Lower your cortisol

[Oanav]

How do you lower your cortisol naturally? I think mine it s to high as i feel so stressed out everytime and due my anxiety.

[Angel_of_the_North]

Meditation.

[JumpJiving]

These are the notes I made for myself after having saliva and blood tests recently that both showed high cortisol levels:

(1) Regular exercise (but not overdoing it)

(2) Reduce caffeine intake.

(3) Keep blood sugar levels stable. Avoid refined sugars.

(4) Keep hydrated.

For me, (2) and (3) are the action points. I've reduced my caffeine intake massively (down to 2 coffees, no caffeinated tea, no Coca Cola, per day). I'll probably drop that to just 1 coffee fairly soon. Stabilising my blood sugar is trickier, but will be done.

[Oanav in reply to JumpJiving]

Did u replace your coffee with black tea?

[JumpJiving in reply to Oanav]

I switched from Douwe Egberts Dark Roast coffee to Douwe Egberts Medium Roast decaffeinated coffee.

Switched from PG Tips tea and Graze (as in Graze boxes) tea to decaffeinated Yorkshire tea.

And switched from Coca Cola to Sainsbury's home-brand lemonade (still loads of sugar, but no caffeine).

The tea and coffee transitions were easy as the tastes did not vary too much. Both drunk black, as I'm allergic to lactose. Even the switch from Coca Cola has been easier than expected.

[G2G2]

I have high cortisol & take Cortisolv. I don't know if it's available in the UK. Cortisolv has ashwagandha, known for lowering cortisol, & other herbs.

[Lynndeb]

Hi, I'm in the same boat and I find mediation helps, as does breathing! It's important that the outer breath is longer than the in breath because that's when your body relaxes, so try breathing in for 7 and out for 11, or something like that. Whenever I catch myself being caught up in the stressed out my world is ending mode, I try, it is often hard to do, and breath this way. It can be hard because some of us have been in this state for so long that it's become the 'norm'. I'm currently going through terrible emotional stress and it is helping. Gratitude, that's another thing. Even though things can be horrible, I am grateful for so many small things, like thank you, I'm able to regulate my breathing in order to relax my body/mind. I'm no expert, but if I don't help myself become calm/er the stress will absolutely ruin my physical and mental health. Good luck, you can do it!

[lucindajethol]

Lay off caffeine in every form. Coffee drink decaf. Also tea decaf and any Cola fizzy drinks all contain caffeine. Take up yoga or pilates. Destress your life. Be kind to yourself. Fill your life with nice friends. Rid yourself of the ones that bring you down.

[Oanav]

Thank you. I went to a therapist since last year and everything is ok now