It’s easy to dismiss stress as just another part of life, but when it lingers too long, it begins to reshape not just our emotions but also our bodies. The hormone cortisol plays a significant role in how we respond to stress, regulating energy, metabolism, and immune function. However, when stress becomes chronic, excess cortisol can lead to physical and emotional imbalances—showing up in ways we might not even recognize at first.

5 Signs Your Cortisol Levels Are Too High

1. Persistent Fatigue & Sleep Disruptions

   Normally, cortisol follows a rhythm—rising in the morning to wake us up and lowering at night to allow rest. When cortisol is chronically high, this cycle is disrupted, leaving you feeling drained during the day yet unable to relax at night. You may wake up feeling unrested or experience a “second wind” in the evening that keeps you wired but exhausted.

2. Increased Belly Fat, Facial Puffiness & Sugar Cravings

   Cortisol signals the body to store fat, particularly in the abdomen and face, as part of its survival mechanism. You might notice unexplained weight gain around the midsection or a fuller, rounder face even if your diet hasn’t changed. Additionally, high cortisol increases cravings for sugar and processed carbs, further exacerbating weight gain and inflammation.

3. Brain Fog & Difficulty Concentrating

   Struggling to focus, feeling mentally sluggish, or forgetting simple things? Elevated cortisol can shrink the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. Chronic stress diverts energy away from higher cognitive functions, leaving you scattered and overwhelmed.

4. Frequent Illness & Slow Healing

   Cortisol suppresses immune function over time, making you more susceptible to colds, infections, and inflammation-related issues. If you find yourself frequently under the weather or noticing that cuts and bruises take longer to heal, your body may be struggling with excessive stress.

5. Emotional Instability, Anxiety & Irritability

   When cortisol remains elevated, it can heighten feelings of anxiety, make you more reactive to stress, and lead to mood swings. You may feel on edge, overly emotional, or more impatient than usual, struggling to regulate your responses to everyday challenges.

“The number one root of all illness, as we know, is stress.” – Marianne Williamson

Detoxing Cortisol: A Holistic Approach to Mind, Body & Spirit

Healing from chronic stress isn’t about eliminating stress entirely—it’s about retraining the body and nervous system to respond differently. A true detox goes beyond diet alone, addressing the mind, body, and spirit to bring cortisol levels back into balance.

Mind: Rewire Stressful Thought Patterns

• Journaling: Processing emotions on paper helps the brain shift out of stress mode and gain perspective.

• Breathwork & Mindfulness: Deep, intentional breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling safety to the body and lowering cortisol. Techniques like box breathing (inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4) or diaphragmatic breathing help regulate stress responses.

• Digital Detox: Too much screen time—especially social media and news—can overstimulate the brain and keep cortisol elevated. Try setting screen-free times in your day.

Body: Nourish & Restore

• Prioritize Restorative Sleep: Reduce caffeine, dim the lights in the evening, and create a consistent bedtime routine. Sleep is one of the most effective ways to regulate cortisol naturally.

• Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition: Reduce processed foods, excess caffeine, and refined sugar. Incorporate whole foods, healthy fats, omega-3s, and magnesium-rich foods like dark leafy greens to support adrenal health.

• Gentle Movement: Swap high-intensity workouts for cortisol-friendly exercises like yoga, Pilates, and nature walks, which help lower stress levels rather than spike them.

Spirit: Reconnect & Surrender

• Contemplative Prayer & Meditation: Stillness invites God’s peace into your nervous system. Breath prayers, Lectio Divina, and sitting in God’s presence all help shift the body into a state of rest and trust.

• Nature Walks: Being outdoors lowers cortisol and reminds us of the rhythms of God’s creation, which are inherently slow and sustainable.

• Sabbath & Surrender: Practicing rest as a spiritual discipline reminds us that we don’t have to hold everything together. God invites us into rhythms of grace rather than exhaustion.

A Sacred Invitation to Rest

God designed us for rhythms of rest and renewal. Jesus often withdrew to quiet places to pray (Luke 5:16), modeling the importance of stepping away from the chaos of life. If your cortisol levels have been running high, consider this an invitation to slow down, to listen to your body, and to allow the Holy Spirit to bring you back into alignment.

Stress may be inevitable, but living in a state of constant overwhelm is not. Through intentional detoxing—mind, body, and spirit—you can recalibrate and return to a place of “rest and digest”, where your nervous system is regulated, your heart is centered, and your soul is at rest.