The Hormones

Do you know that the three major stress hormones are: Adrenaline, Cortisol and Norepinephrine

Adrenaline and Norepinephrine are mainly responsible for the immediate reactions we feel when stressed or anxious.

Adrenaline can increase your heart rate, cause excessive sweating and can cause shortness of breath but it can also provide you with a surge of energy hence the term adrenaline rush.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone, commonly known as the stress hormone, it is produced by the adrenal glands. It is released throughout the body through the blood stream.

Cortisol has several functions: it controls blood sugar levels, it helps to regulate our metabolism, it works as an anti-inflammatory, it influences memory, it also helps to control salt and water balance, influences blood pressure and helps with fetus development.

According to the website healthyplace.com "Most people with anxiety need to find ways to lower their cortisol levels to lower their anxiety. Cortisol is a chemical produced by your adrenal glands. It’s an important part of overall, robust health, because cortisol gives you the energy to face challenges and move past them.

Too much cortisol in your bloodstream causes and/or exacerbates anxiety, and can wreak havoc on your health in lots of other ways. As part of self-help stress management, it is important to find ways to lower your overall cortisol levels. This will also lessen your anxiety disorder symptoms."

Norepinephrine is a hormone similar to adrenaline, released by both the adrenal gland and the brain. The primary role of norepinephrine is arousal. It aids the blood flow to shift away from areas such as your skin where it might not be so crucial, and shift it towards essential areas where it’s needed, for example your muscles.

Once I had a better understanding of what stress hormones were and their functionality, I made changes to my life. I introduced spirituality, meditation and physical activity into my life, I modified my diet, I changed my reaction and perception to stress, all of which not only contributed to me lowering my cortisol levels, I also felt a whole lot better. An interesting fact that I came across, cortisol levels not only influences how we feel, it also is responsible for storing fat which usually ends up in the belly area.