#stress hormone

[artspace11275201418]

Stress Reduction Through Gardening: An Organic Way to Well-Being

A beloved hobby for many years, gardening is appreciated for its capacity to turn outside areas into flourishing havens of breathtaking natural beauty. Gardening has a profound secret that is often overlooked but goes a long way toward controlling stress and fostering mental well-being. The therapeutic advantages of gardening have gained importance in our fast-paced, contemporary lives. This essay investigates the ways in which gardening provides a healthy and efficient approach to dealing with stress.

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The Scientific Basis of Stress Reduction in Gardening

Associated with Nature:-

Gardening has an innate connection to the natural world. Connecting with plants and being in an environment full of greenery helps one feel more connected to the natural world. There is proof that this relationship improves mental health by lowering stress and anxiety. Studies have indicated that spending time in natural settings, including gardens, can reduce cortisol levels and boost serotonin production—also known as the "feel-good" hormone.

Engagement in Exercise

Exercise and a sense of purpose are combined in the physical activity of gardening. Various tasks, such as digging, planting, weeding, and watering, are necessary when tending to your garden. These activities can aid in the release of endorphins, which have been shown to reduce stress and promote happiness.

Observance and Conscientious Gardening

Growing a garden promotes mindfulness, which is the art of being totally present in the moment. Gardeners can easily shift their concentration from anxious thoughts and problems by becoming involved in the activity at hand as they tend to their plants. Calm and clarity of mind can result from practicing mindfulness.

Engaging Senses

Planting stimulates more than one sense at once. The sounds of nature, the feel of leaves on the ground, the sight of flowers in bloom, and the scent of dirt can all contribute to a multisensory therapy that eases tension and quiets the mind.

Using Gardens to Reduce Stress

Taking Care of Your Own Garden

Having a garden at home might offer a convenient retreat for relieving stress. There are lots of ways to create green areas, whether you have a large backyard or a tiny balcony. For people with little outdoor area, window boxes, vertical gardening, and container gardening are all viable solutions. Having your own flowers, veggies, or herbs may be a fulfilling and healing endeavor.

Community Gardens

Community gardens are open areas where people can grow plants together and enjoy the advantages of gardening. In addition to providing a stress-relieving pastime, these gardens help people interact with like-minded others and build a sense of community.

Gardening Therapy

A controlled kind of gardening called horticultural therapy is used to enhance mental wellness. It is frequently given by licensed therapists who assist people with stress, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Guided garden activities are part of horticultural therapy, which aims to improve emotional well-being, improve cognitive performance, and encourage relaxation.

Natural Reserves and Botanical Gardens

Without having a personal garden, one can immerse themselves in the beauty of nature by visiting botanical gardens and nature reserves. These open areas provide a haven from the stresses of everyday life and a chance to re-establish a connection with the natural world.

Gardening's Psychological Benefits

Reduction of Stress

It has been demonstrated that gardening lowers the body's levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Whether it's planting, weeding, or just relaxing in the garden, gardening can dramatically reduce stress and encourage a sense of peace.

Enhanced Emotion

Growing plants and caring for them may be really enjoyable. One's mood can be lifted and daily living can be made more enjoyable by the garden's beauty and sense of accomplishment.

Increased Self-Respect

Self-worth and self-esteem can increase through gardening. People experience a sense of accomplishment when they witness their hard work pay off in the form of flourishing plants, which helps reduce stress and self-doubt.

Taking a Break from Stress

Tending a garden offers a beneficial diversion from life's pressures. Gardeners experience less anxiety because they are less inclined to ruminate on troubling ideas and concerns while they are focused on their duties.

Coping Strategy

Gardening is a helpful coping strategy for a lot of individuals. It gives one a positive way to release tension and gives them a feeling of control over their surroundings, which can be particularly powerful in trying times.

The Benefits of Gardening for Physical Health

Work out

Gardening is a natural type of exercise because it requires physical exertion. Participating in gardening activities on a regular basis can result in better physical health, including increased flexibility and fitness.

Generation of Vitamin D

People who garden outside are exposed to sunlight, which helps the body make vitamin D. It is well known that this vital vitamin supports mental health as well as general well-being.

Clean Air

Exposure to fresh air, which can enhance lung health and give one a sense of renewal, is typically experienced when gardening.

Benefits of Gardening for the Environment

Beneficial Effects on the Environment

Growing food in a garden, especially with sustainable methods, makes the environment healthier. Reducing pollution and promoting biodiversity can be achieved through planting trees, raising native plants, and maintaining organic gardens.

