Cortisol is much more than a stress hormone

Online, cortisol is pigeon-holed as the stress hormone; reducing cortisol is the holy grail of stress reduction and health. However, regulating cortisol doesn't necessarily mean reducing its levels; sometimes it means flattening the curve rather than getting rid of it altogether. What is cortisol? Cortisol is a hormone that is secreted by the adrenal glands, two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys. Contrary to common belief, the body does not simply react to the environment. Instead, it often tries to anticipate your needs before you fully sense them. Cortisol is secreted in anticipation of a dramatic increase in activity and energy needs, either due to stress (fight-or-flight) or to transitioning from sleep to wakefulness. In both cases, cortisol increases alertness as an adaptation to changes in the inner and outer environment. Circadian cycle In the morning, when the first ray of the sun rises over the horizon, the body anticipates a transition from sleep to wakefulness and the increase in activity level that follows. Cortisol calibrates the circadian cycle; it peaks at sunrise and starts to lessen in the late afternoon. Morning cortisol spikes help you stay alert and engaged during the day and also prepare your body for sleep in the evening. If you struggle with insomnia, focusing your game plan on the evening usually doesn't work. You need to start by supporting the cortisol peak in the morning by getting sun exposure first thing after waking up and eating breakfast like the royalty you are. Stress When the body feels a threat to its survival, whether from within, like a drop in glucose or oxygen levels, or from the outer environment, it activates the sympathetic nervous system — your fight, flight, freeze or fawn response. The body has only one stress response that serves as a survival mechanism for all types of stress: a fight with your partner or boss, bad news, or the saber-toothed lion chasing you through the savannah. The body doesn't know or care about the difference; it is interested in survival. The first factor that will increase your chances of survival when you encounter a threat is how alert you are and how much energy you can direct into either running or fighting. This is where cortisol becomes beneficial. The same hormone that initiates alertness and engagement in the morning, keeps you alert and ready to protect yourself. How does cortisol promote alertness? Cortisol secretion is not the end of a process but rather the middle of one that begins in the hypothalamus, passes through the pituitary gland, initiates cortisol release in the adrenal glands, and culminates in a whole-body hormonal cascade. Cortisol release from the adrenal gland initiates the release of glucose from the liver and muscles into the blood, preparing the body for increased fuel needs as it becomes more active. This is why sleep disorders and stress can lead to high blood glucose and insulin resistance. High cortisol levels increase blood pressure and heart rate as the body tries to meet the increased nutrient and oxygen demands for energy production. High cortisol prompts shallow, quick breathing, improves focus and sensory perception, and increases blood flow to skeletal muscles. At the same time, high cortisol shuts down all functions that are not necessary for immediate survival: digestion, reproduction, and immunity. Short term vs. long term If you are in an acute stress condition, cortisol will make you more aware of your surroundings, more focused, run faster, and fight better. However, long-term high cortisol levels beyond the daily circadian cycle might have a negative effect on the body's systems and organs. Chronic high blood pressure and heart rate can lead to heart disease. Increased blood glucose can result in insulin resistance and diabetes. Shuttling fewer resources to the digestive system might cause GERD, constipation, and indigestion. High cortisol can compromise the immune system, leading to a tendency to "catch" every cold and flu. It can also result in fertility issues. The same cortisol that can serve as a survival mechanism in the short term can lead to disease if you remain stuck in survival mode for an extended period. You don't want to throw the baby with the bath water. Cortisol got a bad press. People are talking about "regulating" or "managing" their immune system. What they really mean is reducing cortisol levels. However, if you view cortisol as a protective hormone that helps keep you safe, you start to focus on adaptability and flexibility rather than a one-way path meant to reduce cortisol. A healthy nervous system is one that can rise to the challenge when there is a threat and move to a rest and digest mode when there is none. It is a nervous system that wakes you up alert and engaged in the morning and slows you down in the evening. It can shift from one mode to another like a well-oiled machine. Cortisol is not the "bad hormone" they tell us it is; instead, it is when we get stuck in one mode that disease follows.