Sleep and Cortisol

Cortisol is one of the major hormones of the body. Many hormones are made in various places in the body. Cortisol is one of the ones that is only made in the adrenal glands. An adrenal gland curves over the top of each kidney. Cortisol helps give you energy. It also goes to work in a fight or flight situation. The body will secrete excesses of cortisol in situations of stress. Cortisol is directly connected also with sleep. Excess levels keep you from a good night of sleep. Cortisol also reacts to light. The body secretes higher amounts during waking hours, lower amounts in dark. There is a cortisol connection in gaining weight. Higher levels make you insulin-resistant so that your body converts sugars and carbs into fat instead of burning it as fuel.

Stress management becomes very important when understood in this "light" (ha ha). I checked my room and found that I had about 20 little lights. Camera and phone chargers, computer lights, tv lights, printer lights, not to mention the digital clock lights (and I can't live without being able to see the time if I wake up). Just little lights, but I believe enough to effect my sleep. There was a study done, mentioned in the Breakthrough book, a sleep study where a small pen light was put on the backs of the knees of some of the patients in the study. Cortisol levels rose significantly higher in those patients. Interesting and something easy to fix. I put black electric tape (one of Suzanne's suggestions) on many/most of my little lights and I really swear I sleep better.