A Wellspring of Motivation

Both an inspiration source and an instructional tool can be found in gardens. They inspire people to value and recognize the beauty of nature, as well as to become more ecologically conscious.

The Social Advantages of Gardening

Social Communication

Growing a garden may be a social activity that brings people together who share similar interests. Gardening encourages social connection, whether through garden clubs, community gardens, or just sharing advice and experiences with friends and neighbors.

Minimizing Social Disturbances

Gardening provides a means of social interaction and loneliness relief for persons who may be socially isolated. Neighbors can get together in the garden to socialize and exchange tales and life experiences.

In summary

A haven of peace and well-being in a society where stress and fast-paced living are the norm, gardening provides. It is an amazing and approachable tool for living a healthy and meaningful life because of its capacity to lower stress, enhance mental health, and offer a plethora of physical, psychological, environmental, and social benefits. Growing more people aware of gardening's healing properties will only increase the activity's capacity to enhance wellbeing by offering a time-tested, organic route to stress reduction and a happier, healthier life. Thus, whether you are an experienced gardener or have never touched soil, think about beginning your gardening adventure right now to discover the amazing ability of nature to calm your spirit.

[subpixie420]

Do mosquitoes not like me today because I've been sweating cortisol all day?

[xtruss]

A computer illustration showing the internal and external anatomy of a kidney and adrenal gland as it secretes hormones into the blood stream. Cortisol plays a Critical Role in your body, Regulating Metabolism, Sleep, Immune Function, Inflammation, and your response to Stress. This illustration depicts the Adrenal Cortex (gold), located above each Kidney, as it Secretes Cortisol and other Hormones into the Bloodstream. Illustration By Axel Kock, Science Photo Library

What Is Cortisol—And Should You Actually Be Worried About It?

Myths About Cortisol—Also Known as the “Stress Hormone”—Abound on Social Media. Here’s What Experts Say About This Substance That Helps Make Your Body Tick.

— By Erin Blakemore | March 01, 2024

How are your cortisol levels today? A few minutes on the internet might leave you convinced that your body is depleted of—or flooded with—the hormone.

Known colloquially as “the stress hormone,” cortisol plays a starring role in most of the physiological processes that make your body tick. But in recent years, it has become a victim of its own fame, with people blaming suspected imbalances of the hormone for ailments such as “adrenal fatigue,” weight gain, exhaustion, anxiety, headaches, and more.

Cortisol does play a vital role in your health. But are imbalanced cortisol levels really that common? Here’s what to know about the critical hormone—and why it may not merit as much worry as some social media health gurus would have you think.

A Physical Powerhouse

Secreted by the adrenal glands atop the kidneys, cortisol, known as a steroid hormone, can be found in nearly every tissue of the body.

“Honestly, we cannot do without it,” says Anat Ben-Shlomo, an endocrinologist and associate professor of medicine at Cedars-Sinai.

Cortisol allows the body to regulate everything from metabolism to sleep to immune function and inflammation, but it’s arguably best known for helping the body respond to perceived threats, a role that’s earned it the nickname of the “stress hormone.”

When the body perceives an internal or external threat, its sympathetic nervous system activates, triggering a complex sequence of hormonal responses. One such response is to prompt the adrenal glands to release cortisol, which helps give the body the energy it needs to cope with the stress and get back to homeostasis.

Too Much—or Little—of a Good Thing?

There is such thing as too much or too little cortisol.

Tumors in the pituitary gland can trigger too-high cortisol levels, leading to a condition called Cushing’s syndrome, characterized by weight gain, weakness, blood sugar problems, and bruising.

Meanwhile those whose immune systems attack their adrenal glands don’t produce enough cortisol and can develop chronic adrenal insufficiency, also known as Addison’s disease, which can cause crushing fatigue, dizziness, skin darkening, loss of appetite, and other symptoms.

“The diseases that are associated with cortisol deficiency or excess are very complicated, multiorganic, multisystemic diseases,” says Ben-Shlomo. They can be tricky to treat—and because cortisol issues share symptoms with other diseases, misdiagnosis is common.

But even though experts suspect these conditions are underdiagnosed, both are considered rare disorders.

The Myth of ‘Adrenal Fatigue’

Despite the rarity of cortisol disorders, internet health gurus and alternative health practitioners claim that with sustained stress, the adrenal glands can burn out and become unable to produce cortisol, leading to a cascade of symptoms commonly called “adrenal fatigue.”

