Cortisol concerns? Here's what to know about lowering your stress hormone

Shawn King uses deep breathing exercises to help manage stress and lower her cortisol levels. "After doing some of these simple things, I've realized, oh, you know, I can feel much better," King said. Every Saturday morning, King leads yoga sessions on the beach, not just for the soothing sound of the ocean, but to help lower her cortisol. "We breathe in through the nose. We breathe out through the nose. That activates the vagus nerve, which helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps lower those cortisol levels," King said. Cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone, is a concern for many people. "They're finding themselves very overwhelmed, and they're calling me and asking for help," King said. Online influencers have claimed that high cortisol levels can lead to weight gain. "For most people, excess cortisol, it's probably more going to be related to development of diabetes, weight gain, blood sugar lability, or fluctuations," said Robert Grossman, director of minimally invasive surgery at Naples Comprehensive Health. Grossman also addressed misconceptions about detoxing from cortisol. "The idea that you can detox from cortisol — cortisol is not a toxin. You can't really detox from it. It's part of a normal human physiology. Certainly, getting plenty of rest, practicing mindfulness, lowering your overall stress as a means of helping to lower cortisol — those are great," Grossman said. He explained that the body is typically effective at regulating cortisol levels. "With rare exception, if you're just trying to practice a healthy lifestyle, your cortisol levels should be within a normal range. It's pretty unusual for them to be markedly elevated. And if they are, you probably have other things going on from it," Grossman said. Grossman emphasized the importance of focusing on overall stress management. "Is working to lower your overall stress level important? Absolutely. Is working to lower your cortisol level important? Sure. But probably just focus on stress," Grossman said. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.