade anything yourself. Contact your local doctor. He will issue a referral to an endocrinologist, who will prescribe appropriate treatment. If prolactin levels are elevated, the first thing to do is to make sure the analysis is correct. A prolactin test must be taken on an empty stomach. The day before going to the laboratory, it is necessary to exclude all stress factors and be in a state of rest. If you have chronic stress, it is better not to get tested.

Communicate with animals

It has been scientifically proven that contact with animals is associated with reduced cortisol levels. Scientists have studied how interaction with animals affects stress, and found that long-term interaction with dogs, even strangers, as well as owning a pet, have a positive effect on cortisol levels. In addition, the interaction between a person and a dog increases the level of oxytocin in both.

Photo by Vitalie Sitnic / Unsplash

Having pets is associated not only with reduced stress levels, but also with other health benefits. It is easier for owners of cats, dogs, parrots and other pets to focus their attention. Animals also have a positive effect on blood pressure and help avoid feelings of loneliness.

Add cortisol-lowering foods to your diet

Nutrition affects not only metabolic processes in the body, but also the level of cortisol. Some foods, such as sugar, can increase the amount of stress hormone.

The chemicals neurotransmitters are responsible for transmitting signals to the nervous system and controlling mood. And hormones and food are responsible for their production.

How to Reduce Cortisol with Nutrition

Foods rich in polyphenols help reduce stress hormone levels. For example, the long-term health benefits of drinking green tea are scientifically proven - drinking just half a glass a day reduces the risk of depression and dementia.

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Eating foods from the table below will help control your cortisol levels:

It should be remembered that eating stress brings only temporary relief and can lead to eating disorders, excess weight gain and problems with blood sugar. During times of stress, try to choose foods containing plant fiber - fiber provides a feeling of fullness for a long time and regulates blood sugar levels.

Regular sugar consumption is associated with long-term high cortisol levels, and is associated with a higher risk of heart disease in overweight men.

Probiotics

The gut microbiota contains trillions of bacteria that are beneficial to your health. They strengthen the intestinal lining, fight inflammation, regulate the immune system and even mental health. This is why it is important to take care of the composition of your gut bacteria.

Among the inhabitants of the intestinal microbiota are probiotic bacteria that reduce cortisol levels and, accordingly, stress. Among them are the bacteria Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and L. farciminis.

Probiotic foods help maintain healthy gut bacteria. Fermented milk drinks like kefir and yogurt, as well as fermented foods like kimchi, contain certain strains of probiotic bacteria. They help reduce cortisol levels caused by stress. Research shows that one Lactobacillus strain, L. plantarum 299v, reduces exam stress in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

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Using the Atlas Microbiota Test, you can learn about the bacterial diversity of your gut, as well as assess the level of probiotic bacteria.

Oxytocin: the hormone of love and social cohesion

A lot of information about hormones has accumulated over the past decades, and not only purely scientific. Ordinary people also know about hormones. Probably anyone will say that these are products of the endocrine glands, which control metabolism. Some will also add that hormone levels affect health. When there are more or less of them than necessary, illness may occur. However, these substances have not yet revealed all their secrets. Every year, scientists discover new functions of hormones. Oxytocin especially brings many unexpected surprises.

Oxytocin became known many years ago mainly as a substance that “guides” childbirth, and therefore was considered a female hormone. Of course, oxytocin was also detected in the blood of men, but at first scientists did not pay much attention to this fact.

Hormone of love and affection

However, it soon became clear that the functions of oxytocin in the body are associated not only with childbirth. Both men and women need the hormone because it can create affection between people: it not only makes them stick together, but also triggers a chain of reactions in the brain, as a result of which they enjoy spending time together.

It is believed that this oxytocin mechanism was developed in the times of prehistoric animals. Thanks to him, the mother felt attached to the child, animals of the same group flocked and were ready to protect each other, and sexual partners stayed close.

It's the same in the human world. Friends, lovers and parents release a fair amount of oxytocin when they are around each other. Hugs and kisses initiate an additional surge of the hormone. For this reason, we are happy with the people close to us and our life is full of joy.

Sex

During physical intimacy, oxytocin is also released, but very briefly. Immediately after orgasm, the hormone level begins to drop, but, naturally, not to zero, but to the value that was before sex. That is, the person’s attitude towards his partner, which was before intimacy, will return. However, it happens that sex lays the first brick in a close relationship being built.

Broken heart

Oxytocin can be produced not only with intimacy and pleasure. If a relationship breaks down, this hormone can trigger very unpleasant experiences and severe stress. According to modern research, during such mental suffering, the activity of the pain centers in the brain is as high as if the person were experiencing real physical pain.

