We all know stress messes with our heads, but did you know it can also wreak havoc on our bodies?
Say hello to cortisol, the hormone released when stress hits, triggering that familiar “fight, flight or freeze” response. Produced by the adrenal glands, cortisol also helps regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and immune function.
But while cortisol is helpful in short bursts, too much of it can create a host of physical problems. Fitness guru Liz Tenuto (@theworkoutwitch) recently took to TikTok to reveal 10 surprisingly specific signs that your cortisol levels might be through the roof, all thanks to stress.
Eye twitches
Typically harmless, eye twitches are often the first physical sign that stress is taking its toll.
Because the muscles around our eyes are small and weak, they’re the “first responders” to elevated cortisol levels. When cortisol spikes, it acts like a stimulant (think: caffeine), causing muscles to contract or spasm involuntarily.
Bloating
Remember “moon face”? It took TikTok by storm last year, with beauty influencers warning that facial puffiness could be a sign of high cortisol levels.
While cortisol has its benefits, too much of it can mess with the body’s salt and water balance, leading to fluid retention and bloating.
In rare cases, facial swelling can also be a sign of Cushing’s syndrome, when the body produces too much cortisol.
But it doesn’t just affect your face — elevated cortisol levels can also reduce blood flow to the digestive system, disrupting bowel function and gut bacteria. The result? Poor digestion, excess gas and more bloating.
Random bruising
If you’re noticing unexplained bruises, it could be a sign that your cortisol levels are too high.
Elevated cortisol levels can weaken structural proteins in the skin, making the skin thinner and more fragile.
Too much cortisol also weakens the walls of small blood vessels, making them more prone to damage and bleeding, even from minor trauma.
Hair loss
Chronic stress can also affect your hairline.
Research has shown that elevated cortisol can lead to hair loss by forcing follicle stem cells into a prolonged resting phase, preventing new hair from growing.
On top of that, when the adrenal glands are focused on producing extra cortisol, they produce fewer of the hormones that support healthy hair growth, like testosterone and estrogen. This hormone imbalance can contribute to thinning hair.
Worsening vision
High cortisol levels may be putting your vision at risk.
When cortisol spikes, it can disrupt blood flow from the eye to the brain, leading to potential vision problems. Elevated cortisol can also increase pressure within the eye, which, over time, raises the risk of developing glaucoma — a serious, sight-threatening condition.
That’s not all. Hormonal changes caused by high cortisol are also linked to dry eyes, blurred vision and heightened sensitivity to light.
Brain fog
Struggling to focus? High cortisol levels could be to blame.
Chronic stress sends cortisol levels through the roof, which can interfere with brain regions responsible for memory, focus and decision-making. As a result, you might find it harder to concentrate, recall information or think clearly.
But it doesn’t stop there. Elevated cortisol can also throw off the balance of other key neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, further impairing cognitive function and leaving you feeling mentally foggy and overwhelmed.
Tinnitus
That ringing in your ears might not just be an annoyance — it could mean that your stress levels are too high.
Elevated cortisol can mess with the auditory system, impacting blood flow, nerve function and inflammation — all of which can contribute to tinnitus, which is when you hear sounds like ringing, buzzing or hissing without any external source.
The tricky part? Tinnitus can heighten stress and anxiety, creating a vicious cycle. The more stressed you feel, the worse the ringing gets, which, in turn, ramps up your stress levels and causes cortisol levels to spike even further.
Extreme temperatures
Ever experienced sudden hot flashes followed by a chill? High cortisol could be to blame.
When cortisol levels spike, they can mess with how the brain responds to estrogen, triggering hot flashes — even if your estrogen levels are perfectly normal. While hot flashes are usually linked to hormonal imbalances, stress-induced cortisol changes can mimic the same effect.
But it doesn’t stop there. Fluctuating cortisol can also cause cold flashes as your body shifts blood flow to vital organs and away from less critical areas like the skin and stomach, triggering that chilling sensation.
Unexplained chest pains
If you’re experiencing chest pain, stress could be contributing to it.
High cortisol levels can elevate blood pressure, narrow arteries and disrupt heart rhythms, which increase the risk of chest discomfort.
On top of that, anxiety or panic attacks, both triggered by high cortisol, can cause chest pain that feels eerily similar to a heart attack.
Exhaustion by 3 p.m.
Hit a wall by mid-afternoon? It might not just be your schedule — it could be your cortisol rhythm throwing you off.
Cortisol naturally peaks in the morning to help you wake up and stay alert, then drops in the evening to signal it’s time to wind down. Constant stress throws this natural rhythm completely out of whack.
As a result, your adrenal glands can become overworked as they try to maintain proper cortisol production. This means your cortisol levels could spike at the wrong times — or dip when you need energy the most — leaving you sluggish, mentally foggy and struggling to power through the rest of the day.
