9 Ways to Lower Cortisol and Reduce Stress as a Women

Lose weight, balance hormones, and decrease stress by managing your cortisol

If you haven’t been sleeping well or have noticed yourself putting on a bit of weight because of stress, this might be a sign that your cortisol levels are too high. Along with these unpleasant side effects, too much of this stress hormone can take a serious toll on your physical and mental health. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do in your daily life to manage this stress. Keep reading to learn about some steps you can take to keep your cortisol levels under control and start living a more stress-free life.

Things You Should Know

  • Eat a healthy diet that consists of a good balance of fish, fruits, vegetables, poultry, and whole grains.
  • Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night and maintain a consistent sleep schedule to make sure you’re getting enough quality rest.
  • Exercise regularly and practice relaxation techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing.
1

Eat a balanced and nutritious diet.

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    Instead, follow a diet that consists of lots of fruits and vegetables, a moderate amount of fish, poultry, and whole grains, such as the Mediterranean diet. [1] Following such a diet can also help you lose weight. Some other foods to incorporate into your diet include: [2]
    • Foods high in Vitamin B : beef, chicken, eggs, fortified cereals, nutritional yeasts
    • Foods with lots of omega-3 fatty acids : avocados, anchovies, salmon, tuna, walnuts, flax seeds
    • Magnesium-rich foods : avocados, bananas, broccoli, dark chocolate, spinach
    • Protein-packed foods : almonds, chicken breast, eggs, lean beef, lentils, quinoa, tuna
    • Gut-healthy foods : kimchi, Greek yogurt, kombucha, sauerkraut
    • Vitamin B can help if you're craving sugar in the middle of the afternoon. Taking vitamin B supplements (especially as a sublingual liquid) can help give you more energy and concentration, which helps make the sugar cravings go away.
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2

Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption.

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    Caffeine has also been shown to affect a person’s cravings for food, which might result in them snacking more throughout the day or eating bigger meals. This can lead to weight gain. [3] Alcohol has also been shown to elevate cortisol levels.
    • Slowly phase caffeine out of your diet over a few weeks and be sure to drink a lot of water so that you stay hydrated.
    • Get in more exercise and time outside to increase your energy as you work to reduce or completely quit caffeine.
    • For women, it’s recommended that they have 1 drink or less on days when they decide to have alcohol. [4]
    • If you’re trying to limit your alcohol intake, set limits for how often you’ll drink during the week, and be sure to count how many drinks you consume.
3

Eat regular meals throughout the day.

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    You're keeping your blood sugar level balanced when you eat consistently. When your blood sugar level is low, you’re putting stress on your body and once again increasing cortisol levels. Don’t skip meals and eat every 3 to 5 hours. [5]
    • Meal planning can be a big help! Make your meals earlier in the week to save yourself the time and stress later on. That can be a great way to help you stay calm and not feel like making food is a chore.
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4

Take herbal supplements.

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    Such supplements aren’t a magic cure for high cortisol, but they may help reduce cortisol levels naturally alongside a balanced and nutritious diet. Research suggests that the herbs ashwagandha, Rhodiola, lemon balm, and chamomile may help in lowering stress, anxiety, and cortisol. [6]
    • Ingesting these herbs in tea form, such as chamomile or lemon balm, is a relatively safe option. However, if you’re looking to take these as supplements, talk to your doctor first.
5

Get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.

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    When you’re asleep, your body is repairing itself, replenishing its supply of energy, and getting rid of toxic waste in your brain. Not getting enough sleep puts you at risk for higher cortisol levels, and you’ll be left feeling fatigued and low on energy. [7] The amount of sleep you should get each night varies by age, but it should always be at least 7 hours. [8]
    • 13-18 years old: 8-10 hours of sleep per 24 hours
    • 18-60 years old: 7 or more hours per night
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6

Do aerobic exercises.

