Cortisol, a hormone essential to various biological processes, is often misunderstood and associated with stress. However, it plays a vital role in blood-sugar regulation, modulating inflammation, maintaining immune responses, and metabolizing fat, protein, and carbohydrate. Hannah Alderson, a nutritionist, hormone specialist, and author of Everything I Know About Hormones, explains that cortisol is the hormone that gets us out of bed, promoting cognitive function and preparing us for the day ahead.
Research published earlier this year confirmed that cortisol is already increasing from its lowest point about three hours before you wake up, suggesting that rising cortisol levels are part of what gets us ready for the day. A large proportion of genes in your body are sensitive to cortisol, and cortisol has a daily rhythm that regulates multiple genes in multiple tissues, including the brain, liver, and immune system. As part of this process, cortisol levels gradually decline throughout the day, with periodic bursts approximately every 90 minutes helping to maintain proper bodily function.
To keep cortisol well regulated, getting plenty of sleep and getting up relatively early seems to be very good for you. There’s increasing evidence that night-time light exposure inhibits your melatonin secretion, which liberates cortisol and allows it to rise while you sleep. However, getting enough sleep and on a regular schedule might be more important. Physical exercise seems to keep cortisol well regulated, but if you can’t face the gym, gentle exercise like walking, stretching, or pilates can regulate cortisol far better than an hour-long Hiit class on an empty stomach.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that cortisol is on your side, and your body’s stress response to most things should be good for you. Try to get some exercise every day, sleep on a regular schedule, and eat as sensibly as you can. Don’t worry about the other stuff; you really don’t need the stress.
