Hello my friends,

When you talk about stress and when you hear people talking about stress, cortisol is always included in those conversations when referring to the physical impact on your body.

what does it even mean for me to have high cortisol?

We're going to touch on that today and what you can do to lower those levels down.

So, what's the difference between when you have high cortisol and when you have low cortisol?

When you have high cortisol:

That means that you are in a heightened state of alert. Basically, your sympathetic response system, or your fight or flight system, has been activated and it hasn't been incredibly long that you've been in that state, relatively speaking. However, when you have prolonged heightened levels of cortisol, or chronic stress, that can lead to burnout or lowered cortisol production.

What are the symptoms if you have high cortisol? Some of your symptoms could be:

  • Difficulty falling asleep.

  • You have anxiousness or nervousness most of the time

  • You're super irritable

  • You have sugar cravings

  • You tend to have a foggy memory or just kind of that overall brain fog where thoughts are easily distracted and unclear.

  • You have skin conditions such as eczema, dry, itchy skin, or some sort of dermatitis.

  • Muscle weakness

  • Headaches

  • Weight gain

  • G.I. issues and high blood sugar levels.

You may have just read this list of symptoms and you're thinking “oh, man that is me.”

And it's OK because we are a stressed-out society. We tend to be in a heightened state of alert because we're always going. We're never resting. We feel like we have to be better, faster, stronger. We feel like we have to do more, achieve more, produce more. Busy is the new black.

It's no wonder that we have many of these symptoms!!

What can you do right now to start bringing your cortisol levels down?

Tips to lower your cortisol

I have five tips for you today to lower your cortisol levels in a very natural way.

1. Increase your sleep.

As you increase your sleep your body is able to be in a state of repair and rest. Your cells and your hormones are able to regenerate. The nutrients are actually turning and synthesizing; they're doing what they're supposed to do to keep you healthy, to keep you well. Sleeping will contribute to healthy cortisol levels by establishing a consistent circadian rhythm.

2. Increase your sun exposure.

You want to make sure that you're getting enough vitamin D by spending some time outdoors for at least 10 to 15 minutes each day without sunblock.

If you live in an area where it's not always as full of sunshine as we have here in Arizona then you want to make sure that you're taking a vitamin D 3 supplement but make sure it has K 2 included as well for optimal absorption.

3. Go for a walk.

The fresh air and deep breathing promotes lowered cortisol because you are actually taking that time to rest you are doing something good for yourself. Deep breaths are restorative.

4. Decrease your inflammatory food intake.

The top inflammatory foods to eliminate are going to be dairy, gluten, sugar, soy, and alcohol. Your body’s parasympathetic response is more likely Those foods just naturally tend to be the most inflammatory which increases cortisol. So if you can eliminate those foods your body will tend to have lower cortisol levels.

5. Make time for prayer & meditation.

Increasing your quiet time to include prayer and meditation will benefit you as you settle in a state of gratitude. Also in quietness and stillness, the rest will automatically lower your cortisol levels. Think of at least 3 things you are thankful for: flowers blooming in your yard, a project finally finishing, a vacation that has been scheduled, your new Lululemon leggings (ANYTHING!!).

And I've said before, thankfulness begets joy. It's really hard to feel stressed when you're in a state of gratitude. I dare you to try.

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If stress is a familiar friend for you. I have created the 30-Day Stress Reset program to help your body become energized, balanced and recovered.

With the 30-Day Stress Reset Kit, you get a protocol that includes the vital nutrients that your body needs when it's under chronic stress and a comprehensive guide that helps lead you to a more relaxed and less stressed state.

You can click the link below to find out more in the 30 day stress reset kit.
https://erickaeller.com/30

In health,