There is an opinion that this is also a reaction developed by evolution: we must stay close if we break away from a group or a loved one, putting ourselves and others in a difficult position. So oxytocin does not allow us to run far, it drives us back. Of course, life is not so simple. Sometimes a person doesn’t mind returning, but they no longer accept him, which causes suffering.

Me and them

Thanks to oxytocin, we separate ourselves and others, that is, we know that we are capable of being the same as them, but we cannot be them. We also understand that our mental processes, thoughts, desires and emotions belong to us, and not to others.

In addition to separating ourselves and others, oxytocin helps us perceive others positively. We see their good sides and intentions and, accordingly, behave friendly with them. It is believed that this is also a rather ancient mechanism that helps the group stay close and live in peace with each other.

Generosity and generosity

In order to feel close to others and feel safe, having a good relationship with each other is not enough. Oxytocin stimulates expressions of generosity and generosity. This process is two-way. Oxytocin is released both when we please our loved ones and when they please us, that is, if they themselves are kind to others and if they are kind to us. In addition, any generous act is again rewarded with a portion of oxytocin. This makes it possible to feel a sense of community with the society in which we live.

Us versus them

If the social group to which we consider ourselves is in danger, oxytocin again comes to the rescue. He helps group members close their ranks more tightly and mobilize for defense. In this case, the peace-loving hormone can initiate defensive aggression towards the enemy.

Anxiety and depression

The fact that oxytocin helps with depression has been known for quite some time. Back in the 70s, articles were published describing the effect of this drug when instilled into the nose. The substance showed its effectiveness, but publications were few. Oxytocin really got its start in the 2000s. A series of studies have confirmed that the hormone improves mood. At the same time, the adaptation of depressed patients to society increases: it is easier for them to build connections with others, easier to get along with relatives.

Memory

It was noted that oxytocin can improve memory, but only social memory, that is, memory of events or objects related to human interaction. Thanks to this hormone, we easily recognize standard social situations and can understand how to behave in society under certain conditions. Memory for faces is also realized under the influence of oxytocin. This substance helps us remember our childhood, our mother. Although the beneficial effects of oxytocin are one-sided, it is currently being tested for use against Alzheimer's disease.

Dark side of the force

For a very long time, oxytocin was viewed solely as a “soft and fuzzy” hormone that provided pure pleasure and helped people connect. However, not all so simple. Every positive function has a downside.

The substance helps communicate, enhances a sense of unity, and reduces social stress. But this does not always happen. In some cases the opposite may be true. People become more anxious, suspicious, and feel that society is pushing them away. It was found that a person’s reaction to oxytocin depends on the circumstances and the person’s mood for communication. In this case, the hormone triggers a chain of physiological reactions that activate the neural pathways responsible for fear. The activity lasts about six hours. So, in an unfavorable situation, oxytocin may not help, but harm.

Oxytocin enhances social memory, but recent research suggests it may impair aspects of memory unrelated to communication. For a time, it was considered as an aid to student learning, but retention of material not related to human interactions suffered somewhat with the use of this hormone.

dietary supplements

As soon as the first studies began to be published about the positive effects of oxytocin on mental function, dietary supplement manufacturers quickly took action. Dietary supplements do not need to be patented, and clinical safety is not required to be tested. You can simply write about the “miracles of oxytocin” and even provide links to good articles in scientific journals.

Moreover, oxytocin is a drug with a long history and has been produced by pharmaceutical companies for a long time. There's even a nasal spray. It was used in all studies of the effect of oxytocin on mental processes. However, the spray was created for obstetrics and not for other purposes. Therefore, it is worth remembering that, despite the long list of positive effects of the hormone, the doses of its use outside of obstetrics and gynecology have not yet been clearly defined.

If you read reviews about the drug, people who have taken it have very different opinions about its effectiveness. It was good for some, and very bad for others.

Those who have decided, despite the lack of evidence, to try the obstetric spray on themselves, should know that the hormone is quite capricious to the temperature environment. In your hands, it can lose all its activity, and you will put a solution equal in activity to water into your nose. In addition, the obstetric spray is not designed for long-term use. It is used during labor and delivery. Of course, no one imagined that it would be used for weeks and months. For this reason, all sorts of troubles from the nasal mucosa are possible.

Happiness is at arm's length

Oxytocin is much easier to obtain through social interactions, especially physical ones. When communicating with children, mutual hugs and any friendly interactions, it is produced in much larger quantities. In this case, the hormone does not deteriorate during storage and acts immediately.

Natalia Stilson

Photo thinkstockphotos.com

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