Cortisol Spikes & How To Control Them

I have never pretended to be a mental health expert. I am not. But I'm a mental health "endurer" and when I learn something interesting, I want to share it.

You may have noticed that Cortisol, the "stress hormone," has become gained more and more traction in the public dialogue around health and wellness.

I thought I understood it at it's core, but I never looked further to understand how to address it and put some tips on how to manage cortisol spikes into my toolbox of Mental Cheatcodes.

First things first: cortisol spikes help the body prepare for and manage immediate physical and psychological challenges by increasing alertness, energy, and immune response capability. It's an acute response to try to protect us.

But a sudden urgent project, a misinterpreted criticism in a meeting or a deadline shouldn't send us into protection mode the same way the sudden appearance of a mountain lion should.

A cortisol spike may bring about a rapid heartbeat, increased sweating, feelings of anxiety or jitteriness, quickened breath or difficulty concentrating. For me, it usually comes in a lightheaded feeling, nausea or overall tightness in the body.

Lightheadedness: "When cortisol levels spike, it can lead to rapid changes in blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which might cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded."

Nausea: "High cortisol can disrupt the digestive system, as the body diverts energy away from digestion to deal with perceived threats. This disruption can lead to feelings of nausea."

Tightness in the Body: "Cortisol can cause muscles to tense up as part of the body's readiness to respond to stress. This can lead to feelings of stiffness or tightness, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and back."

The chronic elevation of cortisol can increase blood pressure, cause cravings for sugar and fatty foods, suppress the immune system, wreck sleep and bring about mood and mental health issues.

So What Can We Do to Offset These Spikes?

Structured Breaks: When my calendar is wall to wall and projects are stacking, I start putting buffers into my schedule, even pushing back less urgent calls or meetings to another day. I incorporate regular, short breaks throughout the workday best I can. Walking away from my desk or meetings to take a walk outside (thankfully living in LA), practicing deep breathing, or even small conversations with friends at work are my habits.

Mindfulness and Meditation: I need to learn to practice this and any tips to get moving toward even small slices of meditation is helpful! Experts say regular practice of mindfulness or meditation can significantly reduce baseline stress levels and enhance your ability to remain calm under pressure — even for just a few minutes a day.

Physical Activity: This one is a must for all of us, but especially those who struggle with mental health. Exercise is a powerful stress reliever. Whether it's a morning workout session or even one of those walks, moving the body can reduce cortisol and improve your mood.

Adequate Sleep: Prioritize sleep. "Lack of sleep exacerbates stress and increases cortisol production, creating a vicious cycle of stress and poor health." Limiting caffeine is also important to keep cortisol levels in check, and will also help with sleep.

Boundaries: Set clear boundaries. Period. FOMO will destroy you. But also professionally and around other commitments, know that being perpetually busy and overtaxed will keep your cortisol levels high. You have to lower those levels through breaks and you won't do it if you're constantly on.

You can't exactly avoid cortisol spikes, so these stress management techniques, exercise, sleep, diet are ways to be mindful of keeping them level and consistently dropping them back down to normal range.