3 days ago
Cortisol isn't always bad. Here's how to make it work for you
When humans first walked the earth, threats to our lives lurked around each and every corner. Our Stone Age ancestors contended with sabre-toothed tigers, dangerous ravines, famines, droughts and constant fights with other people. Our bodies developed cortisol, the stress hormone, as a way to keep us safe, kicking us into fight-or-flight mode at the first signs of danger.
Real hazards are less prevalent in the modern world. So why do three quarters of people in Britain report feeling so stressed at times that they struggle to function?
'Our environments have changed dramatically over the centuries, but our hormones haven't,' says Hannah Alderson, a nutritionist and hormone expert. 'Our bodies are responding to those stressors as if they were real threats to our lives.'
No wonder we're all overwhelmed, anxious and fatigued.
It's no secret that stress is disastrous for our health. Cortisol is 'part of a group called steroid hormones, which includes sex hormones, and is crucial to our stress responses but also our sleep-wake cycle,' says Alderson. 'It can act like a foghorn in your system, setting off a cascade of actions, overriding systems, influencing metabolism and fat storage, and blocking other hormones and their work in your body.'
Despite the stress epidemic, this hormone really does not deserve its bad rap, according to Alderson. 'We need cortisol. It's a pretty amazing hormone and it helps us with all sorts of things,' she explains. 'But with excessive levels of cortisol, we can have too much of a good thing, and need to get back to a more healthy place.'
Ultimately, 'stress is a part of life,' says Alderson – 'we can't wrap ourselves in cotton wool and avoid it entirely'. We can actually work with cortisol, she explains. Getting a handle on this much-maligned hormone makes us more productive in the daytime, helps us to rest more easily at night, and leaves us healthier and happier as a result.
Make the most of your mornings
Cortisol is naturally at its highest in our bodies in the morning. 'It's a motivator that helps us to get going and get things done in the mornings,' Alderson says. In the evening, meanwhile, the sleep hormone melatonin takes over, 'like a changing of the guards', to speed us off to sleep.
You might not think of yourself as a morning person, but thanks to this spike of cortisol, our brains are best set up for focused work early in the day. 'Try doing the hard things in your day in the morning, or at least make a to-do list then, as the increased cortisol you have will help you to focus and perform at your best,' says Alderson.
One of the tell-tale signs that you've consistently had too much cortisol flowing around your system is that mornings don't feel like the time to get up and go. 'The body can go blind to cortisol when this happens, and this is where people really see problems with burnout,' says Alderson. People in this situation 'find it hard to drag themselves out of bed, their sex drives are low, and they find it tough to motivate themselves'.
If that sounds like you, it's still worth making your mornings the busiest part of your day, to help get your natural hormonal cycles back on track. 'It can be helpful to remind your brain what time of day it is,' says Alderson. 'Getting some natural light, increasing blood flow to the brain with light stretching, having a cold shower or going for a quick walk after breakfast can all remind your body that it's morning and trigger its natural responses.'
Sleep on your problems
Sleeping on an issue really does work, especially when it comes to an argument with a loved one or another emotionally draining problem. The extra spike of cortisol we get each morning helps us to reframe issues and tackle them with more confidence. This is why 'something that seems like a big problem at night often doesn't seem that bad in the morning,' Alderson says.
Research suggests that we are better equipped to handle stress in the mornings than we are in the evenings. Aside from our natural hormonal cycles, our cortisol levels spike more in response to stressful events in the earlier part of the day, too.
Cortisol increases our blood sugar levels, meaning we have the energy and focus to deal with the problem instead of panicking. 'So try leaving big decisions or resolutions for the mornings, when cortisol is on hand to help,' Alderson advises – and wind down in the evenings with breathing exercises, a warm bath or a podcast, to avert poor decisions.
Eat a hormone-friendly breakfast
What we eat for breakfast is crucial when it comes to getting cortisol on side, Alderson says. 'Cortisol is a fat-based hormone, so it's a good idea to have a breakfast that's high in healthy fats, as well as protein and fibre for overall energy levels and feelings of fullness,' she says.
As cortisol impacts blood sugar levels, Alderson suggests eating a breakfast that helps to regulate blood sugar levels, too: porridge with chia seeds, berries and a dollop of full-fat yogurt, or scrambled eggs with spinach and tomatoes, are go-to dishes for clients seeking to get a better grip on their cortisol.
