Cortisol Levels: Feeling Stressed? 8 Sneaky Signs of High Cortisol You Might Be Ignoring

glamour.com:

e are survival responses activated by our in threatening or stressful situations. When these responses are triggered, cortisol levels rise, causing the body to raise its heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, increase blood supply to the muscles, and enhance internal alert systems.

It’s similar to a feeling of panic.While technically a survival instinct, this “fight or flight” mode response can also happen in scenarios that aren’t actually life-threatening, such as while stuck in traffic or stressed at work.

That’s normal. But what isn’t is for those negative feelings to stay long term, as this can cause chronically heightened cortisol levels and potentially impact physical and mental health. (You may have heard of “,” for example.)“We need high levels of cortisol in stressful or dangerous situations, but those levels should return to normal once the situation has passed,” says , a specialist in endocrinology at HM Montepríncipe University Hospital and member of the Top Doctors Group. “However, if there is a recurring situation that produces cortisol continually, such as if a person is suffering consistent stress, this could cause ‘chronic’ high levels of cortisol, which can have terrible consequences for health.”Table of contents:Cortisol is a hormone produced by our adrenal glands, Dr.

Durrutia explains. “Its levels are at their highest between 7 and 8 a.m. and at their lowest at 11 p.m., marking a .”According to Dr.