Stress doesn’t just impact your emotional state; it can affect your body in other negative ways. Whenever you’re stressed because of tension or anxiety, your adrenal glands release the “stress hormone” known as cortisol. This hormone is also released from physical strain, and your cortisol levels may become particularly high when you’re doing strenuous exercise. Even though cortisol can be beneficial for helping you stay more alert and energized in stressful situations, too much of the hormone can be detrimental to your health.
Negative Effects of Continuously Elevated Cortisol
If you are stressed a lot or tend to overtrain, excess cortisol could be impacting you negatively in subtle yet serious ways. When cortisol levels are frequently elevated, the resulting effects could impact several areas of your day-to-day life.
Fatigue and Insomnia
When your cortisol levels remain too high from regular stress, you’ll likely feel tired more often because of the extra strain on the body and mind. You might also have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep for long periods if your body can’t relax sufficiently because of high cortisol levels from stress.
Weight Gain
High cortisol can cause excessive weight gain, and this may be especially noticeable around the abdomen (also known as “cortisol belly”). The extra weight can also lead to other health problems, such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.
Muscle Weakness
Protein synthesis disruptions that lead to muscle weakness and a condition known as muscle catabolism, which happens when proteins that are needed for muscle growth and energy break down, are often linked to elevated cortisol. Cortisol’s effect on testosterone production can also weaken muscles.
Slower Recovery Time
Your body will have a harder time recovering after workouts or other strenuous activities if your cortisol levels remain elevated. A slower recovery time means that you’ll have to wait longer between workouts for your muscles to heal before you can exercise safely again.
Osteoporosis
The bone loss that happens with osteoporosis often results from elevated cortisol. When too much of the hormone is produced, it can interfere with bone tissue production and cause the bones to break down faster.
Weakened Immune System
Unchecked cortisol can wreak havoc on your immune system and cause you to become sick more often. Frequent illness can make you feel even more stressed, which can prolong the cycle of excessive cortisol production.
Increased Anxiety or Mood Swings
If you’re stressed a lot, you likely feel more nervous and could become especially anxious in work or social situations. Mood swings, which can cause your mood to change frequently and unexpectedly, can also happen more often when stress and cortisol levels are high.
Skin Problems
Too much cortisol can even affect your skin and lead to more frequent acne breakouts. The excessive weight gain caused by high cortisol can lead to the formation of purple stretchmarks on the abdomen, thighs and other parts of the body.
Signs of Chronic Cortisol Elevation
The signs of high cortisol could mimic those of other health conditions, but your cortisol may be elevated if you’re regularly experiencing:
- Muscle loss
- Weight gain
- Reduced energy
- Sleep disruptions
- A lack of motivation
- Low sex drive
- Unusual mood changes
- Higher than normal blood pressure and blood sugar
The Link Between Cortisol and Testosterone
Cortisol influences the body’s testosterone production, and testosterone levels often drop if cortisol remains high in the body for extended periods. This is because the body tends to prioritize survival as a stress response and therefore makes more cortisol than testosterone. Elevated cortisol can also cause the body to experience some of the same effects of low testosterone, such as fatigue, mood swings and loss of strength.
How to Promote Better Hormone Balance
Stress and raised cortisol levels can’t always be avoided, but there are some things that you can do to keep your cortisol levels under better control. Some of the best proactive ways to manage cortisol spikes include:
Sleeping Consistently
It may be difficult for you to sleep consistently, but getting to bed at a regular time and allowing enough time for adequate sleep can help your cortisol drop naturally. Additional medical treatment may be needed if you suffer from a health condition that interferes with sleeping.
Eating the Right Foods
Certain foods are known to promote better hormone balance. By eating enough protein, healthy fats and whole carbs, you can keep your cortisol and blood sugar under better control and boost your testosterone production.
Exercising Smart
Whether you’re training for a sporting event or just working out to maintain general physical fitness, you should exercise moderately and consistently without overtraining. Smart exercising offers one of the best ways to reduce cortisol and boost testosterone and achieve better hormonal balance.
Relax Intentionally
By taking time out of your day to focus on relaxation, you can keep cortisol in check. Some of the best ways to relax mindfully include yoga, meditation and deep-breathing exercises.
Checking Your Hormone Levels
If you’re concerned that your hormones are out of balance, frequent testing can let you know what specific hormones might be too high or too low. Regular blood tests and other medical screenings can be done to monitor your cortisol and other hormones.
When to Consider Testosterone Replacement Therapy
If your testosterone levels are consistently low even when you’ve tried ways to boost them on your own, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may be advised. This medical treatment can increase the body’s testosterone production safely and help combat many of the effects that elevated cortisol can have on this hormone. Testosterone side effects from TRT are usually mild, and you’ll receive detailed information on what to expect and be monitored closely throughout your treatment if TRT is right for you.