High Stress, too much Cortisol

Are health problems coming from high stress and elevated cortisol? What is cortisol exactly though? It's produced from cholesterol by the adrenal gland. Secretion is controlled by hormones released by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus. Cortisol is essential, it's part of our "fight or flight" response, however continually elevated levels cause problems.
The "fight or flight" is great when you need it though. It provides burst of energy, heightened senses, and quicker response time. Basically it's like an "adrenaline rush." It's what lets mothers lift cars off their kids or that let our ancestors escape ferocious beast. Physical symptoms of this are: sweating, muscle tension, sharpened hearing, and heart palpitations. In response to a situation, the nervous system releases epinephrine and norepinephrine (commonly called adrenaline). The pituitary gland then secretes ACT II to the adrenal cortex. Then the adrenal cortex distributes 30 different hormones (included are cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, and testosterone) to deal with the stressful situation.
The constant stress that many suffer because of today's busy schedules and hectic lives causes cortisol levels to remain high. High levels can: impair cognitive performance, suppress thyroid function, cause blood sugar imbalances, decrease bone density, decrease muscle tissue, higher blood pressure, lowered immunity and inflammatory responses, in addition to increased abdominal fat (which alone is linked to increased cardiovascular risks). The persistent cortisol levels can cause other mechanisms (digestion, immunity, or endocrine) to shut down.
Not only is your stress raising cortisol, but as a result it wrecking havoc on your whole body. The above listed results should be reason enough to take steps to reduce your stress. It's not that hard we've already talked about some before. Just look at our past articles! Go out and play! Meditate; take a walk (low aerobic activity)! Sleep! Getting your sleep patterns under control and waking without an alarm clock are easy ways to reduce elevated cortisol levels. Decrease elevated cortisol levels and you'll be on your way to a healthier you (not only physically, but emotionally as well-less stress!)