The Impact of Cortisol
We all know how much stress can impact our health - but do you know just exactly how much it can influence our hormones?
I talk about stress management and resiliency as a cornerstone of good health because it’s 100% true. No matter what you throw at your hormones and health, if stress is the root problem and you don’t address it, things are not going to budge.
OR they do budge, but then you find yourself in the same predicament after a while.
Either way, you can’t have a healthy body & mind if you let your stress run rampant.
I know that sucks to hear because the reality is that we live in a really stressful society. We can’t get rid of our stress 100%, but what we can do is find ways to manage it, build resiliency, and put in daily practices that can help us navigate through all the sh*t that life throws at us.
So, take a deep breath first. Unclench your jaw. Relax your tongue from the roof of your mouth. Stop frowning. Roll your neck around a little and relax those shoulders. And let’s dive into how cortisol impacts our hormones.
What is cortisol and what does cortisol do in the body?
Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by our adrenal gland. In the mornings a boost of it helps us wake up and then throughout the day the levels wane to prepare us for night time and sleeping. It has an inverse relationship with our melatonin and that’s why we often hear about how our sleep + stress is so connected. Cortisol is also increased when we exercise and are exposed to acute stress as part of a healthy response by our bodies.
The issue however becomes when we are exposed to chronic stress & our diurnal rhythm goes from peaks in the morning that drop off to peaks all throughout the day that can disrupt our other hormonal functions.
Let’s break it down into how it affects the other hormones in our body:
How cortisol impacts insulin
Cortisol prepares our body for the fight or flight response. When this happens, it inhibits insulin production because it wants our body to use glucose immediately for fuel to prepare us to face whatever stressor is headed our way. But over time if we have sustained stress in our lives, our body can’t keep up with this demand and be able to use negative feedback loops to return to our normal baseline after the stressor passes. Instead what could happen is that our body remains in a more insulin resistant state and favors higher blood glucose so that we can readily use it for fuel to fight off the stressors.
This is one of the key ways that it can impact our hormones. By having this sustained rise in insulin resistance, we’re setting our bodies up for a host of other downhill affects with our hormones.
How cortisol impacts estrogen
High cortisol can contribute to estrogen dominance in two ways. The first is through excess body fat as a result of insulin resistance. Our fat cells, aka adipose tissue, LOVE estrogen. They not only store it, but they can also synthesize estrogen from other hormones as well. When you add in environmental toxin & xenoestrogens to the mix (which we’re all exposed to daily, no matter how we try - thank you society!), you see this clear relationship with stored excess endogenous & exogenous estrogens that contributes to estrogen dominance.
How cortisol impacts progesterone
The second way cortisol can cause estrogen dominance is by causing low progesterone. When we’re stressed, our brain activates our HPA axis favorably over our HPO axis (hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary) and it will down-regulate FSH and LH. This can impact both ovulation and progesterone production.
How cortisol impacts thyroid function
Our thyroid plays a HUGE role in our body. It’s a key player in our metabolism and can cause a big impact on how we feel if the hormones are out of range. When we’re chronically stressed, over time it can shift us into a hypothyroid state. This happens due to a variety of reasons: it prefers the creation of rT3 which is an inactive form of our T3 hormone, it suppressors thyroid receptor site sensitivity (meaning we could have normal thyroid hormone but our cells aren’t responding well to them), and it can increase our TBG (thyroid binding globulin) which can make our thyroid hormones inactive! All of this can lead to a sluggish metabolism, fatigue, weight gain, constipation, mood changes, and other symptoms related to low thyroid function.
How cortisol impacts testosterone
In women with PCOS, the chronic stress further promotes insulin resistance which can send signals to our ovaries to produce more testosterone. Working on stress management + optimal cortisol levels is a key part of managing PCOS naturally!
So what are some of the ways that you can balance cortisol?
Here are some of the methods I use with my patients:
Getting in sync with the sun & the moon. Within the first 10 mins of waking up, try to get some sunlight - this can be sitting by a sunny window, going on a walk, sitting outside, whatever feels good to you! Try to do this BEFORE looking at your phone or computer screen. In the evening when the sun goes down, try to limit your exposure to blue lights from your phone and TV. A great way to do this is to use blue light blockers.
Tone your vagus nerve! The vagus nerve is responsible for helping put our nervous system in a relaxed state - the opposite of what cortisol does. Great ways to tone the vague nerve include belly breathing, contrast showers, and singing.
Eat balanced meals and snacks throughout the day to avoid blood sugar spikes.
Do one thing you enjoy daily for self care - it can be a skincare routine, a bath, journaling, meditating, yoga, whatever it is that works for YOU. Make that time all about pampering yourself and unwinding.
Limit caffeine and alcohol.
So ladies, make sure you are practicing good self care! If you are able to, take those rest days as you need to. Nurture yourself. Take care of your mind, body, and soul!
With love,
Dr. Paria
Remember: This is not personalized medical advice for YOU. This is just health education! Always consult with your doctor before making any changes to your health.
