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How Stress and High Cortisol Affect Your Sleep
Posted by Morgan Fisher on
Stress and Poor Sleep Go Hand in Hand Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? You might be dealing with more than just a busy mind. When you're stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. While cortisol is helpful in the short term, too much of it, especially at night, can mess with your sleep. High cortisol levels can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep, leaving you feeling tired and irritable. This can start a cycle—stress causes poor sleep, and poor sleep causes more stress. But there’s good news: you can break this cycle!...
How to Regulate a Dysregulated Nervous System
Posted by Morgan Fisher on
What is a Dysregulated Nervous System Your nervous system is essentially your brain to body connection. Think of it as the main communication highway between your brain and your body. You may have heard the terms fight, flight and freeze-those are different states of a dysregulated nervous system. When you experience long term stress or trauma, it is very common for your nervous system to get dysregulated. How to Know If You Have a Dysregulated Nervous System A dysregulated nervous system can show up in subtle, everyday ways that leave you feeling exhausted and stuck. 10 Signs You Have a...
Cortisol & Chronic Inflammation
Posted by Morgan Fisher on
Cortisol & Chronic Inflammation Tired all the time? Struggling to think clearly, sleep well, or lose weight? These problems might be caused by inflammation and high stress levels. Stress can throw your body out of balance, leading to a cycle that makes it hard to feel better. You’re not alone in this. Let’s look at what’s going on and how you can start feeling like yourself again. Chronic Inflammation & High Cortisol Symptoms The connection between high cortisol levels and chronic inflammation often goes unnoticed because their symptoms mimic each other. Both can lead to: Persistent fatigue, even after rest...
Is Stress Ruining Your Sleep?
Posted by Morgan Fisher on
It’s important to understand how stress affects your hormones. When you're stressed, your body produces more cortisol. While cortisol is necessary for your bodies during stress, too much can harm your sleep. Research shows that high cortisol can reduce REM sleep and increase awakenings during the night. This means you might wake up more often and not feel rested. Additionally, high cortisol levels can take resources away from hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which can worsen mood. High cortisol levels can disrupt your sleep Chronic stress disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle. If cortisol levels stay high at night, it becomes harder to...
The Cortisol Steal: Understanding Its Impact on Hormones and Stress
Posted by Morgan Fisher on
You may have heard the term cortisol steal (or pregnenolone steal) in relation to stress and hormones. It refers to how, under chronic stress, the body prioritizes cortisol production at the expense of other essential hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. For those experiencing high stress, stored trauma, or hormone imbalances, understanding how cortisol affects the body can illuminate frustrating symptoms and offer a path to relief. Common Symptoms of Cortisol Steal The cortisol steal often contributes to frustrating symptoms, such as: Fatigue: With the body constantly producing cortisol, energy levels can feel drained. Sleep Disturbances: High cortisol, particularly...