Stress is a normal part of most people’s lives and healthy for you at the right dose. When there is too much of it, though, things go wrong with your physical, mental and emotional health.

Cortisol is a stress hormone, kicking in when we are stressed for a long period of time. This hormone is designed to protect us and keep us alive but it can also have a negative impact on our immune system, digestive system and blood sugar regulation.

There are ways to identify if there is too much cortisol in your system.

1. Irregular sleep

When cortisol levels are regulated properly, your levels will drop at night at about 6:00pm. It stays low and doesn’t rise again until approximately 06:00am when you’re waking up and ready to face the world again. Melatonin, a sleep hormone, works in opposition, with cortisol rising at 6:00pm and dropping again at 6:00am. If they are not in tandem, you’ll have trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep or getting back to sleep if you’ve woken in the middle of the night.

2. Waking up tired

You may fall asleep just fine and sleep through for eight hours but if you are waking feeling lethargic, instead of energised. this means your morning cortisol levels aren’t high enough. The deeper the sleep, the better the quality.

 3. Weight gain around your stomach

Cortisol stores fat around the tummy. If you store lots of weight in this area, regardless of how much exercise you are doing, it’s a sign that your cortisol levels are too high.

4. Craving sugary foods

This points to blood sugar level being erratic. Couple this with energy levels that go up and down and it’s a clear indication of long-term stress.

 5. Aches and pains

Long-term cortisol production changes hormones and pain receptors, causing you to become more sensitive to pain.  Pain located in the hips, legs and lower back region is often associated with adrenal stress. If backaches and headaches are a part of your daily life, things need to change.

 6. Low libido

Long-term stress affects your sex drive. The more stressed you are, the less likely you’ll feel like a little action between the sheets.

 7. Upset stomach

Gut dysfunction is a by-product of too much cortisol. Upset tummies and leaky gut is a sign the digestive system isn’t working correctly. And having a gut that doesn’t work properly will cause stress in your body, due to nutrient deficiencies.  It becomes a vicious circle.

 8. Mood swings

Cortisol affects your moods and can lead to depression and anxiety.

These signs are your body telling you that stress is impacting your health and it’s time to do something about it.

Having a check-up with a health practitioner is a great place to start. Speaking to a trained counsellor and working through the issues that are causing the stress will also help.

Getting back on track through the use of holistic wellbeing practices, such as meditation, can make a big impact in a short period of time, as can exercise and getting back to nature.

It’s important to remember that the cause of all this stress must be identified and rectified. Take simple steps to lessen stress in your life and watch your health improve.