In This Article
In This Article
An At Home sleep test helps determine cortisol imbalance and if it might be causing you sleep disturbances.
Cortisol is considered as the primary stress hormone. It plays a role in many vital body processes. Too much or too little of it causes a variety of problems.
Some call cortisol the body’s alarm system. It spikes when you are facing a stressful situation and fuels your so-called fight or flight response. It’s produced by the adrenal glands and plays a role in mood, motivation, and fear.
Cortisol affects many things in the body.
If your cortisol levels are out of balance, you could experience problems in your:
Health problems associated with cortisol include:
People with very high levels of cortisol experience sleep issues.
They experience restless and fragmented sleep. They also get less sleep overall. People diagnosed with insomnia tend to have higher cortisol levels than other people.
People with sleep apnea also have elevated cortisol levels.
However, scientists are not sure if cortisol directly contributes to sleep apnea or if the conditions for sleep apnea are also causing higher cortisol levels.
Obesity is a good example of this. It increases cortisol levels and puts someone at a higher risk of developing sleep apnea.
These two conditions are associated with higher cortisol levels and sleep disturbances.
There is also evidence that the relationship between sleep and cortisol goes both ways. Poor sleep interferes with cortisol levels. Sleep deprivation causes cortisol to spike. This creates an ongoing cycle of problems between sleep and cortisol.
Researchers aren’t entirely sure why this is the case. They are continually learning more about the relationship between cortisol and sleep.
Researchers believe cortisol is both a cause and a consequence of poor sleep.
There are several things you can do to improve your cortisol levels to normal.
Many of these are natural and require no intervention from a doctor. If you are struggling to get good sleep, it helps to try one or more of these things.
Natural ways to restore cortisol levels include:
Speak to your doctor and consider undergoing an assessment. This is to determine if you are deficient in any vitamins before adding them to your diet.
There is evidence that turmeric or curcumin lowers cortisol levels. Turmeric is a spice that you can add to food or take as a supplement.
Many people swear by drinking Golden Milk. It is a blend of turmeric, warm milk, and other spices including ginger or cinnamon at bedtime. It’s commonly consumed by Ayurvedic practitioners.
In addition to potentially improving cortisol levels and helping with sleep, Golden Milk might also:
Many of these benefits are specifically linked to the turmeric in Golden Milk.
Yes.
Many cortisol tests can be done at home. You need to submit only saliva or urine to evaluate your cortisol levels. A cortisol urine test helps your doctor determine how your cortisol levels fluctuate throughout the day.
To undergo a cortisol urine test, you will:
To undergo a cortisol saliva test, you will:.
In addition to tests provided by your doctor, there are also cortisol tests you can take on your own. At home tests utilize saliva samples and provide you with basic information about your cortisol levels.
It’s a good idea to discuss your results with a medical professional, especially if you intend to make changes to adjust your cortisol levels.