Cortisol – The Body’s Stress Hormone
Cortisol is a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. It is considered a stress hormone by the research world because our body produces it in tense situations, and it helps us deal with these.
The secretion of this hormone is controlled by the hypothalamus in response to stressful situations and low levels of
Stress is an emotion that generates physical tension. It can occur in any situation or thought that makes us frustrated, angry or nervous. In small doses, stress can actually be positive, such as when it helps us avoid danger.
However, when it goes from being a temporary feeling to being recurring, it can harm our health.
Through our way of thinking, believing and feeling, we can influence cortisol levels in the body. Furthermore, scientific evidence shows that by modifying our thoughts in a certain way we can modify the biochemical activity in our brain cells.
Lack of a sense of humor, being constantly irritated and often being angry are possible indicators of elevated cortisol levels. Others are permanent fatigue for no apparent reason and either lack of appetite or overeating.
Situations we interpret as stressful increase our cortisol levels, which can interfere with the quality and length of our sleep. But even though cortisol has received a lot of negative publicity, it should be present in various amounts during the day to keep us awake and active, and sink at night.
As I said, cortisol levels differ during the day and from person to person. For example, some people are more active in the morning, while others do not start the day before eating. It is normal for levels to drop as the day goes on. They reach their lowest levels when it’s time to sleep.
However, if cortisol levels are not reduced in the evening due to the stress response remaining active, we may have trouble sleeping.
Cortisol plays an important role in our health and well-being, and increases with each problem we identify as a threat. When our cortisol levels are good, we feel mentally strong, clear and motivated. But if they are low, we tend to feel confused, apathetic and tired.
Regulating stress is important and often not easy. In a healthy body, the stress response takes place, after which the relaxation response takes over. However, if our stress response is activated too often, it will be more difficult to shut it down, whereupon the risk of imbalances increases. When the stress is persistent and the desire to relax does not come, we become ill.
Stress is the way the body tries to solve a problem. However, when the situation recurs, it can cause diseases such as diabetes, depression, insulin resistance, hypertension and autoimmune diseases. Our body’s response to stress has a protective and adaptable nature.
With that said, the response to chronic stress produces a biochemical imbalance that actually weakens the immune system.
Research has shown that recurring or very intense stress is a factor that contributes to the development of somatization. It is a consequence of adapting poorly to change. There are many psychosomatic illnesses that are produced, triggered or exacerbated by stress.
When the acute stress is continuous, ulcers can form in different parts of the digestive system, as well as cardiovascular problems. People with high risk factors can actually suffer a heart attack. These diseases tend to move quietly and cause somatization in different parts of the body depending on the circumstances of the affected person.
Social support and oxytocin interact in the body to attenuate the subjective response to psychosocial stress. Therefore , support from friends and family can be one of the most powerful ways to protect yourself from stress-related illnesses, such as those listed above.
Biological psychology research at the University of Freiburg in Germany, led by Markus Heinrichs, actually showed for the first time in humans that the hormone oxytocin plays a key role in controlling both stress and the stress-inducing effect. Oxytocin also plays a significant role in our social behavior (stress modulating factor).
It may be difficult to control the amount of cortisol in the blood, but there are certain factors that can be more easily influenced. We are talking about having a good social support network (people you can trust and who can really trust you) or reducing the consumption of certain substances. These include alcohol and tobacco, which can increase cortisol levels indirectly.
A healthy, balanced diet also helps reduce the levels of this hormone as reduced calorie intake can increase cortisol levels. Furthermore, a study at Ohio University concluded that the inclusion of relaxing and meditative activities can reduce the risk of chronic stress.
According to this study, the difference between those who meditate and those who do not is that if a thought occurs in a “meditative mind”, the thought is a witness. Otherwise, it is the thought that governs and we who are the witness.
