By Dr. Karen DeVore
Let’s talk about cortisol. You’ve probably heard it called “the stress hormone”—and while that’s true, it’s also a bit of an oversimplification. Cortisol is one of the most essential hormones in your body, playing a key role in everything from your energy levels and metabolism to your mood and immune system.
But like anything in the body, balance is everything. When cortisol is too high or too low for too long, it can wreak havoc on your health.
I see this every day—patients who are feeling tired, wired, inflamed, anxious, or burnt out, but whose lab work comes back “normal.” Often, the missing piece of the puzzle is cortisol imbalance.
So, What Exactly Is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands, two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and acts like a built-in alarm system. Its job is to help your body respond to stress—physical, emotional, or environmental. It also plays a role in blood sugar regulation, blood pressure, circadian rhythm (your sleep-wake cycle), and inflammation control.
When your body perceives a threat—whether it’s a traffic jam or a tough meeting—your brain sends a signal to your adrenals to release cortisol. In the short term, this is a good thing. It sharpens your focus, gives you a burst of energy, and helps you respond quickly.
But here’s the problem – most of us are living in a state of chronic stress. And your body doesn’t always know the difference between an actual emergency and an overflowing inbox or constant worry. In a healthy rhythm, cortisol rises in the morning to wake you up and drops in the evening to help you sleep. This natural rise and fall is what keeps your energy, focus, and mood stable.
Signs Your Cortisol Might Be Out of Balance
When cortisol levels stay elevated for too long (or crash too low after prolonged stress), your body begins to show signs. Common symptoms include:
- Fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Anxiety, irritability, or feeling “on edge”
- Weight gain, especially around the abdomen
- Brain fog or poor memory
- Low libido or irregular cycles
- Frequent illness or slow recovery
- Cravings for sugar, salt, or caffeine
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Cortisol dysregulation is incredibly common—but it’s often overlooked or misunderstood in conventional medicine.
Why Conventional Approaches Often Miss the Mark
In a traditional medical model, symptoms like these are often treated individually: fatigue gets a stimulant, mood gets a prescription, sleep gets a sedative. But those approaches rarely look at the bigger picture.
Instead, we ask: What’s going on beneath the surface? Why is your body stuck in survival mode? How can we help it shift into healing mode?
That’s where integrative care—and a deeper understanding of cortisol—can make all the difference.
How We Help: An Integrative Approach to Cortisol Health
We begin by mapping your body’s stress response through advanced testing. This often includes saliva-based cortisol panels or the DUTCH test, which track your hormone rhythms over the course of the day. From there, we create a personalized plan that supports your whole system—mind and body.
True healing takes a whole-body approach. Here’s how we support cortisol health with integrative strategies:
Nervous System Support: Acupuncture is one of the most powerful tools we have for regulating the nervous system. It helps shift the body out of “fight or flight” and into “rest and digest,” lowering cortisol and promoting resilience over time.
Herbal & Nutritional Therapy: Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, and holy basil can help regulate stress response and support adrenal function. We also assess your nutrition and supplement needs to ensure you have the raw materials (like magnesium and B vitamins) to make and regulate cortisol.
Sleep & Circadian Rhythm Repair: We address sleep habits and may use gentle support like melatonin or phosphatidylserine to help reset your rhythm. A good night’s sleep is one of the most powerful cortisol regulators.
Lifestyle Coaching: Sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come from the smallest shifts: boundaries, breathwork, journaling, or simply learning how to say no. We partner with you to identify and reduce your unique stress triggers.
Your Body Isn’t Broken—It’s Communicating
If you’ve been feeling off, tired, anxious, or just not like yourself, your cortisol levels could be part of the story. At the Tortoise Clinic, we believe that symptoms are signals—not failures. When you give your body the right support, it knows how to heal.
Whether you’re in the early stages of stress overload or feeling the long-term effects of burnout, we’re here to help you find your balance again—slowly, steadily, and intentionally.
Ready to rebalance your stress response? Schedule your consultation at TortoiseClinic.com or call 850.267.5611 to learn how integrative care can support your cortisol and your overall well-being. Because wellness isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. Let’s walk it together.
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