Did you know that stress was once considered essential for human survival? The origin of stress can be traced back to the days of our ancestors. Being hunter gatherers, our ancestors often had to confront a stronger beast where the only choice was ‘fight or flight’. This constant alertness acted as the trigger for the stress response in the body, characterized by the release of cortisol, preparing the body for quick action.
Fast-forward to today, we no longer face such threats out in the open. Ours is more of a psychological threat - like work pressure or financial concerns. Moreover, the present human is under prolonged stress. Though short-term stress is good, over longer periods, high cortisol that is released due to stress can be harmful.
What is cortisol and why is it important?
Touted as the "stress hormone," cortisol is released when one undergoes any type of stress because of the "fight or flight" response. Cortisol actively plays a role in controlling a chain of basic activities that includes metabolism and immunity, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.
Temporary increases in cortisol are primarily for dealing with acute stress. If high levels continue, health consequences such as weight gain, compromised immunity, anxiety, and cardiovascular concerns come forth. Cortisol, at appropriate levels, therefore, will be just as instrumental in good health to the extent that it would allow the body to respond to stressful situations but not suffer the adverse effects of such a long-term exposure.
Negative effects of stress on the body
Chronic stress can result in a wide range of harmful effects on the body. Some of the major influences are given below:
- Weakened immunity
Long-term stress reduces one's defenses against disease and makes you more prone to illness, such as the common cold and flu; and may even hamper the healing process.
- Cardiovascular disorders
The constant constriction on blood vessels due to chronic stress results in hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
- Digestive problems
When the body is under stress, its normal digestive functions may change, resulting in a number of other problems: IBS, acid reflux, and ulcers, because the body prioritizes stress response over digestion.
- Mental health issues
Long-term stress is a significant contributor to anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. Furthermore, these mental health problems can reinforce the physical health problems in a cycle once again.
- Muscle pain
Stress often causes muscles to tighten up, leading to chronic pain, headaches, and even migraines that reduce mobility and quality of life.
- Fatigue
This is because of constant stress that depletes energy resources within the body by not letting them replenish; therefore, chronic weariness, impaired concentration, and a general sense of exhaustion occur.
Best ways to lower cortisol levels
Cortisol levels can be lowered, and health and wellbeing greatly improved through. The following methods are effective in lowering cortisol naturally:
- Exercise regularly
One of the best ways to bring cortisol down is through regular exercise. Stress diminishes greatly, and one's mood becomes high due to endorphins created during such forms of exercise-aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, swimming, or yoga. But over-exercise must be avoided because too much physical exertion elevates cortisol levels.
- Prioritize sleep
Healthy sleeping is essential in maintaining correct levels of cortisol. Each night, one should be able to get 7 to 9 uninterrupted continuous hours of sleep. Have regular patterns of sleeping, have the pre-sleep routine relaxing, and make the sleep site conducive. Poor sleep or irregular sleeping patterns increase cortisol levels and hence stress levels.
- Maintaining a balanced diet
Eat a diet balanced by fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. A diet of this nature exerts a balancing effect on cortisol levels. Indeed, there are certain foods like dark chocolate, bananas, and green tea that have been noted to help contribute to lowering cortisol. Limit caffeine and sugar intake; these substances are known to raise cortisol levels.
How RightLife can lower cortisol levels
The RightLife app is a holistic health and wellness platform that offers various programs that can help you reduce cortisol levels. Among them, ThinkRight and MoveRight stand out as they can bring down your stress levels effectively which lead to a healthier lifestyle.
The ThinkRight program meditates on mental well-being through mindfulness practices, including guided meditation, deep breathing exercises, and positive affirmations. This will keep your mind in a tranquil mood, reducing the anxiety that increases cortisol levels within the body by showing relaxation and clarity in the mind. ThinkRight helps you in managing your stress more effectively.
MoveRight focuses on regular and balanced exercises, offering personalized exercise plans to support very effective means of stress relief but without overexertion. Activities such as yoga, walking, and light stretching raise endorphin levels and reduce cortisol. MoveRight ensures swift and easy maintenance of the active lifestyle needed to take care of the body's well-being, helping you to keep cortisol levels at bay.
That’s everything covered on how to lower cortisol levels naturally. Stressful events are inevitable, but when we do nothing in response then we’re setting ourselves up for even poorer wellbeing and mental health. Don’t let stress control you, join RightLife today and lead a healthier life.
