Cortisol is a hormone, also known as a stress hormone, produced by and released from your adrenal glands. It has many functions in the human body. According to the National Institutes of Health, some of them are stress response, regulating metabolism, the inflammatory response, and immune function.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, too high or even too low levels of cortisol can cause several issues in the body. Mostly, high cortisol is caused by chronic stress. But how can you guess if you should be concerned about your cortisol levels?
6 signs of high cortisol
Wellness coach Rachel Sanders, in an Instagram post shared on June 17, highlighted 6 signs of high cortisol levels, which she ignored for way too long, but were concerning. See the post here.
Sharing the symptoms, Rachel wrote, “This was wild to realise…Looking back, I thought I was just tired, or normal motherhood, or not doing enough. But the truth? My stress hormone (cortisol) was totally out of whack. I thought I was just ‘bad at handling stress.’”
She added, “But it was actually a hormonal imbalance. The good news? There are simple ways to start supporting your cortisol naturally, and I can help you. These are the shifts that helped me lose 52 lbs (approximately 24 kg), sleep better, and have more energy than I did pre-kids.”
Here are the 6 signs that helped Rachel realise she had high cortisol and the measures she took to manage them:
1. No appetite in the morning
Cortisol is supposed to be the highest in the morning, so no appetite can mean chronic stress is disrupting your hunger signals, according to Rachel. “Get morning light, don’t skip meals, and eat a high-protein breakfast,” she suggested.
2. Stubborn belly fat
According to the coach, high cortisol makes it difficult for your body to drop fat, especially around the belly. Her advice is to strength train 3x per week, prioritise protein, walk daily, and take adaptogens to balance cortisol and build lean muscle.
3. Puffy face/inflammation
“Chronic high cortisol can impair lymphatic drainage, increase water retention, and drive inflammation. Focus on sleep and anti-inflammatory foods, and reduce alcohol and ultra-processed foods,” the wellness coach recommended.
4. Waking up at 3 am
Another sign of high cortisol, according to Rachel, is spikes or blood sugar crashes disrupting deep sleep. She recommends trying a bedtime snack with protein and carbs to stabilise blood sugar and focus on daily stress relief.
5. Constant sugar/salt cravings
Another sign of high cortisol is that your body craves quick fuel (sugar) and minerals (salt) to cope with stress and cortisol spikes. To deal with this, she suggests: “Support your adrenals with real food, electrolytes, and minerals like magnesium and potassium.”
6. Easily overstimulated
Lastly, emotional reactivity is also a sign of high cortisol levels. The coach explains, “You feel ‘on edge’ because cortisol is keeping your nervous system in fight-or-flight. Stress reduction rituals like deep breathing, walking outside, and nervous system resets can help.”
