Stress, Cortisol & Massage

If you’re like most people, you probably have some stress in your life – from work issues, family issues, school, relationships, politics, environmental toxins, lack of sleep, illness, feeling frustrated or overwhelmed.  So many things today can cause stress conditions in our minds and bodies.

Unfortunately, increasing intensity and regularity of stress is becoming more common, which can have negative health impacts.

When your body is in a state of stress, it releases the hormone cortisol.  Cortisol’s original purpose was to give us increased speed, strength, awareness, and abilities in the face of potential danger.  This is a good thing when we need to act fast to save our life. It acts like fuel on wood to get a fire going fast.  

However, when stress persists over an extended period of time, such as hours, days, weeks, etc, the ongoing cortisol production leads to serious health consequences.

Instead of just a quick burst to get the wood burning, the pumping of so much fuel (cortisol) onto the already burning fire has a way of burning up everything around it.  The result is that our bodies can experience weight gain, brain fog, impaired immunity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, auto-immune conditions, etc.

How can you support yourself?  Here are four valuable things you can do for your body to help keep cortisol under control:  Exercise, Sleep, Diet & Massage.

Moving your body is a highly effective, proven way to reduce stress. It also improves sleep and overall health, which makes it great for lowering cortisol over time.

Being outdoors is a stress-reducer all by itself.  Activities like running, cycling, hiking, or outdoor group sports will add an extra cortisol-lowering factor to your calorie burn.

Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly.  Also, practice good habits, like avoiding screen time and caffeine before bedtime; have a consistent sleep schedule; and maintain a wind down bedtime routine. All these help signal to your body to start dialing down cortisol and releasing melatonin, which is what we want.

Sleep deprivation, chronic insomnia, and night-time shift work are strongly associated with an increase in cortisol levels.

A 2019 study found that a diet high in added sugar, saturated fat, and refined grains led to significantly elevated cortisol levels.

Overall, research has shown a strong relationship between a healthy gut microbiome and improved mental health. So a balanced diet with whole, nutritious foods – and low on highly processed ones – can help reduce stress, maintain healthy cortisol levels, and enhance your overall health.

Nothing says stress-buster like a Massage!  According to a 2005 study, just one hour of this relaxing therapy can lower cortisol levels by an average of 31%, while increasing serotonin and dopamine (the “happy hormones”) by up to 28%!

Reducing cortisol and increasing serotonin are powerful ways to boost mental health, and send signals throughout the body to combat feelings of anxiety and pain.

Is it time for some enjoyable stress reduction by booking a Massage session today?

I look forward to hearing from you!

By Scott Patton

Professional Massage Therapist