High Cortisol Symptoms: Why You're Exhausted, Wired, and Can't Think Straight
You’re exhausted - but wired.
Snapping at people you care about.
Struggling to sleep, but always tired.
You forget things, can’t concentrate, and the smallest tasks feel heavy.
You might think you’re failing.
But really? Your nervous system is overloaded.
And there’s one little hormone playing a very big role in all of this: cortisol.
What Is Cortisol? (And Why It Won't Shut Off)
It’s not all bad - in fact, it’s essential.
In short bursts, cortisol gives you the energy to wake up in the morning, respond to challenges, and deal with danger.
But cortisol isn’t designed to be running all the time.
When stress becomes chronic, even low-level, background stress - cortisol stops being helpful and starts disrupting almost everything: your mood, memory, sleep, weight, immune system, even how your brain works.
What Is Cortisol? (And Why It Won't Shut Off)
Your brain is wired for survival, not happiness.
So when it senses a threat - even just a difficult conversation, unread emails, or social comparison - it tells your adrenal glands to release cortisol.
This happens automatically.
You don’t get to think it through. Your primitive brain makes a snap decision:
“Not safe. Act now.”
The problem?
Most of our modern “threats” aren’t life or death.
But your brain doesn’t know that. It reacts the same way to a difficult text as it would to a predator in the woods.
Why High Cortisol Makes You "Tired But Wired"
When cortisol stays elevated for too long, you might notice:
Trouble sleeping, waking up tired
Brain fog or memory issues
Mood swings, irritability, or tearfulness
Feeling constantly overwhelmed or on edge
Weight gain, especially around the middle
Getting sick more often
Hormonal imbalances
Low motivation or burnout
You might even feel nothing — just numb, flat, disconnected.
This too is a survival response. It’s your brain hitting the brakes after running in overdrive for too long.
The Cortisol-Brain Connection: Why You Can't Think Your Way Out
High cortisol suppresses activity in the prefrontal cortex - the part of your brain responsible for rational thought, focus, decision-making, and emotional regulation.
This is why when you’re stressed, you might:
Overreact to small things
Forget what you were saying
Struggle to make a simple choice
Feel like you’re not coping
It’s not a character flaw.
It’s cortisol doing exactly what it was designed to do.
How to Lower Cortisol Naturally (5 Science-Backed Methods)
You don’t need to overhaul your life to start feeling better.
Cortisol lowers in response to safety, connection, and predictable calm.
Here are some simple, science-backed ways to support your nervous system:
1. Deep, rhythmic breathing
Activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the opposite of fight-or-flight). Try breathing in for 4, out for 6.
2. Restorative sleep
During REM sleep, your brain processes emotional material and reduces stress load. Prioritise winding down before bed and keeping screens off.
3. Movement
Gentle exercise (walking, yoga, swimming) helps clear excess cortisol without adding more stress.
4. Positive social connection
Laughter, safe conversations, and feeling “gotten” by someone lower cortisol fast - even more than food or rest.
5. Hypnotherapy
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy allows your brain to access calm, focused states (similar to REM sleep), helping rewire old stress patterns and teach the brain: “We’re safe now.”
When High Cortisol Becomes Chronic: What Happens Next
If you feel like you’ve “lost your spark” or can’t seem to get on top of things, please know this:
You’re not lazy.
You’re not broken.
You’re just carrying more than your nervous system was built for.
And with the right support, that burden can begin to lift.
At Trancespire Hypnotherapy, I help people understand how their stress response works — and how to gently guide their brain out of survival mode.
Whether you're dealing with anxiety, burnout, or that sense of being "on edge" all the time, there is a way through.
Your Cortisol Questions Answered
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Description text goesHigh cortisol symptoms include feeling exhausted but unable to sleep (tired but wired), brain fog, irritability, weight gain around the midsection, frequent illness, and feeling constantly on edge or overwhelmed. here
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Common signs include waking up tired despite sleeping, difficulty calming down at night, snapping at small things, memory problems, and feeling like you can't cope with normal stress. If you have 3+ of these symptoms consistently, your cortisol may be chronically elevated.
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Yes. Cortisol lowers in response to safety signals: deep breathing, quality sleep (especially REM), gentle movement, positive social connection, and practices like hypnotherapy that help your nervous system shift out of survival mode.
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This "tired but wired" feeling happens when cortisol stays elevated for too long. Your body is exhausted, but your stress hormones keep your nervous system in a state of high alert, making it impossible to truly rest or sleep deeply.
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Acute cortisol spikes last minutes to hours. But chronic stress can keep cortisol elevated for weeks, months, or even years, leading to burnout, health issues, and that constant feeling of being "stuck" in survival mode.
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Yes. Research shows hypnotherapy activates the parasympathetic nervous system and creates brain states similar to REM sleep, helping process stress and signal safety to the primitive brain, which naturally lowers cortisol.
Book a free consultation today and take the first step toward a calmer mind and more balanced body.
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