It's also wise to avoid drinking coffee until later in the morning, or at least until you've had breakfast. 'Coffee artificially boosts cortisol levels, and in the mornings you want to let your cortisol levels run naturally instead of interfering with them,' says Alderson. 'Regularly loading up on caffeine on an empty stomach can lead to excessive cortisol levels, which could eventually flatline as this overloads your system. Instead, opt for caffeine-free options within your cortisol awakening response (CAR) window – typically within the first 30 to 45 minutes after you first wake up – as you should already have enough to work with.'
Relax before eating
How we eat is as important as what we eat when it comes to cortisol. Stress hinders digestion, meaning that we don't absorb all of the nutrients from our food, leading to health issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in the long term.
Even momentarily pausing our cortisol responses can improve digestion and make us feel healthier, happier and less bloated. 'Try taking five deep breaths before you eat, or at least try to sit down in a relaxed environment when you can, rather than eating on the move or at your desk,' Alderson advises. This can be taken further: 'Even if it's just scrambled eggs for dinner, I always sit at the table and light myself a candle,' says Alderson.
Certain supplements, such as liquorice root, can also boost cortisol levels, making it helpful to those whose cortisol responses have flatlined. 'But I don't advise that people start taking liquorice and hope that this alone will make them feel better,' Alderson notes. 'Dietary tweaks like this also need to come in the context of a lower-stress lifestyle, with more time for pause and relaxation and things they enjoy.'
Boost your immunity
Cortisol is a powerful anti-inflammatory chemical when released into the body in the right amounts, meaning that it can make us more robust against infections. 'That's why eczema creams contain hydrocortisone, a topical corticosteroid that reduces inflammation,' Alderson points out.
Yet, in the moment that cortisol is released into our bloodstreams, it suppresses the activity of our white blood cells, weakening our immune systems and leaving us more vulnerable to coughs and colds.
Effectively managing day-to-day stress is the best way to support your immune system in the long term, says Alderson. 'I always tell people to find a de-stressing habit that they can stick to,' she explains. 'Whether it's meditation, dancing, knitting, gardening or swimming, people tend to report that they're much less susceptible to colds after they pick a hobby like this up.'
Have sex earlier in the day
For both men and women, cortisol and sex-drive-boosting testosterone both peak early in the day, making the morning the best time of the day to have sex for those who struggle with sex drive, Alderson says. For those who feel anxious about sex, however, the evening might be a better time to give it a go, as the natural cortisol ebb that happens each evening can help to keep nerves at bay.
Tidy up, light a candle, 'and think carefully about what you eat for dinner,' Alderson says. 'Don't pick a meal with lots of ultra-processed ingredients that will leave you feeling bloated, as this will inevitably kill the mood too if you feel uncomfortable'.
Plan your exercise carefully
Intense activities such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), sprinting, weightlifting and spin classes are best kept for the mornings, when your cortisol is naturally high – 'You will find an intense workout much easier before work than after it,' says Alderson.
Conversely, we can disrupt our natural rhythms when we ask too much of our bodies before bedtime. Pilates, yoga and swimming are all best carried out at night, as they won't boost your cortisol in the same way. 'Too much cortisol right before bed can make it harder to sleep, causing fatigue in the morning and preventing your natural levels from recharging,' says Alderson.
Harness cortisol to lose weight
Cortisol 'can drive you to crave high-fat and high-sugar foods, and accumulate fat around your middle,' says Alderson – a clever trick of the body's, she says, as this is what powered our ancestors through periods of famine, but it's incredibly unhelpful with today's sedentary lifestyles.
Being super-stressed really does make it harder to lose weight, especially the pesky belly fat that so many of us want rid of. 'Even an email that makes you worry can be enough for your body to cling onto belly fat,' says Alderson.
The best way to counter that is by 'reminding your body that famine isn't coming,' Alderson says. 'Eat three well-balanced, nutritious meals every day, and choose foods that release energy slowly over time, keeping your blood sugar balanced with protein, fibre, healthy fats and complex carbs.'
Where you feel the urge to snack, avoid tubs of ice cream and deep-dish pizzas by 'sense checking if you are actually hungry or just on the hunt for a dopamine hit,' says Alderson. 'If you are genuinely hungry, reach for dark chocolate, fruits like berries and kiwis with high-protein yogurt or nuts, or even your favourite cheeses, to scratch the same itch in a more belly-fat-friendly way.'
And above all, relax. 'Your cortisol response is closely tied to your nervous system, which reacts to danger,' says Alderson. 'Take some deep breaths, pick dopamine-boosting activities that make you feel happier, avoid consuming things like true crime podcasts or action horror movies as they will only make you feel more stressed. Get away from screens when you can and spend more time in nature.'
