Cortisol is sometimes called the "stress hormone" because your body releases more of it when you are under stress. Cortisol's primary function is to prepare your body for a fight-or-flight situation by increasing substances in your body needed for energy and repairing tissues and suppressing bodily functions not immediately needed, such as the digestive and reproductive systems. Long-term exposure to too much cortisol can cause physical problems, which is why it's important to know reduce cortisol in the body.
Instructions
1. Find ways to relax. The more you encounter stress, the more cortisol will be released into . Relaxation techniques, such as meditation, deep breathing, massage, yoga or even just spending a few minutes alone in a relaxing environment daily, can help you keep stress at a normal level.
2. Exercise. Not only can exercise help you to relieve stress, but it's also a tool to battle against some of the health problems that can pop up because of increased cortisol exposure, such as obesity and heart disease. Try to get 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five days a week
3. Get plenty of sleep. Increased cortisol exposure can lead to insomnia, which in turn can add to your stress. Following steps 1 and 2 should help you to sleep better. Other things that can help you sleep better include going to bed and getting up at the same times every day and taking a sleep aid.
4. See a psychologist or counselor if necessary. If stress-reducing techniques don't seem to be working, it may be time to seek professional help. The Mayo Clinic says both your genetics and your life experiences play a role in how you deal with stress, and a genetic predisposition to stress or some extremely stressful event from your past, such as abuse, may make it more difficult for you to deal with stress. A trained professional can help you find ways to deal with stress.
5. See a doctor. If reducing stress doesn't seem to be reducing your cortisol levels, it's time to get checked out to see if there's another cause. Athough stress is the primary cause of increased cortisol levels, there are other causes, such as illnesses. A tumor on your pituitary gland can cause too much cortisol to be released into your body. Other tumors, such as those in the adrenal glands, can also lead to overproduction of cortisol. And be careful if you are taking corticosteroid injections to deal with arthritis or another condition. Repeated injections of this drug can also lead to high cortisol levels in the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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