Head to toe, the signs you’ve got a ‘cortisol body’ from a puffy face to big belly – and five tips to fix it

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Feeling stressed also zaps you of your motivation and focus and leaves you feeling overwhelmed by, well,  everything. 

But long-term stress and its impact doesn’t just show up mentally, it has some very real physical symptoms as well, including weight gain and a low sex drive.

It’s all down to a hormone called cortisol. 

When the brain perceives that it’s in danger (ie something happens to make us feel stressed and anxious), it instructs the body to produce more of this hormone. 

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Cortisol isn’t a “bad” hormone, as such. It’s vital for good health and regulates our blood pressure, metabolism, blood sugar and helps us wake up in the morning.

In emergencies where the body needs to act fast, it is cortisol (alongside adrenaline) that is responsible for kicking us into action. 

In fact, cortisol triggers the release of glucose (sugar) from your liver to give you a supply of fast energy so you can react with speed. It also increases your heart rate so blood pumps into the muscles. 

But an excess of high cortisol from extended periods of stress is where the problems lie. 

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You’ll soon find that the pros of this natural occurrence, which aren’t important in an emergency, quickly turn into cons.

For example, cortisol can help slow down functions including digestion, which may be helpful in an extreme emergency, but not so much day-to-day, causing bloating or constipation.

Dr Harpal Bains, longevity doctor and Medical Director at , says: “When you're exposed to stress over a prolonged period of time, your cortisol is constantly elevated and this creates an inflamed state in your body - with increased swelling (all over, hence the puffy face) and also pain.

Got the sniffles? That could also be due to elevated cortisol levels explains Dr Harpal. 

She says: “When your immune cells are constantly triggered as in chronic stress, it makes them 'resistant' to further triggers.

“Hence, when you catch an infection, your body doesn't elicit the usual response to fight the infection. 

“This causes your overall immunity to be lower than ideal and you'll find that you are always picking up all kinds of infections when you're stressed.”

Your stress hormones and sex hormones share the same pathways.

But because the body will always give preference to your stress hormones - as a stress response can save your life - high cortisol can kill your sex drive and may even disrupt how fertile you are. 

Dr Bains says: “Because there are less 'building blocks' for making sex hormones and not only will your hormonal levels be lower than ideal, there will also be an imbalance in hormones.

“This can also give rise to heavy and/or irregular periods, bad moods and anxiety, skin breakouts, breast tenderness, poor temperature regulation and weight gain.”

High cortisol levels also make you less effective in managing your glucose and insulin levels – leading to insulin resistance. 

Dr Gina Schoeman, Women's Hormone Specialist, , says: “Insulin resistance means that your liver and muscle cells are less responsive to the messages from insulin to absorb glucose in your blood.

“Your body compensates by turning glucose into fat around your midline (internal organs) and this leads to weight gain.” 

She adds: “Hormonal disruptions can also cause an imbalance in your skin and gut microbiome, leading to skin breakouts, eczema and psoriasis, and upset tummies, too.” 

With all these symptoms considered - and the fact stress, anxiety and depression are the leading causes of sick days in the UK - it’s time to fix stress-inducing habits:

1. Ditch coffee for cacao

Can’t start the day without reaching for that dark nectar of caffeine? 

“Coffee is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system,” says nutritionist and author of Unprocess Your Life (£14.99, Amazon), Rob Hobson. 

“When you drink caffeine, it can trigger a stress response in the body that leads to the release of cortisol.” 

Not great, especially in the morning when the body’s cortisol levels are naturally at their highest. 

Plus, because the caffeine in coffee binds to the brain’s adenosine receptors (to stop us from feeling tired), regular coffee drinkers develop more adenosine receptors, which is why it takes more and more coffee to keep you awake. 

Instead: If you need a warm drink in the morning opt for cacao - not the ‘hot chocolate’ kind, but the raw form found in most supermarkets and health food stores. 

Cacao is rich in flavonoids which have been shown in research to decrease cortisol levels. showed that dark chocolate eaten two hours before a stressful test "blunted" cortisol levels.

But you're unlikely to eat dark chocolate so early - so a cup of cacao is more suitable.

It is also one of the highest plant-based sources of magnesium, the mineral you’re most likely to be deficient in during times of high stress. 

While this anti-inflammatory, chocolatey treat has a tiny amount of caffeine compared with your regular flat white, it is also rich in anandamide, AKA 'The Bliss Molecule’, which has been shown to boost mood and feelings of well-being.

2. Ditch the phone in the AM

Stop reaching for your smartphone as soon as you wake up. 

When you wake up in the morning, the brain is still making its way from slow brainwaves to the most alert beta-brainwaves. 

But by checking your phone as soon as you wake up not only means skipping this vital stage by bombarding your grey matter with an influx of information, but it can spark a stress response to increase your cortisol levels further.

Because elevated cortisol levels impair your prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain that makes decisions and is responsible for rational thinking), this can negatively impact your brain function for the rest of your day too. 

Instead: Get outside as soon as possible after waking up. 

Studies have shown that being in nature reduces stress hormones.

And sleeping well and hormone regulation are all impacted by our exposure to natural light.

Dr Schoeman says: “Exposure to natural sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm and promotes the production of serotonin, a mood-boosting neurotransmitter.

Rhythmic activities like walking stimulate the release of endorphins, which are neurotransmitters that boost mood. 

Rachael Sacerdoti personal trainer and founder of It's So Simple

“Walking further helps reduce stress, improve blood flow, and enhance cognitive function.

“By choosing a morning walk over phone scrolling, you're actively promoting cortisol regulation and setting yourself up for a calmer, more focused day."

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3. Ditch HIIT

We all know working out is important for your overall health.

But there can be a point at which the benefits start to wane if it’s putting too much stress on the body.

“High-intensity workouts can further elevate cortisol levels as they cause more stress on the body,” says personal trainer Rachael Sacerdoti, founder of the wellness.

Instead: “But walking, Pilates and yoga, can help calm the nervous system, reducing cortisol levels.

“Rhythmic activities like walking also stimulate the release of endorphins, which are neurotransmitters that boost mood. 

“Meanwhile, regular strength training has been found to decrease the body’s baseline cortisol levels.” 

This means that not only do you become physically stronger over time, but you also become more resilient to stress in the first place.

4. Ditch cereal

Ever noticed how you crave more carbs – crisps, chips and cookies – when you’re feeling stressed? 

The quick sugar release from these foods boosts our blood sugar levels to give the body access to fast energy. 

However, when stressed, cortisol also raises our blood sugar levels. 

This keeps us trapped in a circle of blood sugar highs and subsequent blood sugar crashes – causing even more strain on the body. 

If that wasn’t bad enough, chronically high cortisol levels also lead to chronically high blood sugar, which can cause type 2 diabetes. 

“Protein-rich foods such as eggs help keep blood sugar levels stable – reducing cortisol levels and the burden on our body’s stress-regulating systems,” says Rob Hobson. 

Sprinkle some magnesium-rich pumpkin seeds on top of your eggs for some added benefits too. 

5. Ditch shouting

When we’re highly stressed, it’s easy to want to scream and shout at everyone and everything around us. 

While it may momentarily feel good, doing so tells an already wired body that we’re in danger – flooding the body with even more stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol.

Instead: Singing, however, tells the body that we are safe – turning off the flight or flight response and reducing cortisol levels. 

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A showed that people affected by cancer - including patients and carers - had reduced cortisol levels after participating in hourly choir sessions. They also showed signs of improved immunity.

Belting out your favourite tune stimulates your vagus nerve – which makes up the majority of your rest and digest nervous system.