5 Ways to Manage the Stress Hormone

Stress in our lives occurs on a daily basis, comes in many forms and can last for varying durations. Stress may manifest as a mental stress, such as an argument with a child, spouse, or co-worker that we replay in our mind, or can be a physical stress such as an injury or illness. Whether we perceive the stress as a eustress or distress will determine how our body reacts to the stressor. Our ability to manage stress through our body’s cortisol levels, the “stress hormone”, will go a long way in determining our overall health and well-being.

When we encounter stress, the body automatically assesses the intensity of the stressor and determines how much initial adrenaline and inflammation to counter the stressor with. Don’t believe that the body's initial response to a stressor is adrenaline release and inflammation for protection? Think of slamming your finger in a door. The body’s initial reaction is likely to take flight from that stressor by removing our finger from the door, followed by the ensuing swelling that occurs in the finger. The body naturally releases cortisol, the “stress hormone”, to combat this swelling, however a doctor may also choose to give a cortisol shot to reduce the inflammation faster.  Problems can arise in the body when cortisol levels are elevated, or insufficient over a prolonged period of time from a long-term stressor. Elevated cortisol levels may lead to a disproportionate body figure such as experiencing weight gain in the face, abdomen, or chest while maintaining slender arms or chest. Other side effects are high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, or a disorder called Cushing Syndrome. The effects of insufficient cortisol levels include damage to the adrenal gland, fatigue, muscle loss, weight loss, mood swings, or the possibility of acquiring Addison’s Disease.

If you feel out of balance for a substantial period of time, measuring cortisol levels can be done by a physician using urine, blood or saliva. Before getting to the point of needing a doctor or medication, there are self-management techniques that can be used to regulate cortisol.

1.    Seek out sources of plant based adaptogens that contain ashwaganda, eleutheor, or wolfberry. These can be found naturally or through the use of supplements.

2.    Put yourself on a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed at the same time each night. You may not be able to control how long you sleep, but you can get your body prepared for sleep consistently everyday.

3.    Exercise at a challenging level reflective of your current fitness ability. Raise your heart rate at a moderate level by exercising at 40%-60% of your Maximum Hear Rate (MHR), or exercise at an intense level at 60%-80% of your MHR. If you are not sure, be sure to consult a physician.

4.    Recognize your physical state by being mindful of tension you may be experiencing in your head, neck, chest or other body parts.

5.    Recognize your mental state and use deep breathing exercises, yoga, meditation or visualization to aleve stress.

Stress is unavoidable in our daily lives. We can hope that events in our life will become less stressful over time, but we are better served to learn better skills in managing stress on a daily basis. Our ability to manage stress will go a long way in determining our short term and long term health.