If we have trauma or lots of stress (like chronic pain or illness – remember the physical stress is the same as emotional stress on your Limbic system) where was I, okay, when we wake up after a night of stress, our cortisol levels are high.
High cortisol causes – Fatigue, Weight gain, easy bruising, swelling, especially the legs, mood swings, mental fog, muscle weakness, potassium to go down, it lowers your bodies ability to fight infection.
Where does the cortisone come from? Stress causes a rise in Adrenaline – which is the hormone meant to protect us from dying – like say you are lying on the street bleeding out – your body reacts by pushing out Adrenaline to raise your blood pressure and pulse. It also causes release of anti-diuretic hormone – ADH – from the Limbic system. This is all to keep your blood volume up.
The body reacts to ANY stress as if you are bleeding out. Or as if you need to get ready to fight or flee. So now if the Adrenaline is up for more than 3 days, Cortisone starts to go up. Cortisone is from your adrenal glands.
Your body needs to feel safe. Many of us don’t feel safe. Especially today. No money. The plague is causing havoc. There is lack social contact. There is distrust in the medical system. In every system. We’re all a little fed up.
What can we control? Only ourselves. Start with little baby steps. Ways to Calm down. If you can’t do everything you want to, give yourself a break. Be curious. What is stopping me from doing the work to get better? The last thing you need is judgement. Be kind to yourself and others.
Take care
Judy