Signs Your Cortisol Is Out of Balance pt 2

You’re tired but can not sleep.

A classic sign of high cortisol is feeling tired but can not sleep. Despite feeling physically drained, you find yourself mentally alert or even anxious. This phenomenon, often called being “tired but wired” is when you're feeling both exhausted and unable to relax at the same time. Naturally our cortisol peaks a few hours after waking up around 8am-10am, and should gradually decline throughout the day. By evening, cortisol should be roughly half of what they are at the peak, with levels gradually declining until around midnight. If our cortisol spikes later in the day – whether it’s from excess sugar, stress, that extra cup of coffee, or all the above it can remain high when it’s supposed to be declining which in turn prevents us from getting into a restful state and therefore, sleep. This can lead to a self-perpetuating cycle of poor sleep and compensatory rises in stress, caffeine intake, and cortisol the following day.  

What to do:  

During the Day:

• Manage your daytime stress: this will help you have a smoother transition into a restful state in the evening.

• Avoid sugary foods

• Reduce (or avoid) caffeine after lunch (I suggest 12pm latest)

• Walk outdoors more in the day to break up stress patterns

During the Evening:

if you haven’t nailed your daytime stress routine, there’s still lots you can do at night. Proven stress relieving practices include

• Meditation (even just 15 minutes)

• Breath Work

• Writing in a Journal

• Taking a soothing bath