Important to know: What are the functions of cortisol hormone, what is the effect of its increase or decrease on the body? Know everything..
- byshika
- 31 May, 2025

There is some activity going on in our body continuously. A system works to keep all the functions of the body running smoothly, hormones have a special role in it.
Hormones are chemical messengers that control various processes in our body such as body growth, metabolism, mood, and other functions. Cortisol is also one such very important hormone that is very important for the body in many ways.
Imagine that your body is a big company, where every hormone plays the role of a department head. In this company, a hormone called cortisol works as crisis management. As soon as the body feels any problem (stress, injury, or illness), cortisol immediately becomes active.
Health experts say that cortisol is a life-saving hormone that gives us the strength to fight many types of problems. But when its imbalance starts in the body, it can cause many problems.
First, know about this hormone.
Cortisol is an important hormone, which is produced by the adrenal glands. It is also called stress hormone because its secretion increases rapidly during stress. However, cortisol not only helps in dealing with stress but also performs many other important functions in the body.
It also has a role in managing blood sugar-blood pressure, metabolism, and sleep-wake cycle. If the level of cortisol remains high or low for a long time, it can be harmful to the body.
Let's know how.
The problem of high cortisol
High cortisol can cause many health problems, the most prominent of which is Cushing's syndrome. Know that Anant Ambani is struggling with this problem, you can get complete information from here.
A study found that long-term high cortisol levels can damage the hippocampus (part of the brain associated with memory and learning). Due to this, you start having mental problems. Similarly, high cortisol also increases the risk of heart disease as it increases both inflammation and blood pressure.
The condition of increased cortisol can cause weight gain, accumulation of fat between the shoulder bones, high blood pressure, high sugar, and muscle weakness. Cortisol reduces the effect of insulin, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Similarly, the effect of cortisol on blood vessels can make your blood pressure uncontrolled.
What happens when cortisol is low?
Like increased cortisol, low cortisol is also not good for the body. If the level of cortisol goes below normal, it can also be problematic. Due to this, problems like fatigue and weakness, weight loss and lack of appetite, low blood pressure can occur. Due to low cortisol, mood disorders like depression and irritability also start occurring.
How to keep it under control?
Health experts say that you can control cortisol by keeping a proper routine and following some habits.
Meditation is the best way to do this. It can reduce the level of cortisol hormone by 20-30%. Similarly, regular exercise, yoga and walking are also particularly useful. At least 7-8 hours of deep sleep every night is necessary to keep cortisol levels under control; lack of sleep can also cause this hormone to become unbalanced.
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