Whenever I post the symptoms of high cortisol vs low cortisol online, I always receive questions like, “What if I have both?”

This is common because of the different stages of the stress response.

The thrill of stage one: it feels like you can do it all. I remember this phase, I lost weight and could work long hours without tiring or eating much. Sounds great, right? Not so fast! The price you pay here is sleeping less and bloating.

The twist of stage two: it all catches up with you. You're depleted so there is anxiety or overwhelm at the smallest of things, irritability where you go from 0-100 in 1.3 seconds.

Your weight starts to creep up, esp around the waist, even though you're eating the same. There are cravings and blood sugar rollercoasters.

Have you noticed your face looking more…circle-ish..puffy? Yep, that's part of the package, along with dark circles under the eyes and excess hair falling out in the shower or your brush.

(And you pick up every cold and flu 🤧 going around).

The crash of stage three: This is where most of you tell me, “It's like you're describing my life!”

Here, the sequel mixes symptoms from phase two, but with added exhaustion. It's less “I need a nap” and more “I need a three-month vacation.” Work passion? Gone. Semi to permanent low moods, and thyroid symptoms such as brain fog, weight gain, and depression.

PMS and peri-menopausal challenges show up here too.

This rollercoaster, dear friends, is the infamous journey through stress's different stages, leading to the grand finale of HPA dysfunction – the road to burnout.

If you recognise yourself in these symptoms, then take action now.

These symptoms are your body's way to alarm you of your imbalances!

It's not something we can fix with a good night's sleep, weekend or even time away from work.

These symptoms also impact your work performance, relationship with your partner or kids, and the confidence to live the life you truly want.

Even though your life is stressful, you can lower cortisol and repair imbalances, so you can have more balanced energy than you know what to do with.