10 Lifestyle Habits That May Be Keeping Your Cortisol High (And What to Do Instead)

Have You Ever Felt Like Your Body Is Asking for a Break—But Life Won't Let You?

It wasn't one dramatic moment in your life that made you stop and think. They are the little things. The second cup of your coffee before 10 a.m. because you still feel exhausted. The lunch you promised yourself you’ll eat get replace with "I'll eat later." The late-night scrolling that somehow turn your 15 minutes into an hour.

The strange feeling of being tired all day but unable to fully relax at night. For a long time, you assume this simply what adulthood look like. People are niched with their chores and hurrying from jobs to duties, thus neglecting the signals sent by their bodies.

In fact, our body is not oblivious, as it records every meal missed, sleep sacrificed, stress endured and times when we convinced ourselves we are okay while we are clearly not. One of the hormones that help us cope with daily challenges is Cortisol; while important for waking us up in the morning, helping us react to stress and regulating body processes.

It helps us living in a mode of survival, can change the way this hormone functions in the long run. There are several lifestyle habits that increase cortisol levels while not being looked at as like harmful practices; they usually hide behind being busy, striving for success and being efficient.

Cortisol Isn't the Villain Social Media Makes It Out to Be

If you’ve been around online forums or articles before, you have definitely read some dramatic headlines that associate cortisol with various health issues ranging from excess fat accumulation and poor sleep quality to constant tiredness. They connected it to more issues than you ever know.

Cortisol is a hormone that your adrenal glands make. It helps with things that your bodies need. For example; Cortisol affects how you sleep and wake up, how your body uses food and your blood pressure. These are all important for your life. So to get cortisol right we need to control its levels just. 1

When it’s released. That’s the key, to managing cortisol. Healthy levels and proper timing are the key to keeping cortisol on your side. The issue here is not with the hormone itself, but with those lifestyle habits that increase cortisol and make your body’s stress response system work too frequently.

Sometimes It's Not One Big Stress—It's Hundreds of Tiny Ones

Imagine carrying a handbag. One book inside does not feel heavy. Your phone, a water bottle, your keys or a notebook do not feel heavy either. After a few hours of carrying all these things your shoulder starts to hurt. Life works in a way. One night probably will not hurt your health.

One missed breakfast is not a deal. One stressful meeting or unhealthy relationship is not the end of the world. However when these moments keep happening day after day they can create a pattern that your body has to adjust to.

Your body does not usually change suddenly. It often shows signs through changes that are easy to ignore. You might see:

You're Always Tired—Even After a Full Night's Sleep

You wake up. You feel really tired. It feels like your day is already exhausting you and it has not even started yet. While lots of health problems can make you feel tired, when you are stressed all the time and you do not rest well, sleep does not leave you feeling refreshed. Fatigue is what you get from stress and poor recovery can make you feel less refreshed. 2

You Crave Quick Energy

By the middle of the afternoon sugary snacks or another cup of coffee seem hard to say no to. These cravings, for food do not mean you have failed at taking care of your body. They may simply be your body telling you that it needs food and rest on a basis.

Your Mind Never Truly Switches Off

Even when things are calm, your mind keeps thinking about all the things you have to do tomorrow. Many women say they feel tired but their brain just won't stop.
They feel like they are, in overdrive.

Small Things Feel Bigger Than They Used To

A small thing like a forgotten email can really get to you. It might be a traffic delay or something minor but suddenly it feels like a huge deal. When you’re stressed your body feels it. That's not all. It also changes how you feel about everyday situations. For example, a small problem at your work or home looks so big or overwhelming to you.

The Habits That Quietly Add to Your Body's Stress Load

Several habits that impact well-being do not seem unhealthy at first. Some even pretend to be "productive." Eating lunch at the desk. Checking emails first thing in the morning. Continuing to work, even when tired, because there is still work left.
Promising oneself to take rest on weekend every week.
These actions do not signal an excessively high level of cortisol, however, once they become common, they can create stress that is persistent. The goal of knowing these habits is not getting to be perfect but to find out the areas where your body may require assistance.

1. Treating Sleep Like It's Optional

"I will recover my sleep this weekend." That is something which we all have expressed so far. But sleep is not the same as a bank account. It is impossible for a human body to compensate exhaustion from weeks of poor sleep with just a long Sunday morning.

Scientific studies show that bad or irregular sleep can change the body’s reaction to stress and this is one of lifestyle habits that increase cortisol .Thus you are better off if you:

2. Skipping Meals Because Life Feels Too Busy

Breakfast is coffee for you. Lunch is something you will eat later. Dinner is whatever you can make quickly. Your body still needs food even when you’re very busy. When you do not eat for a time, you feel bad. You get annoyed, you get tired. you get very hungry later in the day. A better way to do things. You should make meals that're good for you. These meals should have:

• A high source of protein ( I create free guide of 12 high protein budget friendly vegetarian recipes for women, who are busy and never want to spent money on expensive protein powders or supplements. You can check out this! )
• Carbohydrates that are good for you and have a lot of fiber
• Fats that keep you feel and never give you energy crashes
• Fruits or vegetables that are colorful

Eating is not about food only, it is about eating food that is good for your body all the time. Nutrition is about nourishing your body so you will focus on breakfast, lunch and dinner and make sure nutrition is a part of all your meals.

