WIRED AND TIRED?

Things YOU CAN DO  to help your cortisol levels. 

One of the biggest drivers of elevated cortisol is stress.  We can't live in a bubble isolated from the day to day stressors in our lives, but we can develop stress management tools to tap into and help manage our stress. Having more than one is ideal. Breathwork is one of the most easily accessible and can be done from anywhere. Don't negate this extremely powerful and efficient way to stop stress in its tracks. 

Another tool is Gratitude journaling. This is a wonderful way to help us with our mindset. Taking the step to write it down in full sentences if most effective. Not just saying I am grateful for my health, family etc. but actually writing a sentence or two of something that you are grateful for like “Today I am grateful to have the sun out after weeks of rain and feeling the warmth of the sun on my body”. 

Paying attention to our circadian rhythm is also key as our cortisol is released based on this. Getting outside daily for at least 10 minutes to expose our body  to sunlight ideally in the morning, as well as getting up at the same time and going to bed at the same time every day helps set our circadian rhythm. 

Make sleep a priority. This is a tough one, and hard because if you have high cortisol, you have poor sleep and are waking up at 3 am often. BUT sleep needs to be at the top of your list for self care. Getting at least 7-8  hrs of sleep ideally can have a massive effect on your cortisol but also your whole health.  Cutting out blue light 2 hr before bed is a must. No more scrolling on your phone.  Using “Do not disturb” is a great tool.

Clean up your diet. Cut out the processed foods and get  rid of the inflammatory oils like canola, corn, and sunflower. Cut out sugar, which your body is craving from the elevated cortisol, so eat high quality protein and good fats like olive oil, avocado, eggs to help those sugar cravings and blood sugar dysregulation.  

Avoid over exercising (you know who you are) which is only increasing cortisol levels not decreasing them. However movement is key so instead focus on weight training, yoga and walking. 

Cutting back on coffee (yup you heard me, I know it is your life force) but it increases your cortisol levels. Think about changing to green tea which has L-theanine an amino acid that increases GABA, a calming neurotransmitter and increases dopamine so it can increase alertness. If coffee is a must, consider a mushroom/coffee combination which contains half of the caffeine and many benefits of mushrooms. If coffee is a must, try for a meal high in protein and fat before drinking your coffee. 

Taking these steps can get you on your way to bringing your cortisol back into balance.