I was on a group call this week. The MD  that was presenting said something that should serve as a wake-up call. 

Cortisol has a biological effect of up to 12-hours.

Let that sink in.

It’s sort of like “half-life” … the time it takes for 50% of the effects to be eliminated.

I thought caffeine had a long half-life but … caffeine’s average half-life is only 3 to 6 hours.

Note: This is why you need to avoid caffeine after noon. 🚫

If you have a high-stress meeting at 9 AM, that load is still circulating in your system at 9 PM. If you hit another spike at lunch, you are effectively swimming in stress hormones when you lay your head down at night.

This is a physiological math problem.

When you are repeatedly in a state of heightened stress, your body never gets the chance to mitigate the effects. The load just stacks.

For mature women, this shows up in two very specific … and very frustrating … ways.

Belly fat and disturbed sleep. 😮

Your body perceives constant threat, so it stores fuel right at the center to protect your organs. It is survival mode. Not a lack of willpower. Not a character flaw.

Then, because the “alert” signal  is still screaming through your system, sleep becomes fragmented. You won’t make progress with any health initiative if you are not sleeping. But you can’t sleep soundly if your cortisol won’t drop. 

This is why managing stress is more than a wellness luxury. It is a biological necessity.

You have to reduce the load. You have to recalibrate the system. 

If you are tired of fighting your own physiology, it is time to MOLT the stress and restore your capacity.

Until next week …

Be Well!