6 Habits to Help Lower Cortisol and Keep Stress Under Control

Cortisol has been dubbed the "stress hormone" because of its primary role in our biological stress response. But people tend to think only negatively of this hormone, which is actually a key player in several body functions and systems.

What Is Cortisol and What Does It Do?

“Cortisol [is a hormone that] plays a vital role in the human body. Produced by your adrenal glands—which rest atop the kidneys—it regulates metabolism, reduces inflammation, assists with memory formulation, and manages stress,” says Kevin Huffman, DO, board-certified bariatric physician.

In an emergency or frightening situation, the adrenal glands secrete more cortisol into the bloodstream, increasing heart rate and blood pressure in anticipation of a threat. This is the body's natural "flight or fight" response when it detects something amiss to prepare you either to avoid (flee) or confront (fight) the danger.

Knowing how important it is for survival, cortisol itself isn’t bad at all. The trouble comes when your system produces too much cortisol or never returns back to a state of homeostasis, leaving you in a state of constant, chronic stress. When excessive cortisol swarms the bloodstream it can end up being quite harmful to both your physical and mental health. Here’s how to tell if your cortisol levels are running high, plus helpful strategies to lower cortisol naturally and relieve long-term stress.

Signs of High Cortisol Levels

The term "high cortisol" is not just a buzzy self-diagnosis in your social media feed—it's an actual biological state. That said, elevated cortisol it’s not a clinical diagnosis, as acute cortisol levels naturally ebb and flow by design. Thanks to the body's natural restorative ability, you can recover from stress with positive habits and lifestyle factors—like allowing yourself to get adequate sleep (and other types of rest) and regularly exercising. A diagnosis will only happen when stress becomes chronic and/or associated with a disease.

Abnormal levels of cortisol are detectable through urine, blood, and saliva tests, and if you are concerned about your health you may want to visit the doctor for routine lab work and evaluation. There are also certain signs and symptoms that can be indicative of high cortisol count.

• Disrupted sleep: When you're very stressed, relaxing and getting a good night's sleep can be challenging. You may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both.
• Muscle weakness: It affects how the body processes protein and carbohydrates. If you feel especially weak and fatigued after a typical workout, it may be due to a spike in cortisol.
• Anxiety: You may also become irritable, notice your heart is palpitating, and experience shortness of breath. 
• Memory impairment and difficulty concentrating: You may find it challenging to recall information or focus on doing tasks when highly stressed.
  
• Frequent colds: A significant amount of cortisol in the body can impair the immune system response, lowering your body’s defenses against viruses and infections.
• Irritable bowel syndrome: The gut microbiome and nervous system are closely linked by what experts refer to as the gut-brain axis. Stress can affect the movement in your gut and potentially cause digestive issues.
• Hirsutism or excessive hair growth in females at birth: Higher cortisol levels can overstimulate hair follicles, leading to abnormal hair growth.

The effects and severity of above-normal cortisol levels vary from person to person, and individuals with existing conditions affected by higher-than-normal cortisol may experience more serious symptoms.

Effects of Long-Term High Cortisol Levels

Cortisol is essential, but chronic stress and the overproduction of cortisol can interfere with other hormone processes in the body—like metabolism, immunity, and reproductive systems—and end up contributing to more serious health consequences, including:

• Decreased Libido: A constantly high cortisol level can lead to a lack of sex drive and adrenal fatigue—when the adrenal glands are no longer able to produce adequate cortisol because they’ve worn out. Low cortisol contributes to decreased libido.
• Irregular or Stopped Periods (Amenorrhea): Amenorrhea happens when menstruation stops completely. When stressed, the glands secrete more endorphins and cortisols, interrupting ovulation and appropriate hormone production. This can result in irregular menstrual cycles and amenorrhea.
• Mental Health Struggles: Chronic stress is associated with several psychological issues, such as anxiety and depression. Excessive pressure and lack of resolution may also raise the risk of relying on substances, like illegal drugs and alcohol, as coping mechanisms.
  

Long-Term Habits to Lower Cortisol Naturally

A healthy amount of cortisol can help the body function properly. Here are some lifestyle factors that can help bring your stress hormone levels to normal. 

1. Get Sufficient Sleep

Getting enough sleep is vital for overall health, including the proper regulation of cortisol. But one-third of adults in the U.S. don’t get their recommended seven to nine hours of shuteye per night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sleep deprivation can have both short- and long-term health consequences, including our ability to manage and regulate stress. Research has found sleep deprivation to be associated with increased activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, our main stress response system.

2. Exercise Regularly

“Regular exercise is a potent stress buster,” says Jung Baccam, a board-certified family nurse practitioner based in Arizona. “Aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days, whether it's brisk walking, yoga, or dancing in your kitchen.” Exercise can help dispel stress and boost your sleep quality, as well as promote the release of feel-good chemicals like serotonin and endorphins.

3. Practice Relaxation Techniques

“Master stress management techniques—like deep breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation—to lower cortisol levels significantly and boost overall health,” Huffman says. Deep breathing, meditation, yoga, and tai chi are all practices that divert stress to relaxation by taking you out of fight-or-flight mode and into rest-and-digest mode. They can even help lower your heart rate and blood pressure.

4. Learn Your Stressors

Determine what stresses you out, whether it's physical or psychological. “If it’s a true emergency—a car is coming as you’re crossing the street and you need to hurry up and get to the sidewalk—this system works wonderfully,” says Samia Estrada, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in Northern California. “However, it’s difficult for the body to know if your cortisol level is increasing because the car is coming your way or because you’re worried you’re out of work and can’t pay your bills.”

In the car example, she explains, “the stressor is short-lived. Cortisol levels—along with all the other changes that happened in our body to prepare for this emergency—will return to baseline. However, in the example of being out of work and not being able to pay our bills, that’s a stressor that will last a lot longer. Our cortisol levels will stay elevated and our body will be working overtime preparing us for a threat that’s not a real physical threat.” 

Being aware of when you’re experiencing a stress response due to something that is not immediately dangerous or harmful is the first step to controlling and managing your response to stressful things more effectively.

5. Find a Hobby That Makes You Happy

You won’t always have control over the stressful factors in life, but regularly engaging in pleasurable hobbies that calm you down, distract you in a healthy way, and lift your mood can help regulate your reactions and cope with stress.

For example, research has found that creative, artistic activities, in particular, related to art, music, and dance or movement can be highly therapeutic for stress management and reduction. Whether you take a drawing or ceramics class, take up piano lessons, or sign up for a fun dance-cardio exercise class at the gym, art therapy can be a healthy diversion to promote relaxation, reduce cortisol levels, and lower depressive symptoms.

6. Nurture Healthy Relationships

“Strong social connections are crucial for stress resilience,” Baccam says. If the people around you make you yell, [want to] pull your hair out, or are unsupportive, let go of them or figure out a way to set healthy boundaries for your mental well-being. While it’s not always easy or possible, of course, more often than we think, we have the power to choose the people we surround ourselves with. “Nurture relationships with loved ones, volunteer, or join a club—find your [group] and feel the support,” Baccam encourages.

Although some people think stress hormones are debilitating, they’re essential and support myriad body functions we need to survive (and thrive!). Stress is a normal biological response and a part of life, so it shouldn’t alarm you to experience it on occasion. However, if it starts to affect your relationships, physical and/or mental health, and quality of life, it's time to see a doctor for an assessment and some actionable solutions.