When the stress hormone cortisol is overactive due to various environmental influences, it often results in insomnia and difficulty falling asleep. More and more people lack sufficient sleep quality, as chronic stress has become one of the most common ailments. Sleep and stress are regulated by a number of hormones, and a balance must be maintained among them to eliminate the problem. But how exactly can you regulate cortisol levels and optimize sleep?
A Brief Excursion: Why We Need Sleep
When we sleep, we are essentially recharging our batteries. Without this regeneration, we can survive for a maximum of 14 days, and probably even less. This is because our organs and immune system undergo special processes and perform cell repairs during this rest period. Above all, however, our brain can no longer absorb much information after being awake for 16 to 20 hours, because this information is only processed and stored during sleep. In one night, we repeatedly go through several sleep phases—if our sleep is intact. Each of these phases fulfills its own important tasks. More about sleep phases and some sleep tips can be found in the article "Better Sleep" (Part 1).
The Stress Hormone Cortisol in Metabolism
Hormones are substances that give cells specific signals by binding to specific receptors. This binding triggers a specific reaction. In this way, countless processes in the body are controlled. You can think of it simply as a lock-and-key principle. Cortisol, for example, is the key for many so-called catabolic processes in metabolism. This means that it provides signals for the breakdown of substances. This breakdown primarily serves energy provision. Cortisol is called a stress hormone because when it senses stress, it informs the cells that more sugar must enter the bloodstream (energy) and at the same time, regenerating processes such as digestion and the immune system are stopped. These processes belong to anabolic metabolism, i.e., the building metabolism, which is the opposite of catabolic metabolism.
Cortisol was therefore especially vital for us humans in the wilderness in the past: If a bear chased us, the stress hormone instantly gave us the signal for "fight & flight mode": Our blood sugar shot up, everything relaxing was stopped, so that we could run away as quickly as possible. This cost a lot of energy. Our body hardly distinguishes in a stress situation between a dangerous bear and mental stress, such as work, arguments, annoying car rides, or sleep deprivation. All these things activate the release of cortisol.
Balance Is Crucial
It is important that neither system is better or worse than the other. Rather, catabolic and anabolic processes should alternate and balance each other out in a healthy body. After fleeing from the bear, the Stone Age human would first rest. Perhaps he would take a nap or find something to eat, but he certainly wouldn't get entangled in a heated phone call with his boss during rush hour and have worries about his unpaid house mortgage in the background.
For our hormones and the organs associated with them, it is extremely important that they can recover again and again. In a healthy biorhythm, cortisol is most active in the morning from six to eight a.m. This is because it is also our "wake-up hormone". In this way, it puts the organism into positive stress at this time so that regenerating hormones such as the sleep hormone melatonin are dialed down.
Our cortisol levels also rise during exercise, but if these are kept short and intense, they have a very positive effect on the stress hormone balance. A time-limited cortisol release with a recovery phase after exercise, which can be supported by good carbohydrates and a calm sitting or lying moment, allows the relaxation hormones to work afterwards. That is exactly what hormone balance is.
Melatonin and Sleep
Melatonin is our sleep hormone. In a natural biorhythm, the release of this messenger substance starts approximately three hours before bedtime. For us to fall asleep well and also sleep through the night, the functionality of melatonin is very decisive. Good and regular sleep hygiene is conducive to this: Going to bed and getting up at always approximately the same time, a cool bedroom temperature, and calming activities in the last three hours before sleeping, as well as a diet that supports melatonin formation, are important aids. The formation of melatonin depends on the amino acid L-tryptophan, which is found mainly in fish, eggs, nuts, and goji berries. It therefore makes sense to eat these foods regularly.
10 Tips for a Melatonin-Cortisol Balance and Better Sleep
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Regular sleep times: Always go to bed before 11 p.m. and get up before 8 a.m.
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Short, intense strength training, regular walks, and generally enough exercise promotes the balance of stress hormones and relaxation hormones. Directly after getting up, a glass of water with a dash of lime juice and some rock salt stimulates cortisol release.
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The right breakfast ensures the release of activating hormones in the morning—for example, at breakfast.
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Eat little sugar and grain, but more protein, vegetables, good fats, and low-sugar fruit such as berries.
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Avoid blue lights in the last three hours before sleeping, because they can disrupt melatonin production. Specifically, this means: No screens, and if you do, only with a blue light filter/night mode.
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Do relaxing activities before sleeping: Yoga, stretching, reading a book, listening to an audiobook, writing down positive affirmations, meditating, and alternating showers reduce cortisol in the evening.
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Use the bedroom exclusively for sleeping! A workplace in the bedroom can stimulate cortisol levels again in the evening.
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A cool and dark bedroom promotes melatonin production: 18°C is optimal, and pitch black is best.
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Avoid heavy and large meals shortly before sleeping. Instead, a few complex carbohydrates and light proteins help: A small bowl of warm gluten-free oatmeal porridge with banana and berries is a balm for sleep hygiene.
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Take a good magnesium supplement before sleeping: The more cortisol our body releases, the more magnesium is filtered through the kidneys and excreted with urine. So if you sleep poorly due to stress, you may have a magnesium deficiency. High bioavailability and the form of the magnesium are important.