Light
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The Dark Side of Blue Light: Maui Says No to ...
The Dark Side of Blue Light: Maui Says No to Excessive Blue Light
Environmental toxins, Pregnancy, Natural child development
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Study: Comprehensive Review of Mercury Provoked ...
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The Building Biology Guide to Gifts For Children
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EMFs, Mother and Child, biological home design
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FAQs about EMF Assessments
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EMF Safety: Take The Great Wired Experiment ...

While we’re indoors in greater numbers and for longer periods than ever before due to lockdowns, making the best of the space you have is more important than ever. Being indoors relying on digital means to conduct pretty much every affair of the world is a drain on your health—not the best deal during a time when you want more, not less, resilient immunity.

EMF Safety: Take The Great Wired Experiment (step-by-step guide on hardwiring your devices)

cortisol

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Early to Bed - the One Thing That Calms Your Cortisol, Pain, and Stress Levels

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Are you stressed, overweight, and health issues creeping up faster than you thought it would?

You’ve tried a hundred diets and supplement pills. You’ve tried to increase exercise. You turn to pills and drugs to keep energy up, the weight off, and anything to help you get a handle on life again. You don’t know what else to do, and the chronic daily stress weighing you down mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

Your stress levels is high because you’re permanently on a cortisol high.

When you’ve slept well, it is easier to deal anything when you wake up. Stress and unpleasant situations can wear you down even harder if you’re still fatigued after a poor night’s sleep. 

But it’s not just the quality and duration of sleep that affect cortisol levels. What time you go to bed and wake up also plays a role. Research shows that people who work night shifts and sleep during the day are more likely to have elevated cortisol levels.

Shift work under the age of 40 is associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) and higher cortisol levels.

 Cortisol Is More than a Stress Hormone

Cortisol is known as a hormone released in response to stress. But it plays a crucial role in regulating our sleep-wake cycle, having to work in tandem with other hormones like melatonin. It also regulates metabolism, reducing inflammation, and controlling blood sugar levels.

Cortisol can be elevated due to lack of sleep, especially in the evening after a lack of sleep. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system is responsible for producing cortisol. 

When a threat to the body appears, the hypothalamus, a part of your brain, synthesizes special substances that are sent to the pituitary epididymis. That in turns turn, sends a signal to the adrenal glands. In response, the adrenal cortex releases cortisol, some of which again enters the brain, affecting the thinking process. This relationship between the brain and the kidneys is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, or the HPA for short.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is also responsible for regulating sleep cycles. Stress, illness, or poor nutrition can activate the axis. Subsequently, this can worsen your sleep and increase cortisol.

If You’re Sleeping Late, You’re Living a like a Shift-Worker

The thing is, you’re living like a shift-worker even if you think leading a normal day-night lifestyle. You’re ruining your HPA response just by staying up late, and creating a wired-up stress response for yourself the next day.

If you keep the night owl life, you’re creating a higher stress level than you actually could have.

How can you change your nighttime habits to actually get to sleep earlier?

Sleep hygiene is one of the deciding factors in its quality. Try to create an environment in which the amount of noise and light is minimal. This will help blackout curtains, eye masks, earplugs.

 

Tips to Help You Fall Asleep Earlier if You Want to Calm Your Cortisol Levels:

  • Go to bed and wake up at the same time.

    Keep consistent. You’re trying to reset hormones and keep a more productive, calm balance of hormones, rather than live in hormonal hell.

  • Sleep hygiene is one of the deciding factors in its quality.

    Create an environment in which the amount of noise and light is minimal. This will help blackout curtains, eye masks, earplugs.

  • Wash bedding and sleepwear regularly.

    Fresh clean laundry helps the body to relax. Anything that helps you relax is a friend. Keep it non-toxic.

  • Put away devices that emit blue light (TV, phone, tablet) 2-3 hours before bed.

    Blue light jacks up cortisol.

  • Avoid caffeinated drinks in the afternoon.

    Caffeine’s half-life, is anywhere from 2 to 12 hours, depending on your body.

  • Avoid excessive strength and cardio activities two hours before bed.

    Avoid anything overly mentalling stimulating before bed. This means cutting out most news because they’re primed to grab attention and proke a reaction.

  • Try a grounding sheet.

    In this study, researchers found grounding the human body to earth (“earthing”) during sleep reduced cortisol levels at night and even re-synced cortisol levels with the natural 24-hour circadian rhythm profile.