In my opinion, technology comes with a big silver lining. Smartphones make it easy to communicate with one another by text and email (let’s face it, calling someone is not as common anymore). These devices can also set the expectation that you should be able to work from anywhere and anytime. Without healthy boundaries, we set ourselves up for stress and overwhelm.

Stress changes the way cortisol functions. Cortisol is a hormone released from the adrenal glands and peaks in the morning and mid-afternoon. The natural morning increase of cortisol gives us the energy to get up (and out of bed) so we can do things with our day. The mid-afternoon peak provides the second wind of energy to keep us going until bedtime.

Cortisol levels throughout the day are kept optimal with an appropriate amount of stress. Good examples including making a work deadline in a few days or completing chores before bedtime. Without a steady stream of stress, it would be difficult to get things done. The right amount of stress provides the momentum for productivity. For this reason, cortisol is often referred to as the “stress hormone”.

When the workload becomes overwhelming, cortisol loses its pattern and our ability to deal with stress. Decreased productivity and sleep disturbances ensue leaving us in a vicious cycle of fatigue, brain fog, and irritability. These are the most common symptoms of adrenal dysfunction but by no means is this an exhaustive list. If this is resonating with you, it may be time to complete a salivary cortisol test.