Cortisolcolloquially called “the stress hormone” is a hormone essential to many functions of the human body. Its regulation is therefore essential; too high or too low levels of cortisol can disrupt the proper functioning of the body. If you have noticed that your body is accumulating more abdominal fat than normal or that your face East puffythese may be the warning signs of excess cortisol.
The essential role of hormones
When you are faced with immediate danger, a hormone, the adrenaline, will accelerate the functioning of your body to make you more alert and faster. Its role is to release all your energies and instantly sharpen your senses. Dopamine, serotonin, endorphin and oxytocin, for their part, are the hormones of happiness; a disruption in their production can in fact lead to depressive states.
These hormones and their effects are among the best known, but they are not the only ones that are essential for the proper functioning of the body. Cortisol, ignored by the general public, is just as necessary. It regulates inflammation levels in your body and controls your blood pressure. It also provides balance regarding blood sugar levels. Additionally, cortisol will regulate your sleep and wake cycle.
Signs of excess cortisol
Essential for the proper functioning of the body, cortisol in excess can be harmful. However, there are symptoms that allow us to realize that stress is affecting our health. We know that stress leads to snacking, but if abdominal fat accumulates, it is not only due to these bad eating habits. When the body experiences stress, cortisol is released to help cope with the situation. This leads to a glucose release stored which turns into fat and is deposited directly around the abdomen.
Excess cortisol therefore affects the digestive system. One of the functions of this hormone is to regulate the absorption of salt and minerals. In frequent stressful situations, there is an increase in salt levels which encourages the body to retain more water than necessary. Furthermore, a reduction in blood flow to the digestive system affects the functioning of the intestines, thus leading to bacterial imbalances in the intestinal flora.
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Multiple symptoms
Waking up exhausted after a bad night is a natural phenomenon. With everyday problems and stress, we don’t sleep soundly every night. But these nocturnal disturbances can also be one of the symptoms of hormonal excess. An unbalanced cortisol curve is characterized by levels that are too high at night. It’s what keeps you awake and restless, depriving you of restful sleep.
These disturbances in our nights even show up on our faces. Excess cortisol is doubly harmful and pushes the body to store additional fat and retain it on the sides of the body. face. Which can give it an appearance puffy. One of the other effects of cortisol is a slowing of immunity. The healing process of wounds or bruises is therefore slowed down, and the pain persists more than usual. Regulating your cortisol level is therefore essential.
