Oh, relaxation, that elusive activity that is often talked about and rarely achieved in today’s world. We all know we have too much stress and need to reduce it, but the execution is so elusive! Most of us probably know that our cortisol levels may be off, but fixing this takes more that just a spa day or some deep breathing.

The good (or bad) news is that even if we wanted to “relax” and schedule time for that purpose (scheduled relaxation?) we might not be able to actually relax, at least not in the strictly physical sense. True relaxation goes much deeper than the dishes getting done and no children crying.

I learned this lesson the hard way when for years I tried to “power through” the tough newborn years. Over time, my cortisol levels became elevated at the wrong time of day and I suffered the consequences for years. Here’s what I wish I’d known…

What Is Cortisol?

Many of us now understand that cortisol has ties to stress levels, aging, and belly fat. But, what is cortisol and how is it related to your health?

Cortisol is an adrenal hormone that manages your body’s daily rhythm. Think of it as your built-in coffee pot. You wake up in the morning because your adrenals just made a fresh batch of it. You fall asleep at night because they shut it off.

Besides just being awake or asleep, you’d be amazed at how much of the body is run on a 24-hour schedule. Regulation of fat, digestion, immunity, blood sugar regulation, hunger, mental focus, and upkeep on your skin, hair, and nails all are controlled by the rhythm of cortisol.

How Modern Life Alters Cortisol Levels

Before our modern way of life, we had lots of cues that kept our cortisol rhythms in sync. The most powerful were the bright bluish light of dawn and the orange light of sunset. Feeling cold at night was another cue as was having a larger meal in the evening. Today we have many fewer cues to correct our cortisol rhythm and many new factors that throw it off. These include:

  • sugars, especially fructose
  • emotional stressors
  • pollutants, including lead and plastic compounds
  • medications
  • insomnia
  • shift work
  • noise pollution

The Cortisol-Stress Connection

The good and the bad news is that cortisol is tied to many things besides just what we think of as mental stress. In today’s world, our bodies feel stress from all those sources in our environment and addressing them can help not just reduce the feeling of stress but improve our cortisol rhythms.

Research also shows poor cortisol rhythms may be contributing to some of the biggest health problems of our time. In fact, one study of British civil servants showed that bad cortisol rhythms killed more people than smoking, heart disease, diabetes, or obesity.

Never assume that sleep or stress levels are minor factors for health!

Symptoms of Cortisol Imbalance

  • sluggish in the morning (even with sufficient sleep)
  • tendency to want to sleep late
  • headaches
  • strong food cravings (especially for sugar and carbs, especially mid-morning and mid-afternoon)
  • low sex drive
  • weight gain around the abdomen
  • acne
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • increased energy after 6 p.m.

Of course these probably sound familiar and could overlap with other health issues, so if you want to know for sure, see a practitioner or get lab testing to confirm.

How I Improved My Cortisol Levels

The stress of life may be unavoidable, but bad cortisol patterns are not! When I first tested my cortisol patterns were exactly opposite of where they should be. My cortisol was low in the morning when it should be high, and high at night when it should naturally drop.

Steps as simple as timing my food strategically and being intentional with light exposure made a tremendous difference for me, and now my cortisol patterns are normal, my sleep is better, and I feel much less stressed, even though I’m still doing as much as I was (or more).

Food to Improve Cortisol Patterns

The body uses cortisol to rescue us from low blood sugar. This makes carbs a tool we can use to help regulate cortisol.

My doctor recommended that I start my day with 25-35 grams of protein and finish it with 20-50 grams of high-quality carbs from natural sources. Great options include paleo-friendly sources like sweet potatoes (yams), squash, beets, and rutabagas. Having them later in the day helps not only cortisol but a whole host of weight-regulating hormones like leptin, ghrelin, and adiponectin.

On a practical level, this means that breakfast for me is protein+ veggies and dinner is protein + healthy carbs like sweet potatoes or squash. I just choose high protein sources for breakfast and lunch like, chicken, or lamb and make sure I get the healthy carbs at night. I essentially do the lunch plan at breakfast, the dinner plan at lunch, and the breakfast plan at dinner).