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    Doing aerobic exercises reduces stress and cortisol. Aerobic exercises get your heart pumping and increase your breathing rate. Things like running, biking, dancing, and stair-climbing are all things that count as aerobic exercise. Such exercise has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, and staying active is a great way to keep your energy levels up and lose weight. [9]
    • Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking), or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (such as running). [10]
7

Practice breathing exercises.

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    Aerobic exercise is great for combating physical stress, but what about mental stress and anxiety? One way to help your body relax and loosen up is by practicing deep breathing. Breathe in slowly and deeply, pushing your stomach out so your diaphragm is fully expanded. Hold your breath for a few seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat this sequence 5 to 10 times and focus solely on your breathing. [11]
    • Doing yoga that incorporates deep breathing exercises or meditation is great for stretching out any tension in your body as well as helping you to relax.
    • Use guided meditation videos or podcasts to help you get used to the process of deep breathing and meditating.
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8

Try progressive muscle relaxation.

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    Doing progressive muscle relaxation gets rid of tension and stress. When you’re feeling stressed, your muscles can also become stressed and tense up. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that forces you to focus on each major muscle group and consciously tense and relax them until you’re left feeling loose and less stressed. Starting from your forehead and working all the way down to your toes, tighten each muscle for 20 seconds, then release the tension and relax. The progression goes as follows: [12]
    • Wrinkle your forehead and arch your eyebrows. Hold; then relax.
    • Close your eyes tightly. Hold; then relax.
    • Wrinkle your nose and flare your nostrils. Hold; then relax.
    • Push your tongue firmly against the roof of your mouth. Hold; then relax.
    • Pull your face into a grimace. Hold; then relax.
    • Clench your jaws tightly. Hold; then relax.
    • Tense your neck by pulling your chin down to your chest. Hold; then relax.
    • Arch your back. Hold; then relax.
    • Breathe in as deeply as you can to expand your chest. Hold; then relax.
    • Tense your stomach muscles. Hold; then relax.
    • Tense your buttocks and thigh muscles. Hold; then relax.
    • Tense your biceps. Hold; then relax.
    • Tense your arms and clench your fists. Hold; then relax.
    • Press your feet down into the floor. Hold; then relax.
    • Pull your toes up. Hold; then relax.
9

Spend some time outside.

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    Take a walk around the block during your lunch break, read while sitting outside, or set aside some time to go for a longer hike or run. Just breathing in the fresh air can help to lower your cortisol levels. [13]
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10

Keep a journal.

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    Writing in a journal lets you sort through your thoughts and feelings. Keep it simple and write about how your day went, or spend a bit more time working through your more complex thoughts. Write down things you’re grateful for, or make a list of good things that happened that day. How you decide to use your journal depends on your own personal methods for dealing with stress. [14]

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      Tips

      • Cortisol is the hormone your body secretes when you’re faced with a stressful situation. Therefore, when you’re feeling stressed, your cortisol levels rise. [15]
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      • When you have too much cortisol in your system, you might gain weight (especially around your abdomen and face), have more acne, and experience irregular menstrual periods. [16]
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      • Since stress and cortisol are so closely linked, reducing stress is a big part of lowering cortisol levels.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16037-mediterranean-diet
      2. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/eat-these-foods-to-reduce-stress-and-anxiety/
      3. ↑ https://www.obesityaction.org/resources/upper-limits-the-value-of-caffeine-in-weight-loss/
      4. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/moderate-alcohol-use.html
      5. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/eat-these-foods-to-reduce-stress-and-anxiety/
      6. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-reduce-cortisol-and-turn-down-the-dial-on-stress/
      7. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9415946/
      8. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/features/getting-enough-sleep.html
      9. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax
      1. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/about/index.html
      2. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax
      3. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax
      4. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-reduce-cortisol-and-turn-down-the-dial-on-stress/
      5. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037
      6. ↑ https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/the-role-of-cortisol-in-the-body
      7. ↑ https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/the-role-of-cortisol-in-the-body

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