The Brain, Stress, and Exercise.
Written by Dr. Jessica Joyce
Cortisol is “Nature’s Alarm System” also known as the “Stress Hormone.”
Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone which is produced when you’re under a real or perceived threat.
Increases (particularly prolonged increases) in cortisol levels increase sugars in the bloodstream and slow all non-essential functions in the body.
What does this mean?
Higher cortisol levels result in higher glucose levels, as well as altering immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system, and growth process. Increases in cortisol levels also impact the brain regions that control mood, motivation, and fear.
When stressors are always present and you constantly feel under attack, that fight-or-flight reaction stays turned on. Long-term activation of the stress response system and the overexporsure to cortisol disrupt almost all of your body’s processes, which can include:
Anxiety
Depression
Digestive Problems
Headaches
Muscle Tension and Pain
Heart Disease, Heart Attack, High Blood Pressure, and Stroke
Sleep Problems
Weight Gain
Memory and Concentration Impairment
How do we combat these issues?
Relaxation Exercises
Physical Exercise
Nutrition
Proper Sleep
Self-care (What I refer to as the “Un-Fun” vs. “Fill Your Bucket”
Exercise and the Brain
Low impact exercise (walking/yoga) burn off excess cortisol in the brain without creating additional cortisol.
Moderate to high intensity exercise creates small amounts of cortisol in the brain to power you through your workout (perceived threat & stress on the body). However, throughout the course of a typical moderate to high intensity workout our body burns off the cortisol created (and sometimes extra).
Exercise acclimates the brain and body to a stress response in a non-threatening way. In fact, some of the same things happen to our body when we exercise and when we experience panic. Exercise prepares the body and brain to better deal with anxiety.
