{"id":24056,"date":"2017-05-03T15:57:16","date_gmt":"2017-05-03T12:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeadvancer.com\/?p=24056"},"modified":"2017-05-03T15:57:16","modified_gmt":"2017-05-03T12:57:16","slug":"naturally-reduce-cortisol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeadvancer.com\/naturally-reduce-cortisol\/","title":{"rendered":"Naturally Reduce Cortisol to Beat Stress and Anxiety in 5 Minutes!"},"content":{"rendered":"
Stress and anxiety are killers, literally. They can do life-long damage<\/strong> to your body in more ways than one.<\/p>\n But I won\u2019t focus on that today, instead, I want to talk about the effects of cortisol and how to keep it regulated<\/strong>. It can be done!<\/p>\n Cortisol is a steroid hormone created in the adrenal glands<\/strong>. Secretion of this hormone is controlled by these glands and also by the hypothalamus<\/strong> and the pituitary<\/strong> gland as well. Too much cortisol<\/a> can cause physical illness, just as too little of this hormone can cause other damage. There must be a regulated cortisol level at all times, in order to keep the body and mind balanced.<\/p>\n Cortisol is important as well. It aids in the metabolism<\/strong>, pregnancy<\/strong> and also in regulating blood sugar levels<\/strong>, so it is something every human being must have to survive. With this being said, reducing stress and anxiety will greatly contribute to the balancing of cortisol levels.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, there are ways to make this happen in just 5 minutes<\/strong>! If you find yourself experiencing an overload of stress, try these out<\/a>!<\/p>\n Considering the right brain governs emotion<\/strong>, you will want to stay away from that side when having a panic attack. Instead of letting your emotions run away with you, redirect your thoughts to the left side. It\u2019s easier than you think to do this, and all it takes is one movement with your right hand. Clench your right fist over and over when you feel overwhelmed. This will redirect those renegade thoughts<\/strong> to the more logical left side of the brain<\/strong>, producing calm <\/a>and stability.<\/p>\n I am sure you\u2019ve heard this a million times, and I am sure you know it works too! Let me explain how slow rhythmic breathing can calm you down. Slow long breaths activate<\/strong> something called the Vagus nerve<\/strong>, which connects the brain to the heart, lungs, gut and other major organs. This nerve is considered part of the parasympathetic system<\/strong> which slows the fight or flight response.<\/p>\n Now, when this system is activated, it redirects blood flow away from the limbs and back to the inner organs, letting the body know that it is safe. It only takes five minutes to begin the breathing exercises. Breath in, while counting to 5, then hold for 2, then breathe out, counting to 6. Repeat these intervals<\/strong> as much as you like for full effect.<\/p>\n Pay attention to what happens right before you have a panic attack. Do your hands start to shake, do you feel nauseated, or do you feel the need to cry? Things happen differently person to person, so it\u2019s up to you to understand your indicators<\/strong>. Once you know what they are, keep an eye out. You could possibly use the other techniques to eliminate the onset of an attack<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Images<\/strong> such as forests, beaches or mountains can quickly calm the nerves. This is also true about music or natural sounds<\/strong>. I recently discovered the power of ambient music<\/strong>, which has the capabilities of slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure<\/strong>. There are also soothing smells, those which transport you to another time or place, and these scents can halt anxiety attacks as well as lift the darkness of depression.<\/p>\n Here are a few essential oils<\/a> that cause a calming<\/strong> effect. Be aware of all your allergies in case some of these floral scents cause a negative reaction with your skin or sinuses.<\/p>\n There are 150 natural components<\/strong> within lavender oil which calm the nerves. The scent of lavender slows down fast brain activity, replacing it with slow alpha waves. Make sure the lavender essential oils is natural by checking for high esters<\/strong>, which you want to see, and low in the component, cineol<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Chamomile has been used for over 2000 years<\/strong> to combat things like insomnia, restlessness, vomiting<\/strong> and other ailments. When chamomile scent is inhaled, it calms anxious feelings, and when the oil is rubbed on the skin, it can also remove tension from the muscles<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This scent has been compared to the drug valium<\/strong>. Maybe it doesn\u2019t work exactly as well as the drug, but Jasmine has a reputation for being one of the best scents to calm anxiety symptoms. Jasmine increases the GABA activity in the brain<\/strong> which governs the calming<\/a> effect. Results of studies with Jasmine<\/a> were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry<\/strong>.<\/p>\n There are much more scents that serve as great stress reducers. These are only a few notable examples.<\/p>\n Now this one may seem a little far out, but I have tried it. When you feel yourself getting upset and worked up about a situation, or for no reason at all, find something productive to do. Whether it\u2019s cleaning, going for a bike ride or doing a few exercises, you can transform negative feelings<\/strong> into something more positive<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now, at first, this won\u2019t be the easiest thing to do, but if you find the willpower to start, it will get easier, and you will notice other uncomfortable feelings fade as well. Also, pair these activities with your favorite music<\/strong>, going in the opposite direction of the calming effect.<\/p>\n If all else fails, then stop everything and take a nap<\/strong>. I know this may not always be feasible, but if you can find a way, sleeping allows you to shut down your mind <\/a>for a while and rest your body as well. Turn on a fan, add essential oils to a vaporizer\/humidifier<\/strong> \u2013 your choice, and play soft music, whatever helps you get to that place of ultimate relaxation.<\/p>\nWhat is cortisol?<\/h3>\n
Go ahead and activate that left brain real quick!<\/h4>\n
Those breathing techniques really work!<\/h4>\n
Recognize the incoming stress<\/h4>\n
Use calming sounds, images and smells to alleviate the stress<\/h4>\n
Lavender<\/h5>\n
Roman Chamomile<\/h5>\n
Jasmine<\/h5>\n
Transform stress into excitement<\/h4>\n
Just take a nap!<\/h4>\n
Now that you have a few options, give them a try!<\/h3>\n