Your body produces cortisol in response to stress. Cortisol, also called the stress hormone, increases during your body's "fight of flight" response, an automatic reaction to stressful situations. In most healthy people, the surge of cortisol stops, and the cortisol level lowers naturally. Repeated or ongoing stresses can result in a cortisol level that remains elevated, which can be harmful. As your body ages, the cortisol level take longer to return to normal; in some older people, the cortisol level remains high. A few healthy strategies may help you to reduce stress, resulting in lower cortisol levels.
Step 1
Meditate daily. The practice of clearing your mind and engaging in meditation helps to reduce stress and may cut your cortisol level.
Step 2
Take a comedy break. Spend time with someone who makes you laugh, watch cartoons or a funny movie, or go out for live comedy. Even the anticipation of laughter reduces cortisol, according to Kentucky's Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
Step 3
Take a vitamin C supplement during high-stress events or athletic competition, if your doctor approves. Ultramarathon runners who took 1,500 mg of vitamin C per day for seven days prior to the race on the race day and for two days afterward had significantly lower cortisol levels than other runners who took 500 mg of vitamin C or a placebo during the study, according to researchers from the University of Natal in South Africa who reported their findings in the October 2001 issue of "International Journal of Sports Medicine."
Step 4
Drink black tea. Have tea instead of coffee or alcohol when you are stressed. Cortisol levels in healthy young men who drank a black-tea beverage dropped nearly twice as quickly as study participants who drank a placebo, according to a July 2010 press release from University College London.
Step 5
Exercise regularly. A daily walk or other physical activity can help you relax and keep problems in perspective. Physical activity keeps your system in better shape and able to respond better to the demands of your life, according to "NIH News in Health."
Tips and Warnings
- Circulating levels of adrenaline also were lower in the ultramarathon runners who took 1,500 mg of vitamin C in the South African study -- suggesting that vitamin C can help the body recovery more quickly from stress, although further research is needed. Consult your doctor before adding any supplementation to your diet.
- Black tea contains caffeine. Too much caffeine can cause edginess, irritability and sleep difficulties. Avoid drinking tea in the evening. Adequate sleep helps the mind and body, relieving stress, which may in turn lead to a reduced cortisol level.
Things You'll Need
- Vitamin C
- Black tea
References
- The Franklin Institute: Renew -- Stress on the Brain
- "NIH News In Health"; Stressed Out?; January 2007
- "International Journal of Sports Medicine"; Vitamin C Supplementation Attenuates the Increases in Circulating Cortisol ...; E.M. Peters, et al.; October 2001
- University College London, Media Relations; Black Tea Soothes Away Stress; July 2010
