Read time: 6 minutes

Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. This is intended to educate, inspire and support you in your self healing journey. Speak to your functional medicine doctor or holistic psychologist. Some content might be sensitive; I invite you to practice self-harmonizing.

The anxiety, feeling pulled in 100 different directions, the dwindling energy and excitement for work and frankly for life…

Day by day, you’re feeling more drained… unable to do the things you really want to do.

Your cortisol is high.

I’ve been there. In 2021 my cortisol was hiiiigh, I wasn’t sleeping well at night, and I felt like I didn’t have the capacity to handle the day.

what is cortisol?

Cortisol is the “get up an go” hormone, it naturally rises in the morning so you are alert and ready for your day.

It’s the primary stress hormone within the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal).

When we experience a stressor, our nervous system signals to the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a mobilizing energy to handle the potential threat. Remember stress isn’t a conscious decision it happen automatically in the body.

Not all stress is bad, stress is required for survival! Cortisol isn’t bad, it’s a really good thing! …in moderation. The issue is we are overwhelmed by stress.

symptoms of high cortisol

High cortisol over time contributes to:

weight gain
acne
cardiovascular disease
digestive issues
chronic pain
headaches/migraines
insomnia/fatigue
difficulty concentrating
poor memory
trouble making decisions
dementia
compromised immune system
and so much more…

“Cortisol has a pervasive regulatory influence on multiple bodily systems, including the following: the central nervous system, where it is involved in learning, memory, and emotion; the metabolic system, where it regulates glucose storage and utilization; and the immune system, where it influences the magnitude and duration of inflammatory responses and lymphocyte development” source

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, it might be time to talk to your medical provider about testing cortisol levels.

6 ways to reduce high cortisol levels

1 — prioritize restful sleep

Cortisol rises in the morning to help you “get-up and go” and lowers in the evening, as melatonin increases to support sleep.

If cortisol is high, likely this balance between cortisol and melatonin is off. Improving your sleep (and natural melatonin production) supports reducing cortisol.

sleep tips (you do NOT need to implement all of these at once! try 1 or 2, then once they’re habits, add on another 1-2)

5-20 minutes of sunlight within 90 minutes of waking (if you have a notoriously hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep get 10-20 minutes within 30-60 minutes of waking, 5 minutes if it’s sunny, 15-20 minutes if it’s cloudy or rainy, go outside face East)
turn on overhead light during the day (blue lights ok), then low warm lights at night (think table and floor lamps, warm yellow or even red light). the bright overhead light mimics the sun, and low warm light mimics a campfire
watch the sunset to signal to your nervous system it’s time to start winding down
no phone (blue light) 1 hour before bed, auto adjust devices to warm at sunset or 7 pm ish, wear blue blocking glasses in the late afternoon/evening
consistent bedtime & routine including smells (lavender), a restorative yoga posture for 3-10 minutes, calming tea, etc.
limit alcohol to 0-2 drinks per week
avoid addictive sleep aids, if you choose to supplement with melatonin 1g is plenty!

2 — yoga

restorative yoga for reducing cortisol levels — Stephanie doing a heart opening/posture improving restorative yoga pose

Yoga is a very broad term, yoga is about is connecting to something deeper within us & around us.

We do this often by moving the body, with breathing practices, chanting, meditation, etc. These yoga practices support loosing the conscious mind to enter into the present moment, which reminds us of our power and purpose (so important for nervous system & overall health!)

For reducing cortisol, kundalini yoga, gentle vinyasa or “slow flow” is a good place to start if you experience anxiety. If you can sit still or feel extreme fatigue, restorative yoga is gold!

You can search for the class type at your local yoga studio or on YouTube.

3 — diaphragmatic breathing

Breathing is such a powerful nervous system harmonizer! It is the only system in the body that is both unconscious and conscious… let that sink in…

First start with noticing your breath. Then learn to breathe properly. Most of us breathe incorrectly (90%!) and when we breathe incorrectly we are stressing out the nervous system.

Because breath is so powerful, it’s best to work with a practitioner. Be cautious when practicing on your own; be sure to have access to grounding and supportive resources.

4 — time in nature/grounding

The Earth is one of the most calming and grounding frequencies. Spending time in nature, positively influences your body on a cellular level including calming the nervous system. In just 20-30 minutes, grounding has anti-inflammatory effects!

Sit or walk slowly, barefoot/physical contact preferred. No devices, don’t run or exercise as you won’t be present with nature.

5 — clean up your diet

The gut is intimately connected to the nervous system, stress, and cortisol. Drinking alcohol, eating ultra processed foods, pesticides, NSAIDs, artificial sugar, seed oils like canola, glucose spikes, etc. ramp up inflammation in the body, which correlates to high cortisol levels.

If you’ve been thinking about reducing or eliminating any of the above… consider this your sign!

6 — relationships

Supportive, caring and intimate relationships are healing. It’s not just reserved for lovers, but also friends, co-workers, etc. where you can laugh, play, have deep conversations together, can go to the other person with a problem and feel seen and heard.

This connection co-regulates our nervous system into healing.

This can often feel like a catch 22, “I’m too busy to spend time with friends or family!”

I get it! I’ve been there, as a serial entrepreneur I’ve made excuse after excuse to not gather in community, putting work or household chores before all else.

Take note of how you’re currently spending time with people you enjoy and how often. Is it mostly Netflix or happy hour? If so, it might be time to prioritize a “walking in the park date” with a friend you enjoy spending time with.