Cortisol, Stress and Balance: How to Support Your Body When Life Feels Too Much
We live in a fast-paced world, constantly plugged in and switched on, with work pressures, family responsibilities, financial concerns, health issues, and daily busyness, all of which add up. This can leave us feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated and burnt out.
In short bursts, stress helps you respond and perform and is even anti-inflammatory and protective. However, when stress becomes constant, the hormone cortisol can remain elevated and begin to significantly impact mood, sleep, hormones, immunity, metabolism, and many other aspects of health.
At Earthflow Health Naturopathy, I help people understand the relationship between cortisol and stress and how this impacts our whole being by finding natural solutions to restore balance and resilience, harmonising your mind, body, spirit.
What is cortisol, and why it matters
Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands and is central to the body’s response to challenge. It helps the body mobilise energy, maintain blood pressure, regulate inflammation and support the sleep-wake cycle.
Cortisol is not the enemy, as many people are led to believe. Cortisol is vital, and in healthy rhythms, it supports survival, focus and recovery. The issue arises when cortisol remains elevated for prolonged periods. That is when we start to see physical and emotional consequences that can have debilitating consequences.
The benefits and problems with cortisol
Cortisol benefits the body in numerous ways. It helps you wake up with focus in the morning, provides extra energy when you need to respond quickly, and tempers inflammation during short-term injuries or infections.
However, chronically high cortisol can have negative effects. Persistent elevations are linked to sleep disruption, mood changes, lowered immunity, increased central fat storage, and disturbances in blood sugar regulation, as cortisol increases blood sugar by triggering the liver to produce more glucose. This is called the “fight or flight “response.
Modern life can keep the stress system switched on and cause these problems to accumulate, leading to systemic negative effects, such as blood sugar dysregulation, insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
Recognising high cortisol: common symptoms
Many people live with elevated cortisol without realising it.
Common high cortisol symptoms include:
Feeling wired but exhausted
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Sugar or carbohydrate cravings and stress eating
Weight gain around the belly and trunk
Heightened anxiety or mood swings
Low libido and irregular menstrual cycles
More frequent infections or slow recovery from illness
If you notice several of these signs, it is definitely worth exploring how stress is affecting you and how implementing natural strategies can significantly improve your wellbeing and resilience.
How cortisol links to weight gain
Cortisol and weight gain are closely related for several reasons. Cortisol signals the body to preserve energy and promotes fat storage, especially in the abdominal area. At the same time, high cortisol increases cravings for high-carbohydrate, energy-dense foods. Our bodies think we are in “battle mode”, and this activation of blood glucose is constantly turned on.
This pattern encourages stress eating and fluctuating blood sugar levels that further stimulate cortisol. Cortisol also impacts our hormones, which help regulate our metabolism and moods.
Working to reduce cortisol levels naturally through a targeted treatment plan and care can significantly help alleviate sugar cravings, supporting sustainable weight management.
The wide-ranging effects of stress on the body
Stress impacts our whole system – mind, body, spirit. Here are some key ways chronic stress and elevated cortisol can show up in the body:
Nervous system and mental health
Chronic stress keeps the sympathetic nervous system more active than is healthy. Over time, this leads to symptoms of increased anxiety, reduced concentration and cognitive abilities and a general sense of constantly being on the edge.
Our nervous systems are in hyper alert mode, and this dysregulated cortisol has far-reaching effects across the body, including mood disorders and persistent anxiety, greatly impacting your daily life and function. Research shows complex, bidirectional links between cortisol, stress and psychiatric symptoms.
Digestive and metabolic systems
Stress can significantly slow digestion or, in some cases, accelerate food transit through the gut, disrupting the natural balance of gut microbiota. This can lead to bloating, reflux, abdominal discomfort, and altered bowel habits such as diarrhoea or constipation. Elevated cortisol levels also affect blood sugar regulation and appetite hormones, increasing cravings for high-sugar or high-fat foods and, over time, raising the risk of insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.
Chronic stress can therefore contribute not only to gastrointestinal symptoms but also to wider cardiometabolic consequences. Recent reviews in metabolic medicine highlight cortisol’s central role in shaping cardiometabolic health, influencing weight distribution, fat storage, and obesity risk, while also affecting inflammatory pathways and energy metabolism.
Immune system and inflammation
Short-term cortisol helps regulate inflammation. But long-term stress can create immune dysregulation and a tendency to chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress. This can underlie many chronic illnesses and make recovery slower.
Recent reviews in endocrinology and immunology highlight the complex interactions between cortisol and immune processes, as well as cortisol's influence on oxidative stress pathways, in the context of chronic disease.
Cardiovascular health
Sustained stress and altered cortisol patterns have a significant impact on the cardiovascular system. Chronic elevation of cortisol can lead to increased blood pressure, a higher heart rate, and vasoconstriction, thereby placing ongoing strain on the heart and vascular system. Over time, this heightened cardiovascular load can contribute to atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness, and other forms of vascular dysfunction.
Additionally, high cortisol levels influence lipid metabolism and fat distribution, often leading to increased abdominal fat, which in turn further elevates cardiometabolic risk. Chronic stress can also exacerbate insulin resistance, increase inflammatory markers, and trigger oxidative stress, all of which place additional strain on the cardiovascular system.
