A healthy human body goes through normal cycles of variation in its level of cortisol throughout the day. Cortisol is also known as the stress hormone, as it is the hormone produced when our stress levels increase. Normally, cortisol levels start out higher in the morning and decrease as the day goes on. When this variation of cortisol in the body is lost, serious health consequences can occur. Cancer, obesity, and inflammatory issues are only a few of the health problems that can arise from fixed levels of cortisol. Researchers believe that a high stress lifestyle could be what causes unvarying cortisol levels in the body. Researchers recommend adjusting habits and adopting healthier lifestyles in order to avoid negative health consequences.
Key Takeaways:
- Cortisol levels in a healthy body fluctuate naturally throughout the day, starting out higher in the morning and decreasing gradually from there
- People suffering from chronic stress have relatively unchanging cortisol levels throughout the day, which is linked to negative health consequences
- In order to get cortisol levels functioning properly again, people will need to adopt healthy lifestyle changes, like regularly getting adequate sleep at night and being physically active
"Steady daytime levels of the stress hormone cortisol are associated with serious health problems, such as inflammation, obesity and cancer, researchers say."
Read more: When Stress Hormone Falters, People's Health May Suffer - Carlisle Sentinel
