Cortisol is a stress hormone that your adrenal glands release. And It helps your body deal with
stressful situations, But when youre cortisol is too high, lets say over weeks or months,it
can lead to inflammation and a host of other mental and physical health problems,
from anxiety to weight gain to heart disease. So in this video,
Ill go over, symptoms of high cortisol, what high cortisol can do to the body if left unchecked,
and 5 ways that you can get your cortisol levels back to normal, so stay tuned till the end.
Hi guys, yaseen arsalan, media pharmacist here on youtube where I help you guys make
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more behind the scenes. So without further ado, lets get straight into it.
Cortisol is one of several steroid hormones the body produces naturally. And yes,
Cortisol levels do go up when you’re stressed. Lets say when you hear that alarm in the morning
and get startled, or when you have a close call on the highway, But it doesn’t deserve its bad rap,
entirely. Because remember, you need cortisol to support overall health, It helps us wake up,
gives us energy during the day and lowers at night to help us sleep and rest. It even helps
you get your fight or flight in check, lets say when you’re running away from a mountain lion.
But when youre cortisol levels are too high for too long, it can do more harm than good. And this
is what this video is going to tackle, what to do to get these levels in check. And Over the
last 20 years, studies have increasingly revealed that moderate to high cortisol
levels may lead to an array of health issues. The first you may have already heard of, which is
weight gain. This is because Cortisol may increase appetite and signal the body to shift
metabolism to start storing fat. And when fat and carbohydrate metabolism is stimulated,this helps
to create a surge of energy in the body. While this process is essential for survival situations,
it also increases your appetite. Which means, elevated cortisol levels can cause cravings
for sweet, fatty and salty foods. This means you’re more likely to indulge in french fries
and a milkshake than you are a well-balanced meal. And An excess of cortisol also can lead
your body to produce less testosterone. Which means, this may cause a decrease in muscle mass,
as well as slow down how many calories your body burns. Ultimately making stress control
a big part of a weight loss journey. In addition to weight gain caused from
high cortisol levels, you have difficulty concentrating also known as “brain fog”,
lack of energy/difficulty sleeping, an impaired immune system, risk of developing
certain chronic diseases like: high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes,
osteoporosis, and in very rare cases: very high cortisol levels can lead to cushings syndrome.
And when we tie it back into obesity, obesity may lead to an even further increase in more cortisol,
which creates the “chicken or the egg” scenario. Which came first? Was it the
chicken or the egg? Was it the obesity that caused the high cortisol, or the high cortisol
that caused the obesity? Or maybe its just the american diet. (insert drive through clip)
Whatever the cause, I highly recommend working with a qualified health professional
to get to the bottom root cause, if you suspect high cortisol is the reason for
some of the conditions I mentioned. Along with this, you may want to introduce some of these
effective lifestyle habits to help you better manage your cortisol levels. So lets dive in.
The first thing you want to have right is to make sure you are getting the right amount of sleep.
Chronic sleep issues such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, or shift work have
been associated with higher cortisol. Please talk to your doctor if you suspect any of these to be
the culprit. Sleep hygiene is huge guys. Having a bedtime routine, exercising earlier in the day,
stopping caffeine 6 hours before bedtime, these are some of the many things you can
do to ensure you are getting restful sleep. The second recommendation is to make sure you
arent overdoing the exercise. Intense exercise increases cortisol shortly afterward but will
decrease a few hours later. This short-term increase helps coordinate growth of the body
to meet the challenge. That said, overdoing it can have the opposite effect. Therefore,
aim for around 150–200 minutes of mostly low- to moderate-intensity exercise each week and
allow yourself time to rest between workouts. The third thing I recommend is to Breathe.
Studies have shown decreases in cortisol after participants incorporated deep breathing into
their routines. This is because Deep breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system,
which is responsible for relaxation and lower cortisol levels. Meditation, yoga, tai chi, and
qigong are great ways to practice deep breathing. The fourth thing I recommend is tend to your
spirituality. Studies show that adults who expressed spiritual faith experienced lower
cortisol levels in the face of life stressors such as illness. Prayer is also associated with
reduced stress, anxiety, and depression. But If you do not consider yourself spiritual,
these benefits may also be available through meditation, developing a social support group,
and performing acts of kindness. The fifth thing I recommend is: to take
care of a pet if you are able to. Relationships with animal companions can also reduce cortisol.
What was interesting was reading one study that showed interaction with a therapy dog reduced
distress and cortisol during a minor medical procedure in children. And Due to the well-known
stress-reducing benefits of pets, many long-term care homes and university/college campuses
have introduced pet therapy as a natural cortisol- and stress-reducing activity.
The sixth thing is to eat a nutritious diet. Research has shown a strong relationship between a
healthy gut microbiome, which is all the microbes living in your gut — and improved mental health.
Therefore, consuming foods to support a healthy gut may help reduce stress, anxiety, and improve
your overall health. If youre looking for specific foods: whole grains work great because they
are rich in plant-based polyphenols and fiber, which may support stress levels and gut health.
Whole fruits and vegetables: have an abundance of antioxidants and polyphenols
that fight cell-damaging free radicals. These are only 2 to name a few. And you cant talk about
a nutritious diet without making sure you are properly hydrated. Dehydration has been linked to
a temporary increase in cortisol levels, making it even more important to drink water throughout the
day. This is because When our body dehydrates it can be seen as a stressor within the body,
which could affect cortisol levels. So guys please make sure you dont neglect water.
As far as supplements go: The one that stands out the most and acts as an adaptogen is Ashwagandha.
I made a video that goes into this in more depth, so if you want to learn more about ashwagandha,
Click the top right hand corner to watch my video after this. And If you’re interested in trying
ashwagandha, be sure it’s from a reputable company and speak with a healthcare professional first.
And to keep it real with you guys, this is an area of health that I am still trying
to understand and improve on as well, and what has helped me, and maybe its important to share
with you guys as well, is the japanese practice of shinrin yoku, which translates to forest bathing.
I didnt even know this was a practice and was doing it before I knew that this was an official
therapy that was developed in Japan during the 1980s and as a cornerstone of preventive health
care and healing in Japanese medicine. Its when you literally spend time amongst the trees, calmly
and quietly and breathing deeply as you observe the nature around you. And The positive effects of
forest bathing on cortisol levels were described in the International Journal of Biometeorology.
The reason why I enjoy hiking is literally because of this reason, I get this sense of calm and peace
when Im immersed in nature that I dont feel when Im in an urban city environment. Ill leave for
you a resource in the description that explains it further, which might be something useful to you
to incorporate into your daily life if you wish. But all in all guys, the reality is cortisol
is important for reacting to physiological and psychological stressors, and for the most part The
amount of cortisol produced is highly regulated by your body to ensure the balance is always correct.
But chronically high cortisol, that is unchecked can lead to poor health and its not something to
ignore. Trying to lower stress levels is the best way to lower cortisol naturally.
So By making simple lifestyle changes to live a healthier, more active life,
you may be able to reduce the amount of stress you experience,
and keep your cortisol levels normal. If you have any tips or tricks you know of,
please leave them in the comments below. and thats it guys, I hope that this video helps give you a
better understanding on lowering high cortisol. All in all, I also hope this video was insightful
to you guys, the only thing I ask in return is just a simple like down below for the youtube
algorithm. Thanks for sticking tuned till the end, and as always, Ill see you on the next one.