8 Natural Ways to Lower Cortisol Levels

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Cortisol is a hormone that helps regulate metabolism, controls blood sugar, influences memory formation, maintains blood pressure, and aids the immune system. However, it is also a key component in how your body deals with and responds to stress. Ongoing, high levels of the hormone can cause a variety of unpleasant health issues.

1. Sleeping
Sleep is a key fact in regulating cortisol. Sleep deprivation tends to increase the hormone. Insomnia causes extreme spiking that may last for 24 hours or more.

2. Control Stress
Stress increases cortisol dramatically. Controlling your stressful thoughts can help naturally lower the hormone and improve your overall quality of life. Everyone has stress, but everyone does not handle it the same. Often learning to control your thoughts, regulate your breathing, and relaxing your body all help reduce the often overwhelming feelings of stress.

3. Exercise
Exercise and cortisol control is a balancing game. Excessive exercise naturally increases the body’s production of cortisol. However, moderate exercise lowers the hormone. It is advised to start out slow and not push your body too much so it does not feel the need to amp up production. A short walk, a bit of cardio, yoga, biking, or some other physical activity that you enjoy but that does not push your body to its limits is ideal.

4. Relax
In today’s fast paced world, many people simply cannot relax. With work and family often a juggling act, there isn’t any time to focus on just kicking back and relaxingTake up a Hobby Such as Sewing, Painting or Drawing

5. Consider a Pet
A pet is often extremely therapeutic. Researchers for the Frontiers in Psychology for Clinical Settings found that owning a pet significantly reduced cortisol.

6. Stay Hydrated
Every cell in the human body benefits from water. Staying hydrated is an important health benefit. Hydration also naturally dwindles cortisol levels in the body and is especially important during exercise.

7. Fish OIL
Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids which take down cortisol in the body. In a study done by the Department of Biomedical Science and Public Health in Ancona, Italy found that omega-3 reduced cortisol. Eating a diet high in fish and taking a fish oil supplement will assist your body in achieving its fatty acid needs.

8. Meditation
Meditation means different things to different people. However, one of the simplest ways to meditate is simply to sit down in a chair, clear your mind of all stressful thoughts or ideas, focus on your breathing, and relax. Letting yourself meditate for as little as ten minutes per day can have a dramatic effect on not only your physical health but also on your overall outlook on life. It is also a great way to get in touch with your body, mind, and soul.

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