But the term is a myth, Ben-Shlomo says, and a 2016 literature review of studies suggests the condition doesn’t really exist.

“It really takes a pretty big insult for your adrenal glands not to work,” Anne Cappola, professor of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, told National Geographic in July 2023. “These glands have a lot of built-in redundancy. You have two adrenal glands. You need less than one to function.”

Though serious endocrine disorders do exist, researchers warn against attempting to “balance” hormones at home or self-prescribing supplements—most of which are unproven and unregulated—to stave off cortisol deficiency or excess.

If your symptoms are affecting your quality of life, head to a doctor for more information. Endocrinologists can rule out adrenal problems and often identify other conditions, such as perimenopause and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), that share symptoms with adrenal issues.

“The beauty of the adrenal glands is that they have a huge capacity to give you what you need to survive and withstand stress,” says Ben-Shlomo.

Fighting Back Against Chronic Stress

Stress may not burn out your adrenals or deplete your body’s cortisol reserves. But its effects are real, and supported by a vast body of literature that underlines the association between high stress levels and compromised health.

For example, those with multiple adverse childhood experiences are prone to a variety of health conditions, from mood disorders to obesity and stroke. Stress can trigger or worsen a slew of other conditions, compromising a variety of bodily systems and leading one group of researchers to write in 2017 that “the medical community needs to have a greater appreciation for the significant role that stress may play in various diseases.”

You may not be able to fend off a growing tumor or an autoimmune disorder. But you can modify your experience of stress through a variety of lifestyle modifications. Ben-Shlomo and colleagues stress regular exercise, a healthful diet, meditation or mindfulness, and enough sleep—factors that can treat or even prevent a variety of the conditions some people can mistake for an issue with cortisol production. After all, acute stress may have its evolutionary benefits but most of us would prefer not to experience it.

“Stress is a bad thing,” the physician says. “That’s been proven beyond any doubt.”

— Editor's Note: This story has been updated to clarify the distinction between acute stress and chronic stress.

[aubiz1]

@kasiagala @thereisa-rat @kzuhs @doctorbuggs

[exdivine]

i don’t believe men can get postpartum depression like women do. i get that a new baby affects both parents’ mental health, but i refuse to believe that men experience postpartum health problems to the same extent women as women.

[theambitiouswoman]

Herbs to help you regulate cortisol and stress 🌿🍵🧚

🍃 Chamomile when you have an anxious stomach

🍃 Valerian when your thoughts don’t let you sleep

🍃 Skullcap when you feel muscle tension from stress

🍃 Holy basil when you’ve been high stress for days

🍃 Rhodiola when you feel burnt out from stress

🍃 Gotu kola when stress is causing you brain fog

🍃 Passion flower when you feel irritable and snappy

[amygdalae]

Waiting outside the DMV feels like I'm gonna get an ulcer

[inmyglowupera]

Hormones & Weight loss (part 1) : Cortisol

Cortisol

Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, is a circadian hormone, meaning it follows a 24-hour cycle. Its levels naturally increase in the morning with sunlight and decrease in the evening to support sleep. It works in tandem with melatonin to regulate your sleep-wake cycle. However, chronic stress and inflammation can lead to consistently elevated cortisol levels, making weight loss difficult and promoting abdominal/visceral fat storage.

🩵 What It Does: Chronic stress increases fat storage, especially around the abdomen, and heightens cravings for sugary or fatty foods.

🩵 Signs & Symptoms: Fatigue, weight gain around the abdomen, sugar cravings, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and feeling “wired but tired.”

🩵 How to Support:

• Sunlight before screen light: Upon waking, spend 5–20 minutes in natural daylight. This could include a morning walk, journaling outdoors, or simply sitting on your balcony or outdoor stairs.

• Sleep hygiene: Optimize your sleep by keeping a consistent bedtime, lowering the temperature in your bedroom before sleeping, and avoiding naps during the day.

• Stress management: Engage in activities that align with your belief system, such as prayer, guided meditation, or breathing exercises. Spend time on meaningful or creative activities, connect with loved ones (including pets), and take walks in nature.

🩵 Supplements that may help:

• Magnesium: Supports relaxation and can help regulate cortisol.

• Ashwagandha: An adaptogen with evidence suggesting it lowers cortisol levels in stressed individuals.

• L-theanine: Promotes relaxation without drowsiness, helping to balance cortisol by reducing stress.

