Essex Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing with Four Ways to Lower Cortisol Levels for Less Stress
The human body’s natural way of dealing with stressful situations is to secrete more of the hormone cortisol, which is our main stress hormone.
Once the perceived threat has passed, our system should block the release of cortisol so the body can manage stress appropriately.
What if you can’t calm down after a stressful event? Too much cortisol may be to blame.
While it can be a sign of a tumor or a side effect from medication, there are ways to naturally reduce your cortisol levels so that you are able to relax after a stressful situation.
Essex Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing would like to share four of those tips with you.
- Eating Well
Certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies can lead to the body not reacting well to stress. Getting probiotics from yogurt is a good way to get what your body needs, along with bananas (for potassium), pears, dark chocolate, and black and green teas. Staying hydrated also helps keeps cortisol levels lower.
2. Relaxation Exercises
Meditation is a great way to settle down your system, almost serving as a reset. If you don’t have time to dedicate to meditate regularly, simple breathing exercises a few times a day will do the trick.
3. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
If you’re sleep-deprived, the body will produce more cortisol to keep you awake. This can cause problems at night when you’re trying to catch up on sleep. If you are having trouble with sleep, make sure you’re not having things like caffeine or too much alcohol in the evening.
4. Have Fun
One study shows that laughing led to a drop in cortisol levels. Another one shows that engaging in hobbies like gardening can also reduce cortisol levels.
If you believe that this could be an issue for you, let your doctor know, as a simple blood test can detect any issue with cortisol levels.
To learn more about Essex Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit https://centershealthcare.com/essex_center.
