What are the signs of cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone that plays an important role in many body functions, from enabling the body’s natural flight or fight response to regulating your blood pressure and helping maintain your sleep cycle.
Although cortisol is an essential hormone, elevated levels over a long period can cause a range of problems in the body. Common signs and symptoms of high cortisol include sleep problems, a weakened immune system, weight gain and high blood pressure which can all impact your overall health.
Below, we explore what cortisol is, why elevated levels can be a problem and the signs of excess cortisol to look out for. You can conveniently check your cortisol levels through private blood tests from Bluecrest Wellness.
What is cortisol?
Commonly known as the stress hormones, cortisol is a hormone that plays a key role in how your body responds to stress. It is made in the cortex of the adrenal glands and is then released into the blood and transported around the body.
One of cortisol’s primary functions is to protect you in the event of danger by increasing your heart rate and energy levels so that you can react quickly. To enable this, the adrenal glands create a surge in cortisol production, causing your levels to rapidly rise.
In addition to helping the body respond to stress, cortisol also helps:
- Regulate your blood pressure
- Regulate the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins
- Regulate the effects of insulin
- Reduce inflammation
- Influence memory formation
- Control salt and water balance
- Maintain your sleep-wake cycle
- The development of the foetus in pregnant women
- Trigger the processes involved in giving birth in pregnant women
Cortisol is essential for your health and survival, but if your levels are elevated for long periods it can harm your health.
How is cortisol controlled?
Cortisol levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day. It is normal to have higher levels in the morning when you wake up, which then fall throughout the day. This is known as your diurnal rhythm. In people who work nights, the pattern is reversed, so that cortisol levels are highest when you are most active. Cortisol levels also increase throughout the day in response to stress, helping the body respond appropriately. This can be physical stress, like an illness, or emotional stress, like feeling overwhelmed at work.
Is cortisol a stress hormone?
Cortisol is often referred to as a stress hormone because cortisol levels increase in the body in response to stress to ensure that your body can act accordingly. Common stressors that can heighten cortisol levels can include:
- Physical stress – meaning a physical thing is happening to your body, for example, having an illness
- Emotional stress – meaning something that is causing you to feel stressed, like getting stuck in a traffic jam
- Medication – some corticosteroids and oral contraceptives can increase cortisol levels
- Oestrogen – high oestrogen levels in women, like during pregnancy, are linked to raised cortisol levels
- An adrenal gland tumour – the adrenal gland is responsible for producing cortisol, so any issues with your adrenal gland can impact cortisol levels
- Pituitary gland issue – an overactive pituitary gland can stimulate your adrenal gland to make too much cortisol
- Malnutrition – eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia can affect cortisol levels
- Certain health conditions – Diabetes, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and alcoholism are all also linked to higher cortisol levels
What are the signs and symptoms of high cortisol?
The physical signs of high cortisol can vary from person to person, but common symptoms to look out for include:
- Lethargy
- Difficulty sleeping
- Brain fog – this can include difficulty concentrating or focusing or a slower thought process
- Weak bones and muscles
- Weight gain – especially around the abdomen or in the face (puffy face)
- More susceptible to infections – cortisol can impair your immune system, making it difficult to fight off infections
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
Signs of high cortisol levels in women
Although stress affects everyone from time to time, women are at increased risk of elevated cortisol levels and chronic stress. This is thought to be a result of higher societal pressure and fluctuating hormone levels throughout a woman's lifetime, which can lead to an increase in the release of cortisol. This means in addition to the above symptoms, there are some specific signs of high cortisol levels in women, such as:
- A tendency to bruise easily
- Thinning of the skin
- Increased acne
- Slow healing
- Increased irritability
- Delayed ovulation
How do you know if your cortisol levels are high?
While the above signs of elevated cortisol levels can indicate that your cortisol levels are higher than normal, the only way to know for certain is through analysis.
It is possible to analyse symptoms of cortisol imbalance with a blood test, urine sample, or saliva test. Usually, the type of test recommended will depend on the symptoms you’re experiencing.
What is the cause of high cortisol levels?
Ongoing high cortisol levels are usually a result of chronic stress. Often, people experience chronic stress because of work commitments or life events, such as the death of a loved one or a relationship breakdown. However, other causes of elevated cortisol levels can include:
- Certain medications, like corticosteroids and oral contraceptives, are linked with elevated cortisol levels.
- Heightened oestrogen levels, for example, during pregnancy, can increase cortisol levels.
- An adrenal gland tumour can impact the adrenal gland’s ability to regulate cortisol levels, resulting in higher than normal levels.
- An overactive pituitary gland can stimulate your adrenal gland to make too much cortisol.
- Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia can put the body under undue stress and, as a result, affect cortisol levels.
- Some chronic health conditions, like diabetes, can also place additional stress on the body, causing cortisol levels to rise.
H2 How can I reduce my cortisol levels? For some people, making certain lifestyle changes can be an effective way to reduce your cortisol levels naturally. This can include: H3 Improve your sleep quality Getting a good night’s sleep can help to reduce your cortisol levels. Establishing a bedtime routine can be helpful to achieve this. You can try: ? Limiting caffeine at least six hours before bed ? Reducing screen time for at least 30 minutes before sleep ? Sticking to a sleep schedule with a set bedtime and waking-up time ? Keeping your bedroom quiet and dark when going to sleep
Practice mindfulness
Practising mindfulness by meditating or using breathing exercises can help you manage stressful thoughts better. Deep breathing exercises can also help stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for relaxation and lower cortisol levels. Just five minutes a day can help you to reduce cortisol levels.
Nourish your body
Research shows a link between a healthy gut microbiome (all the microbes living in your gut) and better mental health. So, eating a nutrient-dense diet full of whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and foods high in pre- and probiotics can promote a diverse gut microbiome and may help reduce cortisol levels.
Low impact exercise
Regular exercise can help you to reduce stress levels and manage your cortisol levels. Aim for 150-200 minutes of low to moderate-intensity exercise each week to help try to reduce your cortisol response.
Healthy, happy relationships
Your emotional health can affect your physical wellbeing and impact your cortisol levels. Having good relationships with your friends, family, or partner can increase your overall happiness and may help reduce your cortisol levels.
How can I check my cortisol levels?
You can check your cortisol levels with a blood test, urine sample, or saliva test. The test recommended for you will depend on the signs and symptoms of high cortisol, but the most commonly used test is a blood test.
Cortisol blood test
A cortisol blood test is usually booked for in the morning as this is when your cortisol levels are at their highest.
At Bluecrest Wellness, we offer a range of private blood tests that can be booked at a time and location to suit you. This enables you to conveniently gain vital insights into your health.
Cortisol urine test
Having a urine test to check your cortisol levels involves collecting all of your urine over the course of a day to show how your levels change throughout. This can be a more time-consuming process, which is why a blood test is more commonly used and is the method of testing used at Bluecrest.
Private health checks for complete peace of mind
If you are concerned about your overall health and wellbeing, why not consider booking a private health MOT with Bluecrest Wellness?
Our full-body health assessment packages are designed to provide comprehensive insights and include a range of key blood tests, as well as important metrics like your blood pressure, weight, and blood health markers.
All our health MOTs use the latest technologies to ensure accurate results and can be booked at a time and location that’s convenient for you. In addition, every full health assessment comes with a comprehensive Results Report and free access to a 24/7 GP helpline for a year for complete peace of mind following your health assessment.
