What is cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone released by the adrenal glands in response to a stressor.
There are many types of stressor from the both the internal and external environment, and they cause the body to respond by releasing stress hormones such as cortisol that flood the bloodstream, and elicit a number of physiological changes in the body.
How does it impact your body?
Modern lifestyles often put you into fight/ flight mode, or switches on the sympathetic part of your autonomic nervous system. This should be reserved for acute stressful situations where you need to run away or stand and fight, like if there was a tiger in the room. It was not designed for chronic situations, or continual stimulation and distraction. This stresses the body and mind, especially the nervous system and oftentimes leads to ‘burnout’. Your body and mind are not designed to sustain this state for extended periods, and can no longer keep pace with the demands placed upon them- the nutrients and energy required to function just aren’t enough. It begins to take its toll on your energy and bodily resources. If issues in the body are associated with low energetic status, then this contributes to the symptoms you manifest.
Some signs and symptoms to look out for:
Feeling exhausted no matter how much sleep you have
Unable to recover from colds/ always have sniffles
Headaches
Gastrointestinal issues
Disturbed Sleep- often feels ‘awake’ in the evening
Low mood
Altered emotional responses- not usual like angry outburst or crying when wouldn’t usually
How it affects you?
When life comes along and shakes you, what ever is inside will spill out.
This could be a variety of emotions and physical manifestations from anger to grief to pain to fatigue.
It can be a different experience for everyone
Often you can feel tired (exhausted), sometimes wired and tired (exhausted but on high alert) and sometimes wired (on high alert).
It’s your body working overtime when there isn’t enough energy to support you.
Your nervous system Is on high alert with the sympathetic pathway overly active, like it’s stuck in the on position.
You can’t function as you usually would.
Everything seems too much.
Why is it important to be mindful of high cortisol levels generally?
Adrenal fatigue or HPA axis dysfunction, happens when you are undergoing a response to chronic stress, that you are unequipped to handle.
Your body and mind cannot keep pace with the demands placed in them- there’s not enough energy and resources available.
You may begin to become overwhelmed physically, mentally and/ or emotionally and things start to manifest as unwanted symptoms and dysfunction in the body.
Some simple ways to reduce your cortisol levels?
Setting boundaries- you are allowed time out, time off and to remember that ‘no’ is a full sentence.
Creating space- schedule time out or time block into your diary so that it becomes a non negotiable and you can’t overbook
Pressing pause- use a pause as others interruption, ask yourself ‘is this helpful?’
Practice Gratitude- a great time to do this is last thing at night as it really sets you up for sleep- 3 things- people/ places/talents/ things/ experiences
Breathwork for energy release
Breathing to regulate your nervous system and release trapped emotions is a great way to support you if you are experiencing burnout. Energy can become stagnated on the body, via meridians, chakras, or what I term ‘energetic scars’ in tissues and organs which decreases their function and is often linked at its route to an emotional upset that has not been released from the body.
There are many ways to breathe and let's face it, we all have to do it, but there are better ways to breathe.
One such way is using the breath to release energy through the breath, it enables you to release negative emotions and energy, attached to past events.
To move forwards and step into your future self, that old energy and patterning need ditching. It supports the body with self-regulation and calming of the nervous system.
I’d like to take you through a short practice:
You can start setting up and taking 3 deep breaths in and out.
Then bring into mind what it is that is bothering you or causing you concern
Take a deep breath in followed by a short sharp exhale and then a longer slower exhale
Have a brief pause and
Repeat twice more.
It really helps with symptoms like anxiety and panic attacks and to regulate the nervous system to help it feel safe and get back into balance, so that you can move forward.
Love + wellness
Tracy x
