What is Cortisol? How High Stress Hormone Levels Wreck Havoc On Your Mental & Physical Health

Stress is a feeling most everyone experiences from time to time. In order to cope with these moments, days, months, years when they occur, the body responds by releasing a hormone called cortisol. But when the body’s fight-or-flight response, also called the acute stress response , kicks into over-drive, cortisol levels rise, causing powerful effects on both your body and, potentially, your mental health. What is cortisol and what does it do? According to the definition offered by the Hormone Health Network , "Cortisol is often called the ‘stress hormone’ because of its connection to the stress response, however, cortisol is much more than just a hormone released during stress …" "Cortisol is one of the steroid hormones and is made in the adrenal glands … Because most bodily cells have cortisol receptors, it affects many different functions in the body. Cortisol can help control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, help reduce inflammation, and assist with memory formulation. It has a controlling effect on salt and water balance and helps control blood pressure. In women, cortisol also supports the developing fetus during pregnancy. All of these functions make cortisol a crucial hormone to protect overall health and well-being." Put more simply, it’s what gives us the surge for getting through short-term or long-term, even chronic stress. RELATED: 4 Ways To Naturally Increase Your Energy Levels When You’re Exhausted All. The. Time. Cortisol levels rise and fall along with what we think, believe, feel, and do in the course of our daily lives. How high or low your stress level (and therefore your cortisol as well) is at any given time determines how you’ll react to perceived threats and stressors as they arise. Will you reply to a Facebook thread by delivering a humanitarian message, or by posting an angry […]

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