Your Cortisol Level May Be Stressing You Out

If you are depressed or have bipolar disorder, your body’s cortisol level may be to blame. One of the duties of this hormone is to help your body respond appropriately to stress. Your body’s level should be between 6 to 23 micrograms per deciliter in the morning and go down throughout the day. People diagnosed with depression or bipolar disease often have triple the normal levels. Therefore, they must take extra steps to help their body deal with stress.

Breathing Exercises

Taking a deep breath in through your nose and letting it out slowly through your mouth is something that you can do almost everywhere. Doing this simple exercise has lowered cortisol levels in some patients and may help you focus better.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Consider using a guided exercise to help you tighten one group of muscles at a time before letting them relax. Start at your head and work down your body until you reach your feet. Many people find this technique particularly useful right before bedtime as it helps them release daily stress, helping to ensure a great night’s sleep.

Exercise

Regularly exercising at least three days a week can also help lower cortisol levels, making you feel less stressed. While you should check with your doctor before beginning, the best forms of exercise usually get your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes.

Diet

Eating a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates can cause your cortisol levels to rise, making you feel more stressed. Try eating six evenly-spaced meals daily. On three of those meals, limit your carbohydrate intake to 18 grams, and on the other three, restrict your carbohydrate intake to 36 grams. Limiting the number of carbohydrates, you eat can help keep your insulin levels from spiking, which assists in keeping your cortisol levels stable.

If you have tried these steps and they are not enough to help you feel better, contact ABC. We will be happy to discuss a treatment plan to improve your well-being.