Addressing Environmental Stressors

Over time, I also addressed some of the other factors my body viewed as stress. These included environmental toxins, my sleep patterns, exercise, and my inability to say no. I found that light and food cycling were the critical factors for me, but these other changes helped me see continued improvement after I’d addressed the core problems with light and food.

Making Sleep a Priority

This is one of the most important steps in stress reduction, and the one we are worst at. Historically, the body is used to sleeping when it is dark and being awake when it is light. When we stay awake long after the sun has set and don’t get enough cumulative sleep, we interrupt the body’s natural time for restoration and removal of toxins. The optimal time for regeneration during sleep is roughly between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Many people don’t sleep during part or all of this time, causing a backup of toxins and hormones in the body.

The body also has a delicate balance of hormones and depends on serotonin and melatonin to regulate good sleep and alertness during the day. Lack of sleep or interrupted sleep can disrupt the balance of these hormones, making you groggy during the day and restless at night. Poor sleep can also (logically) lead to fatigue, brain fog, memory troubles, and additional stress on the body.

Things like earthing and using magnesium can help improve sleep quality and reduce stress while you sleep. I’ve also found that when I do have to work at night on the computer, using blue-blocking orange sunglasses can help keep proper melatonin levels and cortisol patterns. (See recommendations at the end of this post.)

But at the end of the day, we have to learn to prioritize sleep.

Learning to Say No

Many of us have a commitment list as long as our arms, and the stress level to prove it. It is wonderful to help out whenever we can, but make sure you make yourself a priority and realistically evaluate what you can handle while keeping stress low and quality family time high. (Confession: I am really bad at this step myself!)

Adrenal-Safe Exercise

Oddly enough, exercise is a type of stress. It can be really helpful in reducing stress in the body but it serves us best when it is challenging but not overwhelming. The biggest factors determining if it is good or bad include: how stable our adrenals are and how much exercise we are already used to.

The most adrenal-friendly types of exercise are light exercises like stretching and pilates. Walking and swimming would also be good options. The least adrenal-friendly activities include triathlon training or back-to-back days of high-intensity interval training.

Up the Antioxidant-Rich Foods

Antioxidants can help counteract the damage done by free radicals and stress hormones in the body. I made a conscious effort to up my antioxidant consumption from real food sources. This meant lots of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, but also natural sources of vitamin C and other antioxidants.

During my food/light experiment, I also noticed I felt better when supplementing with vitamin C.

Learning to Actually “Relax”

Many people are too tired after an exhausting day to engage their minds and prefer to “relax” by watching TV or some other form of electronic distraction. There are some theories about the sleep-disturbing ability of the blue light emitted by these electronics, but whether you believe them or not, all that time spent watching TV is time that our minds are actively disengaged. Studies repeatedly show that people who actively use their minds in activities like reading, puzzles, or learning languages/new hobbies are happier and less stressed.

Consider using your valuable time for an activity that improves your mind and reduces stress.

On the flip side of this coin, most people also don’t turn their minds off enough. Let your “relax” mean “relax” and don’t relax by watching TV or doing another activity that causes activity without engaging the mind. Take time to pray or meditate and try to focus on the positive aspects of your life and the things you are grateful for.

Bottom Line: Start Balancing Cortisol Today!

All in all, relaxation is easier said than done. Heck, I just gave you my own to-do list I had to use to learn to relax! But focusing on cortisol levels is a great way to reduce the physical impact of stress hormones on the body and improve sleep.

Here’s a quick recap of the steps you can take starting today, without spending a dime:

Start your day with:

  1. Bright light/sunlight in the morning
  2. Have high protein in the morning

Finish your day with:

  1. Limited light in the evening (no screens and dim the lights after 7 p.m., for example)
  2. Healthy carbs with dinner

Tools & Supplements That Help Reduce Cortisol:

If you think you need more help in addition to the above changes, these resources helped me: