What Is Fastest Way to Lower Cortisol Levels?

Cortisol is a hormone released by the adrenal glands that regulates blood pressure, maintains blood sugar and metabolizes glucose. While it can be crucial when you are in a "fight or flight" scenario, too much can be harmful, causing weight gain, slow thyroid, blood sugar imbalance, muscle tissue deterioration, poor immune system and a decrease in bone density. Excess cortisol can be the result of stress and anxiety.

Lowering Cortisol Levels

There are several solutions for reducing your cortisol, and ideally you will use more than one. Combining them is the quickest way to cut your cortisol level.

Get your stress level under control through meditation, relaxation and exercising. Yoga and breathing exercises are good ways to meditate and relax. If you are not familiar with meditation, there are plenty of classes available and you also can learn online. Meditation and breathing exercises can be done anytime, anywhere. Find a meditation form that you enjoy most and stick to it.

Breathing exercises will slow your heart rate and help to eliminate toxic carbon dioxide that resides in your lungs because of shallow breathing.

When you exercise, you release endorphins, which create a feeling of well being in your body. Even simple exercise such as taking a brisk walk can help.

Cardiovascular exercises such as running, cycling, kickboxing and swimming are good forms of exercise that reduce cortisol.

Strength training is another great form that can work out all the major muscle groups.

Try to exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes a day.

Diet also might a way to reduce cortisol levels. Avoid drinks and foods containing caffeine, which is a stimulant and is the last thing you need when trying to relax.

Increase your intake of low glycemic index foods and lean proteins like fish, turkey and chicken. Foods that contain vitamin B, like dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables, also are good.