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B ME Bites 28: Feel-Good Hormone Series Part 5 - Cortisol: Taming the Stress Hormone Before It Takes Over

How to Lower Stress and Boost Wellbeing by Managing Cortisol Naturally

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This week’s B ME Bites Trivia Question:

People are more likely to make decisions based on emotions rather than logic, especially under stress - True or False?

Answer at the bottom of this week’s newsletter

Welcome to edition #28 of B ME Bites! Continuing with Part 5 of the Feel-Good Hormone series, this week's article dives into cortisol—exploring how to naturally lower stress and maintain balance for a healthier, happier life.

Click on the graphic to check out Daniel Gilbert’s books on Amazon

Feel-Good Hormone Series Part 5 - Cortisol: Taming the Stress Hormone Before It Takes Over

How to Lower Stress and Boost Wellbeing by Managing Cortisol Naturally

When life gets hectic and stress levels rise, there's one hormone that often takes centre stage: cortisol. Last week, the spotlight was on endorphins. This week, let’s move on to understanding how cortisol influences your body and mind. As part of the Feel-Good Hormone Series, it’s essential to look at cortisol’s role in managing stress and how to keep it in check to feel better and thrive.

What is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced in the adrenal glands and is often referred to as the "stress hormone" because it’s released when you experience stress. While cortisol has some essential roles, such as regulating your metabolism, controlling blood sugar levels, and reducing inflammation, too much of it can cause problems.

When your cortisol levels remain elevated for too long, it can lead to fatigue, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and even weight gain. That’s why managing cortisol is key to feeling balanced and reducing stress-related symptoms.

The Impact of Chronic Stress on Cortisol

Cortisol is necessary for short-term survival, especially when facing challenges that trigger the body’s natural "fight-or-flight" response. However, in today’s busy world, chronic stress means that cortisol is often in overdrive. Instead of returning to normal after the stressful situation passes, cortisol can stay elevated, leading to physical and emotional strain. Chronic high cortisol levels are linked to a host of issues, including:

  • Anxiety and depression

  • High blood pressure

  • Weight gain, particularly around the midsection

  • Weakened immune system

  • Sleep problems

How to Manage Cortisol Levels

Managing cortisol involves more than just addressing stress in the moment—it’s about creating daily habits that reduce stress over time. Here are a few ways to keep cortisol in check and maintain balance:

Sleep Well

Getting enough sleep is essential for regulating cortisol. Lack of sleep can cause cortisol levels to spike, making it harder to manage stress during the day. Between 7-8 hours of sleep per night is ideal, with 6 hours being the bare minimum. Less than 6 hours of sleep per night plays havoc with your hormones.

Exercise Regularly

Moderate physical activity can lower cortisol levels. However, intense or prolonged exercise can have the opposite effect, so it’s important to find balance.

Healthy Eating

Certain foods can help balance cortisol. Eating whole foods, including lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbs, can stabilise blood sugar levels, which helps keep cortisol in check. Ensure that you are incorporating foods like dark chocolate, bananas, and leafy greens into your meals.

Deep Breathing and Relaxation Techniques

Practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, or meditation can instantly calm the nervous system, reducing cortisol.

Connection and Support

Spending time with loved ones or seeking support when needed is an easy way to lower cortisol. Social interaction releases oxytocin, which can counteract cortisol’s effects.

Cortisol’s Role in Daily Life

While cortisol has at times gained a reputation as a "bad" hormone, it plays a crucial role in keeping your body functioning properly. The key is balance. With mindful practices like regular exercise, healthy eating, relaxation techniques, and getting enough sleep, you can keep cortisol levels in check and prevent stress from taking over.

What daily habits are you going to create to keep cortisol in check?

Reader Spotlight

Massive thank you to Michelle who sent the following response to the survey at the end of the newsletter:

Loved it!! What a lot of helpful information you share well done beautiful!! xx

Michelle

It’s so nice to have feedback that the newsletters are helpful!

Weekly Challenge

Your mission for this week, if you choose to accept it, is to do the following:

Focus on one simple way to lower cortisol on at least 3 days over the next week. Whether it’s doing a 5-minute breathing exercise, spending time with a loved one, or making sure you get to bed on time, the goal is to take small S.T.E.P.S steps to manage stress and promote balance in your life.

If you need some help, feel free to hit reply - let’s help you get started if you’re stuck!

B ME Bites is deliberately sent on a Friday morning (Aussie time) so that where ever you are in the world, you have the weekend to give yourself the gift of implementing a small change towards a better you. What will that small change be? Is there a change that you have been trying to make and haven’t yet succeeded? Give it another go, applying the above - you can do it!

Resource Roundup

Below is an 11 minute excerpt from a Diary of a CEO interview on the impact of stress on the body:

And here’s a more in depth look at cortisol and adrenaline by Dr Andrew Huberman:

Below is a resource list that has been created with you in mind. Whenever something new that could be helpful is discovered or created, it’s added to the list, so check it out from time to time. If you’re strapped for time, once you open the page below, click on Resource List in the top menu, then click on the “Health Tools” link for a list of items that could be helpful on your path to a better you.

The answer to this week’s trivia question is:

Answer: True

Research in neuroscience shows that under stress, the brain relies more on the amygdala, the emotional centre, rather than the prefrontal cortex, which governs logical thinking. This results in decision-making based more on emotions.

Thanks for reading and the hope is that you found something helpful inside this issue. If you did, remember to share it with others whom could also find it helpful, using this link: https://bmebites.beehiiv.com

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Hit reply and answer either 1,2 or 3, and, if the answer is 2 or 3, give the deets on what would make it a 1 for you!:

  1. Loved it!

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If you have an inspiring story, or a helpful tip or strategy to share, or if there is something specific you would like covered, please fill out the form below so that it can be shared with the community. Please note that this is a subscriber survey, so you may have to subscribe first (hint, hint

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Until next week, keep taking one S.T.E.P.S step at a time! (If you missed the issue explaining The S.T.E.P.S Formula, you can check that out here)

Warm regards,

Shari Ware Chief Encouragement Officer at B ME Bites

PS - Here’s a little Friday funny for you!

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