In our fast-paced world, stress is more than just an occasional inconvenience—it's a saboteur of our health. Since chronic stress causes our body to spend all available resources on making stress hormones instead of normal functions such as digestion, sleep, detoxification and repair, stress is a key driver of major health issues across all our body systems.
Essentially, being too stressed and making too much cortisol robs us of the resources needed to maintain good health and function. Over time, this leads to many chronic health problems. Read on to understand if chronically high stress levels could be hidden culprit behind your symptoms.
The Cortisol Connection
Chronic stress, poor sleep, unbalanced and irregular diet, lack of exercise, overuse of stimulants (caffeine, nicotine, some prescription medications and herbal substances), and the grind of everyday life often lead to depletion of the body’s resources and overproduction of cortisol. Often dubbed the "stress hormone," cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands, two triangular structures perched on top of our kidneys. Cortisol is released in response to physiological and psychological stress and/or perceived threats. It plays a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions, including metabolism, memory, immune response, and inflammation.
A normal increase in cortisol is meant to be a short-term response that allows the body to respond appropriately to stress (physical, psychological or otherwise). In the short term, the benefits of a cortisol spike outweigh the costs. However, when cortisol remains high for extended periods, it disrupts the delicate balance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signals that our immune system relies on for communication and function. This dysregulation of the immune system results in chronic low-grade inflammation, which further taxes the immune system and contributes to the development of various diseases including autoimmune disease, endometriosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and more.
Even worse, because the immune system is compromised, it is not as able to clean up and repair the inflammation as it normally would, so the inflammation keeps building up over time until the root of the issue is addressed. This is how being constantly stressed ultimately wreaks havoc on the body.
Any type of stress, be it physical, emotional, mental or physiological, causes increases in cortisol. There is no way to completely avoid stress, but there are definitely ways to help your body adapt and respond to stress more effectively and promote healthy cortisol levels.
Chinese Medicine Theory Of Chronic Stress
In terms of Chinese medicine, chronic stress is seen as a major factor that leads to disruption of the balance between Yin and Yang energies in our bodies. This produces Qi stagnation, Blood stasis, damp accumulation, Blood deficiency, and disease in the major organs:
Liver Qi Stagnation: Stress causes the Liver Qi to stagnate, leading to irritability, anger, headaches, depression, sleep problems, and menstrual and digestive issues.
Heart Shen Disturbance: Chronic stress disturbs the Shen (Spirit), leading to anxiety, sweating, insomnia, palpitations, poor mental focus, memory issues and irritability.
Spleen Qi Deficiency: Prolonged stress and overthinking weaken the Spleen, causing poor appetite and digestion, fatigue, weight gain, poor memory, easy bleeding and bruising, and nutrient deficiencies. These are all signs of dampness and Blood deficiency.
Kidney Deficiency: Chronic stress depletes the Kidney essence, causing poor bone health (frequent fractures that are slow healing), poor hearing, tinnitus, hormone imbalance, loss of energy and vitality, issues with sexual function, infertility and premature aging.
Signs You May Be Suffering the Effects of Chronic Stress
You’re ALWAYS Tired 🥱: feeling tired and groggy even after a full night's sleep, feeling irritable due to constantly low energy, being exhausted a few hours after waking up and/ or having a sudden drop in energy (usually around 2-5 PM) are all signs of an overtaxed Kidney organ system and rampant inflammation due to chronic stress. Elevated stress hormones interfere with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, leading to difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, and achieving restorative “deep” sleep. Poor sleep quality further exacerbates stress, creating a vicious cycle that leads to more and more health issues (PMID: 27816812).
Your Gut is Unhappy 🥴: having a poor appetite (especially when waking up in the morning), nausea, gas and bloating, unintended weight gain/loss, stubborn nutrient deficiencies, a growing list of food intolerances, irregular bowel movements and acid reflux are all potential signs of cortisol affecting your digestion. The gut-brain axis, a communication network between the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract, is highly sensitive to stress. Research demonstrates that chronic stress can lead to conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), acid reflux, and peptic ulcers. Stress can also alter gut microbiota, affecting digestion and nutrient absorption (PMID: 29642876). This is Spleen deficiency and Liver Qi stagnation.
You’re Always Achy 🤕: Ongoing discomfort in your joints and muscles, muscles that feel sore and tired with normal activity, muscle weakness, loss of muscle tone, repeated injuries, and slow recovery times. When we are stressed, our body naturally tenses up as a part of the “fight flight or freeze” response. Chronic stress produces longstanding tension that leads to pain and discomfort in areas such as the neck, shoulders, jaw and lower back, and contributing to conditions like tension headaches, migraines and chronic pain syndromes (PMID: 28699861). These are manifestations of Qi stagnation, dampness and blood stagnation.
