What is the HPA Axis? Part 2

This is the second installment of our two-part blog post on the HPA Axis.

The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is your stress response system. It’s that internal system that triggers the fight-or-flight response when you find yourself in a dangerous situation.

How can you influence the HPA axis to your benefit?

Prolonged activation of the HPA axis can have a harmful effect on our overall health.

Unfortunately, you may not be able to completely remove the stressors from your life. In those cases, it can be helpful to find other ways to influence the HPA axis in order to reduce the impact of chronic stress. 

The HPA Axis and Mind-Body Practices

One of the easiest, least expensive methods to counter the effects of stress is to practice a mind-body technique. Meditation is often the first mind-body technique that comes to mind. A study at UC Davis (2013) found that results of meditation on cortisol levels could be achieved in as little as a few weeks. A study at Rutgers University found a 50% reduction in cortisol levels in those who meditated. These are just a few of the many studies that show a connection between meditation and cortisol levels.

Despite these profound results, many people struggle with making meditation a regular practice in their lives. Are you one of these people? Here are a few suggestions to simplify how to bring meditation into your life:

  • START SMALL. Just a few minutes a day can make a difference. A few minutes focused on your breathing when you first wake up or just before bed can be enough, or maybe you have five minutes at lunch to sit quietly and just breathe.
  • DON’T WORRY IF YOU CAN’T STOP THINKING. Stopping yourself from thinking is not possible for the majority. Instead, recognize your thoughts but don’t give them attention. Imagine them as images on a movie screen that you can watch but not interact with.
  • FIND A COMFORTABLE LOCATION AND POSITION. If you find sitting on the floor to be uncomfortable then try using a chair. The position you use is not as important as your ability to focus on your breathing and your body.

For many people, meditation can be a struggle. It can feel impossible to slow their racing thoughts making it seem as though they are unable to add a mind-body practice into their lives. This is not always true, as there are so many other ways to do mind-body practices. 

Some unique, non-meditation mind-body practices include:

  • Art
  • Music
  • Dance/Movement
  • Drama/Theater
  • Qigong or Tai Chi

Anything that causes you to focus your thoughts on the here and now can be used to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and suppress the activation of the HPA axis.

The HPA Axis and Sleep

Sleep can have an impact on the HPA axis in multiple ways. Activation of the HPA axis and the release of cortisol can not only inhibit the onset of sleep, but sleep deprivation can cause an activation of the HPA axis. What develops is a cycle of sleep disturbances and HPA dysfunction that feed each other, leading to increased fatigue and reduced health.

To begin to stop this cycle of dysfunction, you can start with working toward a more restful night of sleep using these suggestions:

  • CREATING A NIGHTLY ROUTINE
    • Go to bed at the same time each night
    • Plan for 7-9 hours of sleep
    • Avoid stressful activities before bed
    • Practice a mind-body technique (see below)
  • USE A MIND-BODY TECHNIQUES BEFORE BED
    • Take a hot salt/soda aromatherapy bath
    • Meditate or sit quietly just breathing for 5-10 minutes
  • Do some light stretching
  • Take a stroll through your neighborhood
  • Journal

HPA Axis and Exercise

While exercise can stress the body, it can also help it to relax. As your body gets used to the physically induced stress, your body gets better at managing it and reduces the overall effect. Ultimately, exercise can help reduce your body’s response to stressors and help to regulate the function of your HPA axis.

Regular low- or moderate-intensity exercise routines have been shown to lower cortisol levels and increase endorphin levels. We discussed previously how high levels of cortisol could result from overstimulation of your HPA axis and lead to chronic health conditions. Endorphins, in contrast, are those feel-good chemicals that get released in your brain, and have been shown to reduce pain and elevate your mood.

As you can imagine, both the reduction of cortisol and the increase of endorphins can have a favorable effect on your overall well-being. Another bonus of a regular exercise routine is that it can lead to a reduction in your waistline, an increase in self-confidence, and increased energy levels.

The staff at Empowered Health were asked about their favorite ways to incorporate exercise into their week. These were their suggestions:

  • A brisk walk or bike ride
  • Deep cleaning the house
  • Mowing the lawn or gardening
  • Yoga, pilates, or a barre class
  • Kayaking or paddleboarding

In extreme cases of HPA axis dysfunction, cardiovascular exercise can make symptoms worse. If you find yourself abnormally exhausted after movement, this could be an indicator that you need medical support to restore normal HPA axis function and should seek out care. 

HPA Axis and Food

You can’t always control the stressors in your life. Fortunately, you can control how your body responds to stress, and one of those ways is through the food you eat. Certain foods can help your body to better react to daily stressors while others can help to counter the effects of increased cortisol levels.

You can do this by eating a diet balanced with proteins, fats, and complex carbohydrates; and avoiding foods that cause inflammation (simple carbs and sugars). To get the most from what you are eating, ensure you include some of these foods in your diet:

  • OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS: Fish oil, salmon, sardines, and anchovies
  • PROBIOTIC FERMENTED FOODS: Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi
  • PREBIOTIC-RICH FOODS: Onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, apples, and bananas
  • COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES: Grains, beans, peas, lentils, and starchy veggies
  • VITAMIN C: Citrus fruit and berries
  • POTASSIUM: Avocado, leafy greens, and tomato

When you don’t have enough fuel in your body, you can make poor decisions and react emotionally. Keeping healthy snacks like veggies and nuts on hand can help to ensure you don’t go hungry and don’t become hangry.

Be sure to check with your doctor to make sure none of these foods will interfere with any health condition or medications you may be taking.

If you would like to find out more about how lifestyle changes can impact your ability to respond to stress, schedule an inquiry call today: https://empoweredhealthinstitute.com/

If you feel that you could benefit from a more extensive evaluation of your HPA axis activation and want some help formulating a plan toward increased well-being, schedule a functional medicine consultation today and let us help you. At Empowered Health, this is one of our specialties.