Cortisol is the hormone your body produces under stress. It is part of our fight or flight survival system. While this hormone can provide the push you need to survive a dangerous encounter or get through an urgent assignment at work, it can be very toxic to our bodies in chronic high doses.
The good news is that stress management therapy can be very beneficial. Here are some things to bear in mind.
Understanding the Need to Regulate Your Cortisol Levels
Cortisol can have debilitating impact on your health over time. Here are some concerns to be aware of.
Heart disease
Cortisol increases adrenaline levels. This accelerates your heart rate and boosts your blood pressure. This will obviously put more strain on your heart. Over time, that can lead to an increased risk of heart disease. In fact, cortisol is estimated to contribute to 30% of all cases of hypertension.
Higher glucose levels
According to Rebecca Hasson, PhD, Director, Childhood Disparities Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan most people don’t realize that cortisol also increases blood sugar levels. She states that high stress is one of the reasons that one in three Americans will develop diabetes in their lives. This increases your risk of diabetes, which in turn raises the risk of blindness, kidney failure, loss of touch and other problems.
Weakened immune system
High levels of stress can lower your white blood cell count. This leaves you more vulnerable to a wide range of diseases.
You May Need Stress Management Therapy to Keep Your Cortisol in Check
Managing your stress can be difficult on your own. Visiting counselor can make a big difference. Naya Clinics offers some tips stress management therapy provides to help you manage your stress better.
Find better work Life balance
Most people complain that they feel overworked. This is a common problem in the United States.
There are several ways that a therapist may help. First, they may help you decide whether or not working long hours is in your best interest. They may advise you to stop taking as much overtime or look for a less demanding job.
Sometimes, working fewer hours is not viable. Fortunately, your counselor may find other ways to help you. They may come up with ways that you can minimize your stress while you are at work. They may also help you get more benefits from relaxing while you are off the clock. There are a number of suggestions they may offer, which include taking up new hobbies or improving the quality of your social life.
Overcoming past traumas
A surprising number of people are suffering from some form of PTSD. This can come from seldom discussed experiences, such as sexual assault or years of emotional abuse. Speaking with a licensed counselor can help you sort through these problems.
Processing problems plaguing your subconscious mind
We can’t always pinpoint the source of our stress. Talking to a therapist can help us make sense of our problems.
Putting things in perspective
You may have a nagging problem that keeps weighing on you. It might be something as simple as a statement that your spouse or best friend said to tease you, but hurt your feelings a lot more. A therapist can help you put that in perspective.
Working out a better way to resolve interpersonal issues
Unpleasant encounters with people in our lives can make us miserable. A therapist can help us find better ways to get through them. This can include better understanding their positions, so we don’t get so upset by what they say. It can also focus on building better communication skills to work through them.
Talking to a Stress Management Therapist May Be Exactly What You Need
There are a lot of benefits of stress management therapy. Make sure you that you speak with a counselor with a proven track record for helping their clients.