You Keep Getting Sick 🤧: recurrent colds, flu, or other infections may be due to an immune system weakened by chronically high cortisol. High levels of cortisol inhibit the production of cytokines, proteins that are essential for immune response. This directly weakens the body's ability to fight off pathogens, and can cause the immune system to flag normal cells as “invaders,” which is the root cause of autoimmune disease. In terms of Chinese medicine, this is due to Spleen and Lung deficiency that leads to weakness of the body’s defensive qi.
Your Skin is Freaking Out 😖: Conditions like eczema, psoriasis, pruritus (itchy skin), chronically dry/scaly skin and acne that do not respond well to topical products, oral acne medicines, biologics, or antibiotics may reflect hormone imbalance and inflammation caused by elevated cortisol. This is often a manifestation of dampness, in combination with pathogenic heat and toxicity that has built up in the Blood, and is now attempting to escape the body via the skin.
Your Mental Health is Suffering 😔: increased anxiety, depression, irritability and memory issues are all signs of cortisol-related burnout and potential hormone imbalance. Prolonged stress literally alters the function and structure of the brain, leading to atrophy of neurons in the hippocampus, a region critical for memory and emotional regulation. This contributes to cognitive decline and mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Chronic stress also impairs neuroplasticity, meaning it makes it harder for the brain to learn and process new information (PMID: 29653624). These symptoms are manifestations of systematic Qi and Blood deficiency leading to depletion of the Kidneys and the spirit, or Shen. These are serious symptoms that should not be ignored or dismissed!
Your Hormones are Out of Whack 😰: Chronic stress leads to the continuous release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which disrupts various bodily functions including metabolism, immune response, sleep cycles, and control over inflammation. Over time, this leads to weight gain, fertility problems, menstrual complaints, depression, insulin resistance, problems with sexual function, and increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Stay tuned for a deep dive into the relationship between chronic stress, the Kidney and Liver organs, and hormone imbalances in the next few weeks.
Your Blood Pressure Is All Over the Place 📈: Stress causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure due to activation of the sympathetic nervous system’s survival response. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, and contributes to the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Chronic stress impairs our nervous system’s ability to move easily from high blood pressure during stress to low blood pressure during rest. This means you can get stuck in cycles of high blood pressure, which damages the heart, kidneys, brain and lungs even if you aren’t feeling any overt symptoms.
Our Approach: Getting to the Root of the Problem
At Mind + Body Acupuncture, we’ve built a practice around using acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, targeted supplementation and mindfulness practices to combat the effects of chronic stress. We understand that in many cases, stress isn’t going to just “go away”-- our patients lead full, busy and often demanding lives that necessarily involve some level of stress.
We’re here to help your body and mind better adjust to, cope with, and manage everyday stressors so you aren’t being harmed in the process. Our treatment plans target key, evidence-based metrics known to promote nervous system regulation, reduce stress and cortisol levels, and put you on the path to long-term, sustainable health.
Adaptogenic Herbs: Many herbs in the Chinese pharmacopeia are powerful adaptogens, plant medicines that effectively respond to the unique conditions within the body to help us adapt to stress and manage cortisol levels. Ren Shen (Chinese Ginseng), Xi Yang Shen (American Ginseng), Huang Qi (Astragalus Root), Ling Zhi (Reishi Mushroom), Ci Wu Jia (Eleuthero) and Hong Jing Tian (Rhodiola rosea) are all examples of Chinese herbs that are known to reduce inflammation, promote circulation, and protect against damage from environmental toxins while supporting the body’s natural capacity to heal. At Mind + Body, we use our full herbal pharmacy to your benefit, designing custom herbal formulas tailored to your specific needs. If you’re suffering from the effects of chronic stress, your formula is likely to contain one or more of these adaptogens.
Anti-inflammatory Herbs: Yu Jin (Turmeric Root), Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger Root), Jin Yin Hua (Japanese Honeysuckle), Huang Qin (Scutellaria Root), and Gan Cao (Licorice Root) are just a few common examples of these natural, plant-based anti-inflammatory substances. Many of these herbs are so effective in controlling inflammation that they are now marketed as supplements in grocery stores and online.
Acupuncture for Stress: Acupuncture acts like a reset button for your nervous system, activating the parasympathetic nervous system to promote relaxation and reduce stress. Studies have shown that acupuncture can lower cortisol levels, helping to restore balance to the body’s stress response (PMID: 26256136). Regular acupuncture treatments help to reprogram the nervous system, literally helping your brain form new neural pathways to help you better cope with stress and clear built-up inflammation.
Acupuncture Treats Downstream Effects of Chronic Stress: By stimulating specific points, acupuncture effectively works to rebalance the endocrine system and alleviate symptoms of hormonal imbalances such as fatigue, mood issues, menstrual problems, infertility, low libido, unintentional weight loss or gain, and more. Acupuncture has been shown to directly reduce cortisol and pro-inflammatory molecules by activating the “rest and digest,” arm of our nervous system, where we need to be in order for proper sleep, digestion and repair to happen.
