We've all heard more than once that all diseases are from nerves. There is also constant talk about stress, its harmful effects and about methods of dealing with it. And why is it bad to be nervous at all? This is not a disease, but a completely natural reaction of the body, provided by nature, by the way. In this article, we will tell you what are the dangers of chronic stress, why it is important to know the level of cortisol, and what ways you can reduce it.
- Cortisol — mobilizing hormone essential for survival
- What can cause high or low cortisol levels
- How to normalize cortisol levels in blood
Cortisol — mobilizing hormone essential for survival
First, you need to understand a little about what stress is and why nature has the ability to deal with it. For an ancient person, life was not an easy thing, and the one who lived longer and left more offspring was the one who reacted faster to the dangers.
Jump away from a snake, dodge stone, hear and recognize the footsteps — — all this required a huge internal tension and mobilization of all forces.
The hormone cortisol is responsible for the body's readiness for danger. It is not one of course, but it it is the level of cortisol that rises on an alarm, which triggers various processes, for example:
-
accelerates the production of glucose necessary to provide the body with energy;
-
reduced testosterone levels, the hormone responsible for sexual desire (not before sex in dangerous times);
-
the walls of blood vessels are reduced and blood pressure rises;
-
Decreased production of insulin, which is needed to transport glucose;
-
starts the mechanism of protein destruction in muscle tissue.
The main task of cortisol — provide the body with energy and mobilize all systems to fight for survival.
This slows down some processes running in the background. So, cortisol suppresses the immune system, again to throw all your strength into solving a momentary problem. Once the danger is over, your cortisol levels will drop and everything will fall into place.
It must be said that cortisol is always determined in the blood, since it is necessary for the course of many life processes. In the morning, its content in the blood is greater, and thanks to this, we wake up cheerful and cheerful. By the in the evening, the cortisol is less, and we we feel tired and desire to sleep.
You need to understand that cortisol is not bad in itself it it it determines everything. Both elevated and low levels are not normal and dangerous in long term.
Read also: Bad after sleep: 6 ways to deal with constant fatigue
What can cause high or low cortisol levels
Why is there so much buzz around cortisol lately? Yes because most people live in constant stress, and their cortisol levels just don have time to fall. There is no sufficiently long period of calm, during which the body could get out of the "alarm" state; in rest state.
We twirl and try to do hundreds of things, from everywhere a stream of information pours on us, the city background noise is no longer even perceived, but it is. The body reacts to all this with the constant production of cortisol.
High levels of stress hormone "hit" in all systems of the body. Mobilizing for a short time is one thing, and constantly living in a state of anxiety — No, this is not provided by nature. Immune defense suffers and any infectious diseases "cling" immediately and often lead to complications.
Muscles become flabby and fat is stored at an accelerated rate (another function of cortisol — to stimulate the formation of energy reserves). Constantly low insulin levels can lead to type 2 diabetes, and working of all systems "wear " — to heart attacks and strokes.
For women, a constantly high level of cortisol is also dangerous because it suppresses, and sometimes completely disables the mechanism of egg maturation.
Stressful situation — wrong time to conceive. Therefore, cortisol suppresses the production of estrogen and progesterone, which control ovulation and endometrial growth.
And an even higher level of cortisol leads to the fact that the body, protecting itself from its destructive effects, simply stops responding to it (turns off the receptors sensitive to cortisol). And is also not good, because cortisol is still needed and important. An insufficient amount of it leads to a decrease in pressure, autoimmune diseases, lethargy, apathy, weight loss, skin hyperpigmentation. Low levels of cortisol can also indicate an insufficiency of the adrenal cortex.
Read also: The effect of stress on health: what diseases it causes and what what to do with it
How to normalize the content of cortisol in blood
No one determines the level of the stress hormone by eye, and even if there are symptoms of increased or decreased cortisol, you need to take tests. It is better if the attending physician is engaged in adjusting the level of the hormone. On your own, you can take the following actions to reduce cortisol:
-
exclude strong coffee, alcohol, nicotine from the diet;
-
include low glycemic foods on the menu;
-
select and master methods of dealing with stress (meditation, yoga);
-
eliminate or reduce strength training and until normalization of cortisol do not overload the body;
-
use every opportunity for proper rest and relaxation.
It is impossible to increase the level of cortisol in case of its insufficiency. A deficiency of this hormone indicates a failure in the work of the adrenal glands. Such conditions should be dealt with by a specialist.
Hormone replacement therapy is most often prescribed, but this is a symptomatic treatment. It is necessary to eliminate the cause, due to which the work of the adrenal glands is impaired. If this is not possible, hormones will have to be taken continuously.
Both too much and too little cortisol can significantly impair your quality of life, so you can't ignore the good old advice "don't worry and you'll be healthy." It turns out that it has a completely scientific justification. Don don't let stress take over you and be healthy.
Read also: How to relieve stress: 5 tested ways
Add a comment