Cortisol is a hormone that is released during stress. Cortisol is thought to have a huge part on the effects of stress. Doctors can measure the level of cortisol in someone's body and reccomend certain techniques to lower the level of cortisol. The body needs to lower its level of cortisol in order to relieve stress..
Here is the breakdown of this process:
1. When your brain has decided that you are in danger it releases a signal down your spinal cord to your adrenal glands telling them it is time to release the hormone adrenaline.
2. Once adrenaline is released it raises your blood sugar, heart rate, and blood pressure.
3. You're brain's hypothalamus sends a signal to your pituitary glans at hte bottom of your brain, telling it to release the factors that will stimulate your adrenal cortex in just minutes to help produce the stress hormone- Cortisol.
4. Cortisol is important to keep you're blood sugar and pressure up to give you the energy to escape danger.