Did you know that a high cortisol level is one reason you may not be sleeping well at night? Sleep loss triggers our body’s stress response system, leading to elevated cortisol which further disrupts sleep. Plus, did you know if you’re in perimenopause or menopause, your cortisol levels naturally rise? So no wonder you have trouble sleeping.
Why is that important?
Because if you are already stressed, your body is already producing excess cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone produced in your adrenal glands. It is known as the stress hormone because it increases in times of stress or anxiety and decreases when we are relaxed. When your cortisol level rises, your body is signaling you to run away or fight the danger (stressor). You don’t want to be relaxed and chill if a lion is chasing you or a car is veering into your lane, right? God created your cortisol to increase so you would react and get out of harm’s way.
Normally our cortisol levels should be higher in the morning to help us wake up, have energy, and get motivated to begin our day. And then our cortisol levels should decrease in the evenings allowing us to wind down, relax, and fall asleep.
When you’re in perimenopause or menopause, you experience fluctuations of the hormones estrogen and progesterone which cause higher cortisol levels. And when your cortisol is higher, you cannot sleep even if you’re tired. You’re tired and wired. And then the next day you’re exhausted and have little to no energy.
Symptoms of High Cortisol Include:
- Insomnia
- Waking up frequently throughout the night
- Increased urination
- Weight gain
- Thin skin
- High blood pressure
- Anxiety
- Heart palpitations
What Can You Do?
First, talk to your medical practitioner about your concerns and ask to have labs done. Besides your cortisol level, ask to have your estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone labs run. And get a complete thyroid panel done to rule out any thyroid dysfunction which may be causing some of your symptoms, too. You want to test, not guess.
Next, there are some lifestyle modifications you can make beginning today. These are things you do have control over while you are waiting on your lab results.
Here are 3 quick strategies you can do today:
- Practice good sleep hygiene – maintain a regular sleep schedule and don’t drink/eat caffeine 6 hours before bed.
- Use relaxation techniques like the deep breathing 4-7-8 box technique as well as prayer.
- Eat an anti-inflammatory diet – low sugar and unprocessed foods; eat the way God created the foods originally.
Hope that was helpful. Just pick one strategy today and see how it helps. And for additional information, read this article. Plus, if you’d like one-on-one support, guidance, and accountability, I’d love to work with you. You can click here to schedule a free 20-minute discovery session to see if we’d be a good fit to work together.
Leah Cheshire, MCD, CCC-SLP, NBC-HWC is a national board certified health and wellness coach and a speech-language pathologist who works primarily with women who have brain fog, fatigue, joint pains, weight issues, autoimmune, hormonal, and digestive issues. She’s also an autoimmune warrior herself and uses nutritional and lifestyle modifications for both herself and clients. Click here to contact her for a free discovery call.
