Low cortisol levels, rather than chronically elevated stress hormones, are frequently the root cause of burnout symptoms like exhaustion and migraines, according to naturopathic doctor Erin Kinney and her book The Cortisol Cure, published by Little, Brown Book Group for €20.12.
Why does Dr Erin Kinney say cortisol gets a bad reputation in health discussions?
Dr Erin Kinney, a naturopathic doctor based in Maryland, states that cortisol is vital to feeling well rather than acting as an enemy to the body. While the hormone is produced in response to stress, its primary function is to allow the body to generate the energy required to handle that stress. Kinney notes that cortisol regulates circadian rhythms by peaking in the morning to wake people up and gradually declining throughout the day to prepare the body for sleep. It also carries out an anti-inflammatory function in the human body.
When cortisol levels remain elevated over time, research indicates they contribute to health problems such as digestive issues, high blood pressure, and heart disease. A 2022 Trinity College study also found that higher cortisol levels help predict a person’s future risk of developing depression. However, Kinney argues in The Cortisol Cure that the body cannot sustain elevated levels indefinitely. Prolonged stress eventually impairs the body’s ability to regulate cortisol, leading to exhaustion, migraines, weight gain, and low libido.
How did Dr Erin Kinney discover her own depleted cortisol levels?
Kinney experienced chronic fatigue, low mood, and joint pain in her 20s while running marathons and relying on caffeine instead of proper nutrition. Medical tests proved inconclusive until a naturopath diagnosed her with low cortisol. Kinney expected her levels to be high because chronic stress is commonly associated with elevated cortisol. Her naturopath explained that people rarely visit doctors when cortisol is high because the hormone provides energy to cope, but they seek help only when cortisol crashes and they can no longer cope.
This personal health crisis prompted Kinney to train as a naturopathic doctor. She now compares cortisol to a bank account currency. Physical, mental, or emotional stress counts as spending cortisol and withdrawing from the account, while sleeping, resting, and relaxing earn cortisol and make a deposit. Living in constant “go, go, go mode” without adequate sleep or rest drains the cortisol account until debt manifests as physical symptoms.
What medical testing does Dr Erin Kinney recommend before checking cortisol?
Kinney advises ruling out other medical conditions before investigating cortisol levels. She recommends starting with blood tests to check for conditions such as thyroid dysfunction. If those results return clear and symptoms persist, patients should then get their cortisol checked to determine if they are operating on depleted reserves.
From a neurological perspective, the brain switches on the sympathetic nervous system when perceiving a threat, triggering cortisol and adrenaline to speed up the heart rate and breathing. This response pumps blood and oxygen to the muscles for a fight-or-flight reaction. Once the threat passes, the parasympathetic system restores calm. Kinney explains that individuals spend cortisol in sympathetic mode and earn it back in parasympathetic mode.
How can people train their rest muscle to rebuild cortisol reserves?
Rest is central to supporting the body’s natural cortisol rhythm, though Kinney acknowledges that relaxation feels uncomfortable for a nervous system accustomed to constant alert. To solve this, she advises training the “rest muscle” by setting aside as little as five minutes a day for an enjoyable activity to teach the body it is safe to relax.
Recommended practices in The Cortisol Cure include:
- Lying down with legs against the wall
- Getting morning light
- Practicing meditation
- Taking a leisurely walk
- Doing jigsaw puzzles
- Reading fiction, which University of Sussex research shows can lower heart rate and ease tension in just six minutes
Kinney warns against scrolling social media during downtime, as it elicits stress and fails to provide necessary cortisol deposits. She encourages daily practice without guilt to strengthen relaxation reserves for handling future life stresses.
How much does The Cortisol Cure cost and who published it?
How much does The Cortisol Cure cost and who published it?
The book is published by Little, Brown Book Group and retails for €20.12.
What specific daily activity does University of Sussex research support for stress reduction?
Reading fiction for just six minutes is shown by University of Sussex research to lower the heart rate and ease tension.
Where is Dr Erin Kinney based and what is her professional background?
Erin Kinney is a naturopathic doctor based in Maryland in the United States who experienced chronic fatigue in her 20s before training as a naturopathic doctor.
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