All articles tagged with #cortisol
Researchers suggest placing a hand on the heart for 20 seconds can lower cortisol and reduce stress. Meanwhile, wellness experts are promoting 'micro-habits' and 'micro-rests'—brief pauses of under one minute—to interrupt anxiety and improve mental health without requiring lengthy routines.
A Rush University study of 3,895 older adults (avg age ~76.7) found irregular and higher diurnal cortisol patterns in saliva were associated with faster cognitive decline over up to 11 years. Black participants showed lower overall cortisol and a flatter daily pattern than Whites, but cortisol-associated decline was similar across groups. Cortisol may be a biomarker for cognitive aging, though more long-term research is needed and it did not predict Alzheimer’s disease in this follow-up period.
A TODAY Expert Tip with Dr. Natalie Azar explains that while high cortisol is uncommon, managing stress is beneficial. She outlines four evidence-informed approaches to keep cortisol in check: mindfulness or meditation, breathing/relaxation techniques, regular moderate aerobic activity, and HIIT together with resistance or endurance training. Adopting these can support better sleep, blood pressure, and mood.
Cleveland Clinic experts warn that chronic stress releases cortisol, which can damage brain neurons and impair memory and concentration, leading to brain fog. Fortunately, regular exercise, a healthy diet, consistent sleep, meditation, and reducing alcohol intake may slow these brain changes, and a healthcare provider can offer additional strategies if stress feels overwhelming.
A randomized controlled trial in adults with major depression and active suicidal ideation found that a single subanesthetic ketamine infusion increased waking morning cortisol 24 hours post-treatment (not seen with midazolam). This cortisol rise coincided with ketamine’s peak anti-suicidal effects, though the correlation with symptom improvement was modest and not consistently significant. The findings suggest cortisol changes may be involved in ketamine’s action on the stress-response system, but more research with more comprehensive sampling and sleep monitoring is needed to establish causality and clinical relevance.
A TODAY expert tip notes that menopause-related weight gain often stems from hormonal shifts and cortisol spikes from high-intensity workouts. To improve weight loss, reduce HIIT-style sessions (like HIIT, spin, and intense cardio) and prioritize restorative movement—such as walking, low‑impact strength training, Pilates, and yoga—and ensure adequate rest and sleep. Building consistent, lower‑stress exercise before menopause can help keep cortisol in check and support fat loss, especially around the abdomen.
A study of 39 frequent cannabis users and 43 controls found that regular users have higher cortisol upon waking, while their cortisol awakening response (CAR) rise over 30 minutes is similar to non-users; this may signal a neurobiological marker of problematic cannabis use, but the snapshot design cannot establish causation and further longitudinal research is needed amid rising cannabis availability.
Even though a morning cortisol spike is normal, chronic activation can cause fatigue, irritability, and inflammation; the piece suggests personalized, low-stress morning habits—delay first coffee (or swap with tea/matcha), eat a protein-rich breakfast after waking, skip phone use in bed, connect with nature, and practice slow breathing or a simple ritual—to calm the nervous system and steady cortisol throughout the day.
Cortisol is essential for waking, metabolism, and stress, but “high cortisol” in online wellness trends is usually not a problem to fix—true high cortisol (Cushing’s syndrome) is rare and requires medical evaluation. A doctor can help interpret symptoms and rule out the syndrome. For common concerns, focus on stress management and overall well-being: identify worrying symptoms, adopt journaling or a stress-reducing hobby, and try enjoyable activities (like art, puzzles, baking, dancing, or reading). Signs like facial bloating or poor sleep often stem from diet, sleep hygiene, or lifestyle factors rather than a cortisol crisis, though persistent symptoms should be discussed with a healthcare provider to prevent complications such as diabetes or hypertension.
Weight gain isn’t only about overeating. Stress raises cortisol, increasing appetite and fat storage; insufficient sleep disrupts ghrelin and leptin, boosting hunger and reducing activity; hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism, PCOS, insulin resistance, and menopause can lower metabolic rate and complicate weight management. The piece emphasizes biology alongside lifestyle in obesity and notes options like GLP-1 agonists and metabolic/bariatric surgery, advising medical evaluation for unexplained weight gain.
A Tom’s Guide feature by sleep editor Nicola Appleton explains that staying up late and dozing off in front of the TV can blunt your body’s sleep cues, trigger wakeful hormones like cortisol, and lead to 3 a.m. wake-ups. Citing Dr. Joshua Roland and Dr. Matthew Walker, the piece highlights how ignoring natural sleep signals reduces sleep pressure and raises cortisol, especially when combined with evening screen time, light exposure, and late caffeine. It lists three common habits—working late, afternoon caffeine, and falling asleep in front of the TV (a habit an estimated 61% of people share)—that disrupt sleep, and it offers science-based tips to reset your nightly routine and sleep through the night.
Harvard researchers show cortisol triggers astrocytes to initiate a 100-gene program that hardens the extracellular matrix around neurons with perineuronal nets, closing critical periods of brain plasticity; blocking glucocorticoid receptors can reopen plasticity in adults, and the same pathway appears in humans, with implications for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Doctors say the online cortisol scare is largely hype: cortisol is a normal, useful hormone with small, natural spikes; extreme claims and ads promising quick fixes lack solid evidence. Rare conditions like Cushing’s or Addison’s exist, but most people don’t have dangerous imbalances. Focus on stress management and consult a clinician rather than chasing supplements or TikTok guidance.
Chronic stress triggers the body’s fight‑or‑flight response with adrenaline and cortisol, boosting energy in the moment but diverting resources from digestion, repair and immunity when it’s constant. This can raise infection risk, obesity, depression and may influence neurodegenerative processes; individual tolerance varies with life experience and resilience. For acute stress, slow, regulated breathing and regular exercise can dampen the response, while chronic stress may require therapies like CBT or mindfulness plus lifestyle changes and social support. If stress is persistent, seek help and reduce unnecessary stressors (e.g., social media, unsolvable conflicts).
A Frontiers study shows that exposure to infrasound around 18 Hz—below the hearing range—can raise saliva cortisol and increase irritability even when people can’t consciously detect the sound, suggesting that low-frequency vibrations from ventilation or basements could contribute to “haunted” feelings. The effects occurred with brief exposure and were not linked to belief about the sound, but the researchers caution that larger, more diverse studies are needed to understand health impacts and implications for building design and noise regulations.