High Cortisol: 8 Possible Causes You Need to Know About

LET’S TALK ABOUT ELEVATED CORTISOL

Cortisol gets a bad rap but it’s not all bad, we just don’t want it running through our bloodstream 24/7.

⁠Cortisol is an essential hormone (made in your adrenal glands) for survival that plays a role in our metabolism, immune system, hormone balance, fertility, sex drive and more.

⁠Your cortisol rhythm is key. Cortisol should be highest in the morning, even out in the afternoon, winding down as the sun sets and dropping low again at bedtime as melatonin rises.

What happens if I have too much cortisol?

The challenge is when cortisol is continuously being made throughout the whole day and is being driven up by CHRONIC STRESSORS. ⁠

When your adrenals are inundated with making cortisol CONSTANTLY they become fatigued!! But beyond that, every hormone in your body is impacted. ⁠

Here are some of the major impacts HIGH cortisol can have on your body:
⬆️ High cortisol drives up estrogen⁠

⬆️ High cortisol increases weight gain⁠

⬆️ High cortisol lowers progesterone⁠

⬆️ High cortisol increases inflammation⁠

⬆️ High cortisol imbalances blood sugar⁠

⬆️ High cortisol suppresses the immune system⁠⁠

Elevated cortisol can be caused by many different things and even multiple things at once!⁠⠀

Here are the 8 possible root causes of high cortisol:

Stress⁠
Blood sugar issues⁠
Restrictive diets⁠
Caffeine intake⁠
Intense workout⁠s
Nutritional deficiencies⁠
Chronic infection⁠s
Sleep issues⁠

Low cortisol levels and high cortisol levels require different types of support and nourishment for your HPA axis and adrenal glands, but one thing they both require is more rest.

So now that you know what it feels like to have low cortisol levels, here are some lifestyle factors to support cortisol levels.

We need to determine stressors, lower stress, improve sleep, manage exercise well and focus on a high-quality, anti-inflammatory diet. Meal balancing is essential to keeping blood sugar balanced. Do not over-exercise or consume tons of coffee/alcohol and stimulants.

Regardless of the cause of your high cortisol levels, awareness is the key to regaining balance – both hormonal and physical, as well as mental and emotional. When we develop the right understanding, we can then take steps to correct the underlying imbalances, and create more harmony in our body and mind, as well as in our life.

If you are feeling like you can not get through the day without caffeine, you’re anxious and unable to sleep and you’re running on fumes, then it’s probably time to get some support.

If so you can learn more about ways to support high cortisol levels in my self-paced program Mend Your Menstrual Cycle.

Ready to explore getting some support from a practitioner? Take a minute to review the options for working together here.