Over many years, these combined effects contribute to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. Clinicians and researchers are exploring how dysregulated cortisol contributes to long-term heart disease risk.
Stress and the workplace: signs of burnout
Workplace stress is a major trigger for chronic cortisol activation. Our modern world is often not in alignment with the needs of our nervous system. Countless phone calls, hundreds of emails, constant messages incoming and a never-ending workload can make some of us feel despair. Add workplace clashes, where some individuals experience or feel unseen, unheard, and undervalued, and you have a recipe for stress and burnout.
Signs that stress at work is becoming damaging include:
Emotional exhaustion and loss of motivation
Reduced ability to concentrate and make decisions
A sense of detachment or cynicism about work
Stress that filters through to other areas of your life
Sleep problems and persistent tiredness
Recurrent infections or persistent physical complaints
Depression, anxiety and low mood.
These feelings are common, and you are not alone. The good news is that there is some wonderful support available that can help you manage and cope significantly better. Even if you can’t change your environment, you can definitely change your inner one.
How stress increases nutrient needs
When you are stressed, your body uses more of certain vitamins and minerals. With so many Australians not getting close to eating their daily RDI of whole grains, veggies and fruit, this means that under chronic stress, you can become functionally low in nutrients that help the nervous system and adrenal function. Key nutrients that are used up more quickly when stressed include vitamin C, B vitamins (especially B5 and B6), magnesium and zinc.
Replenishing these nutrients through whole foods, targeted supplementation, and lifestyle support is often part of a naturopathic plan for restoring resilience and can have a profoundly positive impact on your daily life.
The Best vitamins and herbs to support stress
Nature offers many supportive options. Below are commonly used nutrients and botanicals that research and clinical practice support for stress and cortisol balance. Always consult a practitioner for personalised dosing and potential contraindications.
Adaptogens and herbal supports
Ashwagandha: an adaptogen shown in trials to lower perceived stress and sometimes reduce cortisol.
Rhodiola: supports energy and mental resilience, useful for stress-related fatigue.
Holy basil (Tulsi): used traditionally for calming and for modulating stress responses.
Licorice root: influences cortisol metabolism and can be useful short term under professional guidance.
Please note - it is very important to understand that herbs, although natural, do have interactions with certain medications or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Please check with a qualified practitioner before taking any herbs.
It is also crucial to remember that adaptogens are only beneficial if you have the foundations in place first place. They are to be treated carefully; they will not replace good restorative sleep! If you take these without addressing any sleep issues first, you run the risk of burning out in the long run. Adaptogens will only take you so far.
Gentle Herbal Supports for Stress
While adaptogens like ashwagandha and rhodiola are well-known for supporting resilience, there are also many calming herbs that gently support the nervous system, mood, and sleep without overstimulating the body. These are particularly useful for everyday stress, mild anxiety, or to complement lifestyle changes.
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
Benefits: Chamomile is renowned for its calming and soothing properties. It can help reduce nervous tension, mild anxiety, and insomnia. Its gentle anti-inflammatory effects also support digestive comfort, which is often affected by stress.
How to use: Typically consumed as a warm tea before bed to promote relaxation and better sleep. Chamomile extracts are also available in tincture or capsule form.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Benefits: Lemon balm is a mild nervine and mood-supporting herb. Research suggests that it may help alleviate restlessness, anxiety, and nervous tension and can enhance sleep quality. It also has mild antioxidant and digestive benefits.
How to use: Often taken as a tea, tincture, or capsule. It blends well with chamomile for a calming herbal infusion.
Milky Oats (Avena sativa)
Benefits: Milky oats are known as a nutritive and calming nervine. They support the nervous system, reduce fatigue and irritability, and promote emotional resilience during chronic stress or recovery from burnout. They also provide minerals like calcium and magnesium, which the body uses more during times of stress.
How to use: Usually taken as a tincture or infusion.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Benefits: Lavender is widely used for its calming aroma and mild anxiolytic effects. It supports relaxation, eases nervous tension, and improves sleep quality. Lavender has also been studied for its ability to lower mild stress and reduce heart rate in stressful situations.
How to use: Can be used as an essential oil in aromatherapy, added to baths, or taken as a tea. Capsules or tinctures are also available.
Other Gentle Nervines to Consider for Stress Reduction
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata): A wonderful herb for immediately easing intense panic disorders and panic attacks. Supports sleep and reduces anxiety. Often used for restlessness, ruminating thoughts and mild insomnia.
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca): A beautiful heart remedy. Motherwort supports the person with heart palpitations from stress and anxiety while easing insomnia, nervousness and tension.
Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): An incredible herb for tension, sleep support, nervousness, anxiety and stress.
How These Herbs Work to reduce stress
These gentle nervine herbs work in several ways:
Supporting the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest).
Enhancing neurotransmitter balance (like GABA activity) to promote calm.
Reducing mild physical symptoms of stress, such as a racing heart, tension, or restlessness.
Providing nourishing minerals and antioxidants that are often depleted during chronic stress.
