What do you do when you just received your results back from the lab, and your morning cortisol is elevated? The explanation on the ZRT Laboratory report read as follows:
“Morning cortisol is high, but levels drop to normal the remainder of the day. The high morning cortisol seen in these test results may indicate a situational stressor (emotional, physical) or low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia), which often occurs in the morning after overnight fasting.
Acute situational stressors (e.g., anxiety over unresolved situations, travel, work-related problems, wedding, holiday season, etc.) can raise cortisol levels, which is a normal response to the stressor.
Symptoms commonly associated with high cortisol include sugar craving, fatigue, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression.
If cortisol remains elevated throughout the day (usually associated with high night cortisol) and over a prolonged period of time (months/years), excessive breakdown of normal tissues (muscle wasting, thinning of skin, bone loss) and immune suppression can eventually result.
For additional information about strategies for supporting adrenal health and reducing stress(ors), the following books are worth reading: Adrenal Fatigue by James L. Wilson, N.D., D.C., Ph.D.; The Cortisol Connection by Shawn Talbott, Ph.D.; The End of Stress As We Know It by Bruce McEwen; and Awakening Athena by Kenna Stephenson. M.D.”
Who today cannot relate to “Acute situational stressors (e.g., anxiety over unresolved situations, travel, work-related problems, wedding, holiday season, etc.)”?
Perhaps a series of articles summarizing strategies to support adrenal health and decrease stressors would be of benefit. If you have any tips to share, please feel free to do so. Together we can help each other!
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