• Phosphatidylserine: Studies indicate it may reduce cortisol spikes, especially after intense physical activity.

🩵 Always talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about unbalanced cortisol, before making any significant diet/lifestyle changes and before taking any supplements.

[sciderman]

I swear I have read your big post regarding Peter Parker's neurodivergence and why it is best to avoid labelling him, but he definitely has a weird brain

Can't find it and feel kinda sad about it cuz I deeply related to it

i know exactly which post you're talking about and i can't find it either! i've raked through my archive, and it's just - nowhere to be seen. i think tumblr eated it (it happens.)

really, tumblr's search functionality is so so useless, i don't know what to tell you. there are plenty of keywords i can search to find it that post, but the search functionality actually just does not work!

undiagnosed audhd-addled peter parker, my darling, my light, my life, my everything.

i think peter parker's such an interesting creature to write, because a lot of people will point to a certain behaviour about him and say "this is an autistic thing, right?" but a lot of those behaviours are actually, in my head, tied to certain traumas in peter's life too.

people say "oh, the food thing, peter's a picky eater because he's autistic" and yes, absolutely. but also it's tied to his trauma with his parents.

peter gets overstimulated, and yes, it's an autism thing, but also he was bitten by a radioactive spider and his senses are dialled to 11.

it's a similar case i've found for myself, too – where a lot of friends i have kind of diagnose me because i have autistic traits, but actually - i'm hesitant to claim the label or pursue diagnosis because, actually, i know where these certain behaviours come from, and they come from certain traumas. there are events i can pinpoint in my life and say "yep. that's where this behaviour comes from."

so - i think there's a lot of overlap between trauma and autistic traits. the brain is very complex! i think the reason for that overlap is maybe as simple as the fact that people with autism and people with trauma are both doing the same thing - developing behaviours to protect themselves or soothe themselves. so - i think it's nice to be able to see a character like peter parker, who may or may not be autistic, but recognise behaviours in him and see yourself in him.

people who go undiagnosed for whatever reason - people who are really good at masking - so good, in fact, that they have no idea they might be on the spectrum - everyone and anyone at all can look at peter parker and recognise themselves. because i think we discredit the thought that every single brain does the same thing! develops certain behaviours in order to survive. every brain has that same software - we've just all been faced with different hardships that we need to overcome, and that's were all the differences come in.

autism is a spectrum, i guess - everyone falls into it to some degree. and i think events in your life probably push you along on it. but i don't know, i didn't study brain science. probably what i'm saying is very stupid and uninformed. of course there's brain chemistry involved. but i know people in my life living with autism and certain events in their life have exacerbated certain behaviours or made coping with it a lot more difficult. so maybe trauma is a catalyst.

[kairenn-n]

so stupid that the body can have physical reactions to stress. like buddy dont you see youre adding to it ??? seriously how is this in any way shape or form an evolutive advantage

[lavanfalas]

Diagnosing Cullen with hormone imbalance gynecomastia :)

[rapidhighway]

Ahahaaaa oh my goddd can you not make "ADHD undereating" and "ADHD overeating" into a competition of who has it worse and who has nothing to complain about, that'd be awesome

[kindred-spirit-93]

penelope canonically retreating to her room and refusing food = she puts on some weight, the reason being both lack of physical activity as well as her body being on constant emergency mode (so what little she does eat ends up being stored away bc the body doesnt know when the 'starvation' will end). whats more her constant stress elevates cortisol levels which in and of itself leads to weight gain esp in the abdominal area.

tl;dr chubby penelope send fucking t w e e t

[canonicallyanxious]

i'm stupid so i absolutely did not put together Conrad Schintz as "conscience" until i saw someone in the tag point this out but now that it's in my dumb brain i can't stop thinking about it. Alex's choice to portray Conrad as this softspoken never speaks up but still has to do Something boy who is kind and thoughtful to a fault. pitch perfect character choices!!! but also this tiny quiet boy somehow being pegged by the heads of the city as the BIGGEST DISTRACTION to the big guy's goals and ambitions!! and then his choice of the important article to pay attention to being the culmination of Elias' months and months of research - specifically for the goal of, as Conrad put it, getting it before the "big wigs" could get to it. WHAT is Elias Hodge DOING for Gobstopper Industries??????

[sainteclectic]

wholesoul is so animals cuddling to me... they're otters holding hands so they don't drift apart, they're cats curled up on a soft blanket, they're two bonded rats nestled together in a little hidey hole away from the scary world...

^ real images of wholesoul btw