Our Top Tips to Lower Cortisol Naturally:
Exercise: Regular physical activity, such as walking, running, yoga, or swimming will lower cortisol levels while boosting your mood. Regular aerobic exercise has been shown to increase the body’s ability to withstand cortisol without experiencing as many negative inflammatory effects (PMID: 18787373). Even low-intensity exercises such as walking attenuate the cortisol response. No need to run marathons or climb mountains (unless that’s your jam 😉). Start where you are, set reasonable goals, and remember, sustainable progress is better than "perfection". If you need support in making these changes, we’re here to work with you!
Mindfulness and Meditation 🧘♀️: Practice meditation, deep breathing exercises, and/or progressive muscle relaxation (body scanning) on a daily basis. It only takes 10-15 minutes, and research has shown meditation is effective to reduce cortisol and chronic inflammation, promote calm, improve mental function and relieve subjective experiences of stress (PMID: 23724462, 32635830). Check out the Insight Timer app on any device for thousands of free guided meditations.
Get Good Sleep 💤 : Prioritize your sleep! Getting 8-9 hours of quality sleep each night is absolutely the foundation of whole body health. Consistent good sleep maintains healthy cortisol levels and allows your body opportunity to heal and repair from daily wear and tear. If you’re having trouble getting deep sleep, acupuncture and herbs are highly effective in treating this, and our practitioners specialize in sleep concerns- don’t hesitate to reach out!
Eat Balanced, Regular Meals 🍽: A diet rich in whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats, supports adrenal health and reduces inflammation. Cutting down on refined sugar and highly processed foods and loading up on foods rich in antioxidants, lean protein, micronutrients and vitamins switches your metabolism from a sluggish, inflamed and struggling state back to a well-maintained powerhouse that readily produces sustainable energy, mental focus and optimum health. Just as importantly, it is crucial to eat breakfast and ensure you are getting enough protein to keep your blood sugar stable. Constant fluctuations in blood sugar cause more cortisol to be produced, meaning more inflammation and related issues.
Limit Caffeine & EAT FIRST ☕️: Caffeine directly causes the adrenals to produce more cortisol. While it can be tempting to reach for coffee, tea or energy drinks to shake off fatigue, regularly consuming over 100 mg of caffeine daily is correlated with health issues such as acid reflux, anxiety, irritable bowel disease, mood issues, insomnia, and more (PMID:16204431). Always make sure to eat something–preferably with protein–before you drink your coffee or tea in the morning to give your body a buffer between caffeine and your adrenals. Skipping breakfast or only drinking coffee in the mornings is a surefire way to ramp up your cortisol levels and increase inflammation.
Social Support 🤗: Strong social connections and positive interactions buffer against stress and lower cortisol levels. When we spend time with people we care about and who care about us, our brains produce neurotransmitters that counteract the effects of chronic stress and inflammation. Learning to set boundaries in personal and professional relationships is key to making sure your relationships are a net positive rather than another item on the to-do list. Practicing mindfulness, regular journaling, working with a therapist, and setting aside designated time to spend with your friends and family are all ways you can feed your spirit and decrease your cortisol, naturally.
Time Management 📆: Learn to ask for help, delegate tasks to others, set realistic goals, and take regular breaks while working. So many patients have too much on their plates and feel stuck with a heavy burden of too many commitments and responsibilities, leading to exhaustion, burnout and resentment. Our personalized treatment plans include tips and techniques to support you in learning how to practice time management and boundary setting skills- don’t underestimate how much regularly practicing these reduces overwhelm and stress.
Acupuncture 🌸: countless studies show that acupuncture is highly effective in activating the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system. Activation of this branch is associated with lowered blood pressure, lowered cortisol and adrenaline, improved sleep and digestion, improved mood, decreased inflammation, and improvements in the body’s natural capacity to heal itself from injury or simple wear and tear. Acupuncture works on your central nervous system to redirect and reorganize the flow of energy (Qi) in your body, encouraging the body to move away from pro-inflammatory disease pathways and towards healing, regulation and balance across body systems. This is why patients often experience feelings of peace, calm, well-being, relief and vitality after acupuncture treatments.
At Mind + Body, we understand the deep-seated impact of chronic stress on your health and well-being. A high stress, high cortisol lifestyle stealthily undermines your health and contributes to inflammation, pain, fatigue, hormone imbalance, sleep issues and more. Our experienced practitioners are dedicated to providing compassionate, personalized support and effective treatments known to help break you out of the vicious cycle of stress and inflammation so you can heal and thrive.
Ready to get a handle on chronic stress and reclaim your peace? Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards a healthier, happier and more harmonious life: www.mindplusbody.com/services