Cortisol – what really happens to your body when you are under STRESS!?
Let us break this complicated topic down for you into a few simple steps.
First we will look at the physiological effects of stress and cortisol on the body.
Secondly we will look at how that affects us daily and thirdly we will check out what to do against the damaging effects of stress….
Cortisol is a stress hormone that is very important to the body and our survival.
What happens when we are under threat (real or perceived) the body will produce Cortisol and Adrenaline to prepare the body for action.
When Cortisol is flooding the body it breaks down proteins and converts them to glucose aka sugars in the blood stream. It does this so enough energy is available to the muscles to react quickly to any given situation. So your blood sugar rises and your body is ready for action.
But ….What if there’s no “action” the way our body is anticipating it?
When this happens all the sugar in our bloodstream now gets converted to fat and stored – mostly around the midsection.
There’s that wonderful muffin top for you….
So how do we stop this vicious cycle of getting stressed over our everyday business?
Well for one – don’t take everything so seriously.
When we worry about our mortgage, stress about traffic and business deadlines or get otherwise upset, the body actually reacts the same way as if we were being subjected to a physical threat.
So calm down – the first step is to notice when you feel stressed, step away from it and take a few conscious deep breaths.
Meditation is an amazing tool in combating stress.
Also Exercise is a winner – remember all that sugar waiting to be used up by the muscles as energy? Well why not just let them do what they are supposed to do! You don’t have to go to Boot camp – Even a brisk walk around the block really helps when you’re stressed.
Detox is also a great way to create space. Once in a while it is good to detach from the ordinary, get away to a tropical island and take some time for yourself… Santosa Phuket will always be waiting for you with open arms when you need some downtime…