Cortisol & Longevity: What You Need to Know Before Burning Out
Stress happens to all of us, but sustained levels can cause serious damage to your physical health.
Does Less Stress Mean Better Health?
S tress is a natural part of life. Sometimes the experience is short-lived, such as anxiety ahead of a major test or project. In other scenarios, the stress might last for a while, such as dealing with divorce. From a biological perspective, the sensation and strain is caused by an influx of cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. An increase in the hormone leads to actual physical changes that can be felt throughout the body. Temporary exposure isn’t harmful. However, if left unchecked, consistently high cortisol levels can have profound effects on physical health and reduce overall lifespan.
Cortisol isn't all bad
Most conversations about cortisol are negative, focusing on how excess stress harms the body. Yet when kept within healthy ranges, the hormone is responsible for a variety of vital functions. For example, cortisol helps reduce inflammation, regulate blood pressure, increase blood sugar when necessary, boosts energy, and even controls a person's sleep/wake cycle. However, based on the core tasks, people can easily understand that when available in excess, hormones can create problems.
When in excess
Like any substance, when too much cortisol is present in the body, the side effects will be felt. For example, people might experience weight gain, skin problems, weak muscles, especially in the upper arms and thighs, bone loss, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, headaches, frequent infections, and even be at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In terms of mental health, individuals may struggle with mood changes, insomnia, or even suffer from brain fog. Likewise, sexual dysfunction in men as well as irregular periods in women are possible. Left untreated, some people may experience a higher risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal problems, and other chronic diseases. In extreme cases, those diagnoses could shorten lifespans.
Managing stress is key
Completely eliminating cortisol to 0 is unrealistic and impossible, given the hormone's outsized role in regulating the body. However, focusing on controlling stress, which is most likely to cause spikes, is critical. In a perfect world, people would avoid triggers that would lead to sustained stress. Yet, sometimes this remedy isn't always available. For example, people experiencing hostile workplaces, or going through a divorce may not have the luxury of simply walking away from such rough experiences.
Find healthy outlets
Because avoiding stress isn't always realistic, learning to manage it is vital to protecting physical and mental health. Find healthy outlets such as engaging in physical activity, adopting a healthy diet, implementing meditation, seeking therapy, or even backing away from unhealthy habits like drinking alcohol or smoking, which can make a bad situation worse. If stress is beginning to manifest into any of the physical and emotional symptoms listed above, consider speaking with a physician to discuss a path forward to build positive coping skills and safeguard overall health.