The cortisol effect: how stress hormones affect your health
Did you know that your body has a built-in chemical to help you cope with stress? It’s a hormone called cortisol, and while it’s essential for good health, too much can quietly wreak havoc on your body over time.
“Cortisol is the body’s built-in stress responder,” says Warren Licht, MD, system medical director for Primary Care and Subspecialty Medicine at Atlantic Health. “It gives us the energy to act quickly and handle pressure. It’s an emergency fuel source that spikes if you need to jump out of the way of a speeding car or make a stage presentation to a crowd.”
What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone made in the adrenal glands. It’s a natural steroid that helps regulate your body’s response to stress, and it also affects metabolism, blood pressure, chronic inflammation, and sleep patterns.
“Chronic stress can elevate your cortisol levels over time, just enough to cause health issues,” says Dr. Licht. “When you're under constant stress, your body doesn't just ‘move on’ from cortisol spikes—it often stays slightly elevated day after day, year after year.”
What Are the Warning Signs of Consistently High Cortisol?
- High blood pressure
- Weight gain, especially around the midsection
- Poor sleep
- Digestive issues
- Weakened immune system (more colds and infections)
- Depression or anxiety
- Insulin resistance and prediabetes
- Hormonal imbalances (missed periods)
- Bone loss
How Do I Know if My Cortisol Is High?
Although there isn’t one specific blood test to diagnose chronically high cortisol, doctors look at the big picture of a person’s health to determine if there’s a possibility of chronic stress.
“It’s detective work,” says Dr. Licht, who notes the best ways to manage the negative effects of stress—and excess cortisol—are with everyday lifestyle changes.
Aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night. Avoid relying on sleep medications, which disrupt your natural sleep cycles.
2. Exercise Regularly
Movement helps regulate cortisol. A daily walk, stretch, bike ride, even using a standing desk all boost activity.
3. Practice Mindfulness
Try a few minutes of daily deep breathing or guided meditation. Maybe consider yoga or tai chi for movement-based calming.
4. Eat “Real” Food
Choose foods with whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats over processed foods that have additives and sugars.
5. Maintain Social Relationships
Human connection is a natural stress reliever. Make time for people in your life who lift your mood and spirits.
6. Consider Your Caffeine
Avoid caffeine in the afternoon or evenings. Know your limits and how caffeine affects your body and mind.
Talk to Your Doctor
Start with an open conversation at your next wellness checkup with your doctor. Dr. Licht explains that over time chronically elevated cortisol levels can develop into long-term illness. For example, and although rare, extremely high or extremely low cortisol levels can present as acute illness such as Cushing’s syndrome (excessively high cortisol) or Addison’s disease (excessively low cortisol).
“The effects of chronically elevated cortisol levels build over time,” says Dr. Licht. “The goal isn’t to avoid stress altogether. It’s to build a lifestyle that helps your body handle it without paying a long-term price.”
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