Is Cortisol Bad Or Good? (The Answer Might Surprise You)

Fleeing a burning building? Laying on your couch sipping chamomile? Cortisol is there. 

Most people think that cortisol in the bloodstream = bad. 

Here’s the truth:

Having cortisol in your blood means that you’re alive. 

Whether you’re running for your life with a sabertooth tiger close on your heels or relaxing with your favorite Sleep Remedy tea, you’ll have some degree of cortisol in your body. 

Of course, more cortisol in your body means more stress. But check this out — the better we’re able to regulate our cortisol, the more we’re able to handle stress.

Sleep plays a big part in this regulation.

One of the reasons that we sleep is we repair our body we replenish our brain chemistry and flush out toxins. The fewer toxins in our brain, the less cortisol we need in our body to counter the toxic load. In turn, less cortisol = less stress! 

There are a few things that we can do on a regular to decrease manage cortisol and decrease our stress hormones. Some of those things are… 

– Napping
– Meditation
-Yoga
-Tai Chi

Of course, all the above techniques require some amount of time and effort. But what if you don’t have time, or can’t make the effort? 

There is one interesting addition to the list above that requires very little time or energy, and can be incorporated into most people’s daily routines…

Aromatherapy 

Studies have shown that aromatherapy is really quite helpful in immediately reducing stress levels in the body, and having a consistently calming effect on the mind.

The most studied and most powerful aromatherapy scent is lavender. 

This is part of the reason why I decided to create a Lavender option for my Sleep Remedy tea.

Adding the lavender tea to some hot water 30-40 minutes before bed will cue your body to wind down so you can get the sleep you need to keep your cortisol levels properly regulated.

Sleep Remedy Lavender is actually our newest flavor option. In part, because I loved the taste test (and in part because I am prone to impulsive decisions), I jumped in with both feet and told our manufacturer to “let it rip.”

I didn’t think through the fact that, for some people, lavender doesn’t sound like something you’d naturally eat or drink (even though it’s been used as a flavor enhancer for centuries.)