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And when you do stop to breathe, your busy mind prevents you from properly switching off.
Social media has a name for this cortisol addiction.
“The concept of cortisol addiction has gained a lot of attention on social media,” explainsDr.
Leah Kaylor, a licensed psychologist specializing in sleep.
‘Cortisol addiction’ isn’t without its controversy, as we found out when we asked the experts.
What is cortisol addiction?
But cortisol itself isn’t the bogeyman it first seems to be.
“People become used to being ‘in go mode’ all the time,” saysDr.
Emma Lin, Sleep Medicine Specialist.
“The body becomes used to being stressed.
Then, when you are meant to relax, you cant.”
Is cortisol addiction real?
Like many social media trends, cortisol addiction has its critics.
Including Dr, Ruchir Patel, founder of theInsomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona.
“There is not peer reviewed psychiatric literature as a formal disorder.”
How does cortisol addiction impact your sleep?
During moments of stress the energy boost of increased cortisol allows you to better tackle the problem at hand.
But once that stress has gone, your body needs time to rebalance your cortisol.
And this is bad for your sleep.
“Persistently elevated cortisol directly interferes with sleep architecture,” says Dr. Vayali.
“Normally cortisol follows a circadian rhythm, peaking in the morning and declining by evening.
But high stress environments flatten this curve, keeping levels high at night.”
Dr. Lin describes the result as “tired but wired.”
“Elevated evening cortisol levels are associated with delayed sleep onset,” says Dr. Kaylor.
“This is because cortisol promotes alertness.”
This is likely a sign you’re experiencingsleep deprivation.)
If this becomes a reoccurring problem, consistently high cortisol levels can potentially lead tolong-term sleep deprivation.
“Prolonged daytime stress primes the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to remain hyperactive, fragmenting sleep quality.”
How to naturally lower your cortisol level
It’s not possible to ‘quit’ a cortisol addiction.
However, there are methods you could use to naturally balance cortisol levels.
Dr. Lin describes it as your body learning “that it’s acceptable to relax.”
Mindfulness for better sleepaims not only to help you drift off but also to teach you to find calm.
And it doesn’t need to be a complex yoga routine or guided meditation.
“Relax and take a deep breath,” Dr. Lin suggests.
(bummer, I know.)"
“Digesting food is an energy-intensive process… “Cut out caffeine 10 hours before bed,” says Dr. Kaylor.
“As adults we have the tendency to go go go,” says Dr. Kaylor.
“When considering evening movement, focus on earlier, and something that prioritizes deep breathing.”
“A very easy tip is to get sunlight exposure,” explains Dr. Kaylor.
A gentler sound starts your day on a more even keel.