Tips for Using Herbal Supports Safely
Start with small amounts to see how your body responds.
Combine herbs thoughtfully. Chamomile, lemon balm, and milky oats often pair well for daily calming support.
Consult a professional if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or have chronic conditions. A naturopath can help tailor dosages and combinations for your individual needs
Nutrients for reducing stress
Magnesium: calms the nervous system and supports sleep and muscle relaxation.
B-complex vitamins: support energy metabolism and nervous system health.
Vitamin C: an antioxidant used by the adrenals and helpful during stress.
Omega-3 fatty acids: reduce inflammation and support mood regulation.
Clinical evidence supports the use of several of these agents for reducing stress and supporting healthier cortisol rhythms; however, individual plans and therapeutic doses are best guided by an experienced naturopath.
Natural strategies to reduce cortisol levels
Small, consistent habits often make the biggest difference. Here are practical, evidence-informed strategies:
Meditation and breathing
Meditation, even in short daily sessions, consistently shows benefits for stress reactivity and wellbeing. Mindful breathing practices lower heart rate and help the body move into a parasympathetic state – which is our rest and digest mode. Begin with five to ten minutes daily and build gradually.
Gentle exercise and outdoor time
Moderate movement is restorative. Gentle exercises, such as walking, restorative yoga, or tai chi, help regulate cortisol levels without creating additional stress. Going outside is especially powerful. Walking, listening to the birds, breathing fresh air, and spending time in nature have measurable calming effects on the nervous system, helping cortisol return to healthier levels.
Sleep and routine
Prioritise consistent sleep patterns. Poor sleep disrupts cortisol rhythms; we need low cortisol at night in order to produce melatonin – our sleep hormone. Consistent bed and wake-up times, as well as calming evening rituals, are important. Small changes, such as turning off screens earlier and establishing a relaxing pre-sleep routine, are highly effective.
Nourish the body consistently
Regular meals with protein, healthy fats and fibre help stabilise blood sugar and avoid the cortisol spikes associated with hypoglycaemia and stress eating. Avoiding excessive caffeine and refined sugars supports a steadier mood and energy.
Social connection and talking therapies
Talking to someone, whether a friend, counsellor or naturopath, helps process stress and reduces the sense of being alone with problems. Therapeutic conversations can change the way stress is perceived and reduce physiological reactivity, greatly impacting your health in a positive way.
Addressing stress eating
Stress eating is a common response to elevated cortisol. Cravings for sweet or starchy foods can briefly calm the nervous system, but they also reinforce blood sugar swings and further cortisol release. Strategies to manage stress eating include regular nourishing meals, mindful eating practices, addressing underlying emotional triggers and introducing calming rituals to replace food as the first response to distress.
Oxidative stress and the long-term effects of stress on the body
Chronic stress increases oxidative stress, a process where free radicals cause cellular damage. Oxidative stress interacts with inflammation and metabolic pathways, accelerating tissue wear and contributing to chronic disease. Supporting antioxidant intake through diet, sleep, adaptive lifestyle, and certain targeted nutrients is part of a holistic plan to protect tissues and reduce the long-term effects of stress.
When to seek professional help
If you are noticing several signs of burnout, ongoing anxiety, mood imbalances, rapid weight changes, persistent poor sleep, or simply feeling unable to cope, please reach out for support. You do not need to manage this alone.
A doctor can assess your mental health and, if needed, refer you to a qualified therapist or mental health specialist who can provide emotional and psychological support. Early intervention makes a real difference and helps prevent symptoms from becoming more entrenched.
A naturopath can work alongside your healthcare team to assess your diet, lifestyle, sleep, and nutrient status. Together, you can explore gentle ways to reduce cortisol levels, calm your nervous system, and cultivate long-term resilience. This may include nutritional guidance, herbal medicine, and practical lifestyle tools tailored to your individual needs.
Working with qualified practitioners ensures you have the right combination of medical care, emotional support, and holistic strategies. Each plays a valuable role in helping you recover balance and feel like yourself again
Gentle, practical stress reduction steps to start today
Take three slow, deep breaths before responding to a stressful message.
Walk outside for ten minutes on your lunch break and notice birdsong or the wind in the trees – by tuning into nature, we can calm our nervous systems, busy minds and relax our breathing.
Add a portion of leafy greens and a whole food vitamin C-rich fruit to your daily meals.
Try five minutes of guided meditation before bed and a nice warm cup of herbal sleepy tea.
Schedule one conversation with a supportive person when you feel overwhelmed.
Small acts add up. Over time, they help reshape how your body responds to stress and naturally lower cortisol levels.
Final thoughts on cortisol and stress
Cortisol is a vital hormone that helps us meet challenges. The goal is balance: to keep the beneficial effects of cortisol while preventing chronic overactivation. Through mindful daily practices, nourishing food, gentle movement in nature, targeted nutrients and compassionate professional support, you can reduce the physical effects of stress and live with more calm and energy.
If you would like help designing a personalised plan, Earthflow Health Naturopathy is here to listen and to walk with you as you restore balance.
Book a consultation today, or request a complimentary 15-minute Discovery Call to discuss how I can help you.