4 Ways To Naturally Reduce Cortisol

Stop sluggishness and learn how to increase your energy levels naturally.

By Carolyn Mein and Merethe Najjar — Last updated on Jul 02, 2018

Experiencing constant fatigue because stress is impacting your energy levels can be exhausting! Your emotions might feel like they're out of control, your anxiety feels like it's getting worse, and you don't feel good anymore.

High cortisol levels — aka stress — affect more aspects of your life and happiness than you realize. This is why learning how to boost your energy levels naturally can help. You can improve your health and happiness through diet, exercise, self-care, and healthy foods.

You don't have to be constantly exhausted. The solution is easy!

Here are 4 ways to naturally reduce cortisol.

1. Get more sleep.

Taking the stress from your shoulders can be a freeing experience. And physically, there’s a lot that you can focus on to decrease these areas. Monitoring your sleep levels is a critical part of stress relief. If you go to bed at a reasonable hour but spend two hours playing on your phone, you’re not reaching the quality of rest you need, which will make itself known the following day.

Eliminate screens from your bedroom, make it as dark as possible, and use white noise if you need to, but make sure you’re consistently getting enough sleep and the quality is also good.

It doesn’t matter if you go to bed at 7:00 p.m. or 3:00 a.m., you know in the morning you’re going to be exhausted, and that feeling is likely to stay with you most of the day. Some days feel like you’re a perpetual zombie, and you’ve probably wondered more than once, “Why am I always so tired?”

Going through your day with these weights on you can make concentrating, working, relaxing, and sleeping very difficult.

If getting out of bed in the morning is one of your biggest struggles, there's hope! You don't have to settle for being exhausted and drinking cup after cup of coffee, tea, energy drinks, sugary snacks, or sodas in a desperate attempt to boost your energy levels and overcome exhaustion.

2. Fit in some exercise daily.

Getting a good amount of exercise, even if it’s just minor cardio or a quick walk around the office at lunch, can help reduce stress and sluggishness. Exercise naturally boosts your endorphins and energy level. A 15-minute walk might do more for you than a 30-minute nap.

Plus, those endorphins will also make sure to combat your cortisol levels and keep them in check naturally so you feel empowered, calm, and healthier to boot!

3. Eat food that's good for you.

Food is our body’s fuel, and we must understand what we put into it. It’s easy to reach for a sugary snack when we’re fatigued or depressed. But, it’s crucial to understand your body type and what kind of food would benefit you instead of eating your emotions ... along with the break room doughnuts.

But how do you know what you should eat instead of sweets or bad-for-you snacks? Finding your ideal body type can help you reduce stress and fatigue by choosing a diet best suited for you.

4. Let go of anger.

Anger is an emotion we all experience. But when we internalize our rage, it can lead to lasting long-term effects, says Dr. Mein. Finding helpful ways to release that anger is not only good for you, it can improve your health. Holding on to anger can have some nasty side effects, and being fatigued due to the raised cortisol levels is a contributing factor.

According to YourTango Expert Dr. Carolyn Mein, D.C., fatigue is one of the most common complaints people have and one of the most frustrating. Not having the energy level to make it through your day is difficult, especially if you’re juggling work, kids, pets, social life, or any other “need” area.

One of the ways you can address these issues is by removing stress from your body, says Dr. Mein, because stress plays a larger part in your fatigue than you might realize.

Try using essential oils at your pressure points to help calm and soothe you, and learn breathing or meditation techniques to help you eliminate the stored anger in your body.

You can’t stop from being tired when life gets hectic, but no one should be exhausted all the time. With a little effort and know-how, you can learn to mitigate the worst of your stress, improve your energy levels naturally, and get rid of the constant fatigue plaguing you!

Dr. Carolyn L. Mein is a chiropractic physician who developed the 25-body type system as a way to help her patients attain and maintain their ideal weight and energy levels. She is also the author of "Different Bodies, Different Diets".

Merethe Najjar is a professional writer, editor, and award-winning fiction author. Her articles have been featured in The Aviator Magazine, Infinite Press, Yahoo, BRIDES, and more.