3. Living on Caffeine Instead of Energy

Breakfast turns into a cup of coffee. Lunch gets pushed back to later. Dinner is whatever You can grab fast. The problem isn't coffee itself. For a lot of people a moderate amount of coffee can be okay. The trouble starts when caffeine takes the place of sleep, meals and rest.

If you can't start the day without coffee your body might be telling you that you need more than caffeine. Try having a glass of water eating some breakfast and spreading out your caffeine intake throughout the day instead of drinking it all, at once.

4. Wearing "Busy" Like a Badge of Honor

As time passed, feeling exhausted became the norm and even something that one boasts about. "I'm so busy.”
"I haven’t had any sleep.”
"I’m busy all day."
But the nervous system does not perceive busy time as true success. 3 A hectic schedule doesn’t leave room for your recovery. Spending just five minutes either breathing, stretching or going out can tell your body it’s all right to slow down.

5. Trying to Be Perfect at Everything

The ideal employee.
The ideal daughter.
The ideal friend.
The ideal healthy eater.

Perfectionism regularly creates pressure that nobody else sees. Many people of the female gender invest incredible amounts of energy in the quest for perfection.
This invisible emotional burden is important too.

Sometimes "good enough" works better than being perfect. As an example, you could ask yourself, "Am I justified in demanding perfection of others that I love?"
The answer would be no, in which case there can be no justification for demanding the same of yourself.

A Gentle Reminder Before We Continue

Reading about stress may cause certain people to think that they should change everything in their lives at once. This is not entirely true. Having just one more hour of sleep will be good. Eating just one healthy breakfast is enough.

Your mind slows down. Your body doesn't seek something perfect; instead, it follows patterns. Though a single activity may not alter your cortisol level, creating nourishing and restorative moments regularly may allow you to improve your overall stress level and health.

6. You're Constantly Connected but Rarely Present

• The ringing of your phone wakes you up.
• Your meal gets disturbed by a notification.
• You get a work message after dinner.
• Social media occupies every spare moment in your life.
• Although you may physically be at rest, your mind may still be very active.
• Therefore, you should always try to have at least one “screen-less” minute a day..
  This can be done as follows:
• The morning cup of coffee.
• A short walk for 15 minutes.
• Dinner with family.
• The last 30 minutes before going to bed.
• A short break gives some time for mental recovery.

7. Every Workout Feels Like a Competition

Movement is a gift, for your body but too much of it is not good. 4 If you exercise a lot every day without resting your body may not get time to recover. A good routine usually has:

• Strength training
• Walking
• Gentle Yoga
• A day of rest each week

Resting is not a sign that you're weak it is part of getting better with exercise. You need movement. Rest to make progress.

8. You Eat Quickly Without Really Eating

You might have encountered situations when you have wolfed down your entire meal, but you cannot recall the taste of it. Eating while engaging in some other activity such as driving or scrolling down through your social media feed can take away the joy of having food.

In these cases, it is advisable that you take your time while eating your meal and take note of the appearance and taste of the food. Enjoy the experience of eating by chewing your food slowly and savoring every bit of it. 5

9. Your Plate Is Missing the Basics

With the busy pace of life, one of the first things to be sacrificed is proper nutrition. We often trick ourselves into believing that we will start eating healthy the following day, however, the following day invariably turns out to be just like the previous one.

Our bodies don’t need perfection, but rather the nutrients to be able to function efficiently every day. While no food can make cortisol disappear and take the stress away, a properly balanced diet can help reduce your stress levels and maintain good vital activity throughout the day. 6

10. You Never Give Yourself Permission to Pause

While many women fill their calendars with meetings, appointments, gatherings and chores that cater to others' interests, they rarely pencil in some downtime. However, it is erroneous to associate rest with becoming too busy first.

Our bodies do not require only rest after getting tired from all the work, but also to help us meet our loved ones and accomplish our objectives. Therefore, we should remember that sometimes having a totally free schedule can be the healthiest thing.

I write a detailed guide for women which contains 30 lifestyle habits to add in your life to feel like yourself again. For women, who want to take care of themselves, but there are things that holding them back. You can check out this now!

Key Takeaway

It is not necessary for everything to change immediately. Often, it is the simple things done each day that have the most effect on your wellness. You can make yourself more resistant to stress and generally healthier through getting enough sleep and good nutrition, as well as having rest from time to time and not striving for perfection.

Progress does not lie in doing everything perfectly but in making choices that lead you to become better.

Found this helpful?
Before You go!
Save this article for later, share it with someone who could use it, and explore more practical women's nutrition and wellness tips on femglowhealth.