Gaining weight, especially in the face and stomach area, is a common symptom of excess cortisol – the main stress hormone – in your body.
The so-called stress hormones start to be secreted when our body is exposed to stress.
In stressful situations, our body looks for a way to protect itself, so the function of these hormones is to make it possible.
They speed up the heart rate, mobilize energy sources in case we need to fight or flee, and generally prepare the body to deal with a potentially dangerous situation.
The main stress hormone in our body is cortisol.
Although we associate it with stress, cortisol also has other important functions in our body, including controlling inflammation in the body, regulating blood pressure, and controlling the sleep cycle.
This means that cortisol is important for our body, but it can cause problems if it is present in very large amounts.
Although the increased secretion of cortisol and other stress hormones is normal in dangerous situations, a stressful lifestyle makes our body secrete cortisol even when it is not needed.
So how do you know if you have too many stress hormones in your body and what to do about it?
Signs that your body has a lot of stress hormones:
Changes in weight, most commonly weight gain
If you haven't made any changes to your diet and physical activity, but you've still gained a few pounds, it's quite possible that you have a lot of cortisol in your body.
Most often, obesity occurs in the area of the face and abdomen. You can also notice the appearance of stretch marks on the stomach.
Occurrence of acne
Increased levels of stress hormones can increase the secretion of facial oils. This, in turn, often causes acne.
Appearance of bruises
If there is too much cortisol in your body for a long period of time, a disorder can occur that affects the skin and makes it easy to bruise
Irregular periods
Stress hormones can also affect the reproductive system.
Because of this, you may notice irregular periods, and in some cases complete cessation of menstruation.
Increased appetite Many people crave junk food when they are under stress. This is also known as "emotional eating" and is an attempt to deal with negative emotions with food. Over time, if stress is not regulated, this can lead to weight gain.
Sleep problems
We have already mentioned that stress hormones have an impact on our sleep.
If there are large amounts of them, they can be the cause of various sleep problems.
Problems with the digestive system
You have probably noticed yourself that when you are under stress, you have problems with the digestion of food.
High blood pressure
Although it is not yet known how, experts have determined that cortisol plays a role in regulating blood pressure.
Because of this, if it is present in large amounts, it can increase blood pressure.
If you have very high cortisol levels that are not just from stress, then you may need to receive therapy. In this case you will feel very pronounced symptoms and you will need to consult a doctor. In milder cases, some lifestyle changes are enough to regulate the level of stress, and thus the level of stress hormones in the body.
Get enough sleep
Poor quality sleep is linked to high cortisol levels, so getting at least seven hours of sleep a night can help.
Exercise
Numerous studies have shown that regular physical activity improves sleep, reduces stress, and thus reduces the level of stress hormones.
Be aware of your thoughts
Sometimes something stressful doesn't have to happen, but it is enough for you to fall into your negative thoughts to create a stressful situation for yourself.
To avoid this, be aware of your thoughts and don't let the negative take over.
Meditate and do breathing exercises
Meditation is a great way to calm your mind and thereby reduce stress.
Breathing exercises have a similar effect.
Have a laugh
Laughter stimulates the release of endorphins and suppresses the release of cortisol and other stress hormones.
Well, watch comedies, find time for fun activities, hang out with loved ones…
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