Feeling in this tension Christmas Season? You are not alone.
Anxiety levels rose in December, with almost half of the UK population reporting feeling anxious.
And it’s not just the pressure of putting together the perfect Christmas dinner or panic-buying gifts. Studies have shown that the stress hormone cortisol is already high in winter due to the cold weather and lack of daylight.
High levels can also increase the risk of weight gain, headaches and even heart problems.
Now experts have outlined simple steps we can take to lower cortisol and reduce stress.
“One of the key things to lower cortisol is to get outside and get some sunlight,” says Dr Ruqia Zafar. NHS GP and future woman for the medical director of the hormone clinic.
This is because vitamin D, obtained directly from sunlight, is needed to create melatonin – the hormone that regulates sleep. Studies show that poor sleep levels can increase cortisol, which is why vitamin D is so important.
However, research shows that most Britons do not get enough vitamin D in winter due to lack of sunlight.
High levels of stress around Christmas can lead to weight gain, headaches and even heart problems, but exercise and exposure to the outdoors can lower cortisol (file photo).
An estimated one in six adults and nearly one in five children have vitamin D levels below recommendations, putting them at increased risk for cortisol spikes, the Department of Health reported in 2022.
“So in the winter, if you wake up after dark and rush to work, you are not exposed to sunlight, your body’s cortisol is controlled,” said Dr. Zafar.
Another trigger for increased stress levels for winter is that people spend less time in nature.
Research shows that spending 20 to 30 minutes a day outdoors can lower cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, and boost the immune system.
What’s more, unhealthy eating and drinking during Christmas can raise blood sugar levels. This also increases cortisol.
Dr. Zafar says another important way to lower cortisol is to spend time working out.
“This could mean spending more time away from your phone and devices or going outside,” she adds.
Afternoon sunlight is supposed to help and prepare us for evening wind. However, digital screens with high levels of blue light do the opposite at night – keeping cortisol levels up and melatonin levels down by mimicking daylight.
The stress hormone cortisol is higher in winter because of the cold weather and lack of daylight (file photo).
Dr. Zafar says there are supplements that patients should take.
“You may also want to take vitamin D and magnesium supplements, both of which can help with sleep. But make sure you check with your GP first.’
For people with low exposure to sunlight, a vitamin D supplement of ten micrograms is recommended from October to March in England, Wales and Ireland and all year round in Scotland.
Or, she says, there might be an even simpler solution: ‘Take just a few minutes each day to breathe deeply.’
