Getting a Gauge on Your Stress Levels

Let’s talk about the many faces of stress. Stress is being burned out at work, but feeling like you must persevere because of the pile of unpaid bills on the kitchen counter. Stress is making a family decision, knowing your in-laws will criticize it. It’s being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic while already 30 minutes late to an appointment. It’s realizing you have to figure out what you need to eat for dinner tonight and every night for the rest of your life. Many factors contribute to stress, so it’s best to stay aware of how your body is reacting to it.

For the last two years, our stress levels have heightened in the wake of the global pandemic. According to a new study from the American Psychological Association, 32 percent of Americans said they are so stressed about the pandemic that they struggle to make fundamental decisions such as what to wear or what to eat. It’s completely derailed many of our daily routines, making work and personal life infinitely harder to navigate. As our lives become more complicated, our bodies adjust, and not always in the healthiest way. 

We’ve all experienced it — whether an argument with your spouse or a work assignment that just isn’t going your way, our stress symptoms start as a response. Your heart starts racing, your muscles tighten, you get a stomachache. During a time like this, a hormone called cortisol (hydrocortisone) is going to work. Cortisol is released to help your body deal with stress, but it can be more harmful than helpful if your cortisol levels are too high or too low.

Cortisol is released by your adrenal glands, which are right above your kidneys. It also helps our bodies manage how we use carbohydrates, fats, proteins and controls our wake and sleep cycles. A study released one year after The World Health Organization announced the global pandemic states 67 percent of Americans reported unwanted changes in their sleep patterns. Cortisol suppresses what your body doesn’t need in a “fight-or-flight” situation. Essentially, it kicks in your instincts and is crucial to our survival. Of course, all things require balance, especially when it’s within your own body, so let’s look at what happens when your cortisol levels are unbalanced.

Too much cortisol can cause conditions like: 

• Hyperglycemia
• Obesity
• Decreased bone density
• Increased blood pressure
• Damage to the heart

Too little cortisol can cause the opposite effect:

• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea and vomiting
• Low blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness

Any of those symptoms above would add undesired effects to your life. If you’re currently experiencing any of these issues, it’s time to find out what’s going on. According to a 2021 health study, since the pandemic began, nearly half of Americans, a whopping 47 percent, said they have delayed or canceled their healthcare services. 

A Simple Solution

Any Lab Test Now^® is the best choice for a fast and safe health experience. We provide the doctor’s order so you can walk in without an appointment and choose from thousands of testing options.

 Our facilities offer affordable lab testing options to help both you and your doctors monitor your body’s response to stress. The Cortisol Lab Test is a blood test used to measure the level of cortisol in the blood. This test can provide an indication if your cortisol levels are too high or too low. Or try the Saliva Cortisol Test, which can determine your cortisol level via a saliva sample. 

New Year, Better You!

We’ve developed many unhealthy habits as COVID-19 has deterred us from being our best mentally and physically. However, you can make that change today. It’s time to focus on a new year and a better you! Take the first step towards better health in 2022 by testing your cortisol levels. Any Lab Test Now® has more than 200 locations available nationwide.

Click this link to find your nearest Any Lab Test Now and schedule an appointment.

 

Suffering from COVID-Somnia? Help Could Be One Test Away

You can call it “Covid-Somnia.” Americans have been losing sleep over the pandemic — literally. Even before the coronavirus crisis, millions of people suffered from insomnia — the inability to fall or stay asleep. The pandemic has added even more challenges to getting some shut-eye — even for people who previously had no sleeping problems.

Our frontline and essential workers are probably most affected — working longer hours and taking on more shifts to help take care of the rest of us. But the disruption to our daily lives and fear of being exposed to the virus is taking a toll on every one of us — and it is showing up in our sleep, or lack thereof.

Pandemic Panic

According to data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 4 in 10 American adults had developed symptoms of depression or anxiety by the end of 2020. Both are known to have the potential to cause sleeping issues.

Concerns about the pandemic have not slowed down. People worry about catching the virus themselves or infecting others, including older family members who might be at high-risk because of pre-existing conditions. Isolation and lack of social interaction are also contributing to the problem.

Economic concerns, including job loss, are adding to the strain, as well as uncertainty about when life will return to normal, keeps minds racing and the body tossing and turning.

Fatigue is a public health problem. A lack of sleep can lead to impaired reaction times, affect judgment and vision, create difficulty with processing information and short-term memory recall. This constant state of weariness is very unhealthy. Sleep is crucial to our health and well-being.

• Sleep rejuvenates our immune system. Studies have found that a lack of sleep can make some vaccines less effective.
• Sleep impacts our mood, and the feeling of weariness can worsen depression.
• Sleep gives our brain a rest so we can think and learn better.
• Sleep also contributes to our mental health. A lack of sleep is often linked to many mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Sleep can also impact metabolism. Not enough sleep can lead to insulin resistance, which causes weight gain.

Settling Sleep Issues

Any Lab Test Now® offers a Sleep Balance Kit to help make sure you are getting the rest you need and measure any impact your current sleep patterns are having on your health.

The Sleep Balance Kit does not even involve a blood draw — just a simple series of urine tests to determine key levels of two important hormones: melatonin and cortisol.

• High cortisol results in insomnia, anxiety, sugar cravings, feeling tired but wired, and increased belly fat.
• Low melatonin results in excessive fatigue, depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

The Sleep Balance Kit is available in-store or for purchase online. The sample collection is conducted in the privacy and comfort of your own home. You do not even need a doctor’s order.

Be at Ease

Any Lab Test Now wants you to be at ease when it comes to seeking out any type of lab work or purchasing an at-home kit.

We provide you a safe and clean alternative location for lab work. Each of our 190+ stores is sanitized several times a day, in accordance with the CDC’s protocols. Any Lab Test Now is a committed partner in helping you manage your family’s healthcare so you can make educated decisions that will directly affect your quality of life. We want to put you at ease during the coronavirus pandemic. We are here to help.

Find your closest Any Lab Test Now store at www.anylabtestnow.com.

 

Your Body’s Response to Stress

Remember being a child? You’d stub your toe or bring home a bad grade on your report card, and it would feel like the end of the world – for about five minutes. Then, you’d race out the door to giggle with friends or fly on the swings or shoot hoops at the playground.

Back then, there were stressful moments, but more often than not, they were short-lived. Now that you are a grownup, however, you may find it more difficult to let go of stress. Stress may be staying with you, day after day and week after week. After all, many people struggle to simply balance day-to-day responsibilities. Then, if something more severe happens, such as becoming a long-term care giver or losing a job, it becomes nearly impossible to remove stress from your life.

Your Body and Stress

The feelings you have during short-term stress are healthy, natural physical responses. When your body encounters a stressful situation, it releases a steroid hormone called cortisol. This hormone triggers the “fight or flight” response that puts your body on high alert so that you can more effectively cope with the perceived threat. When this happens, you may feel your heart racing, tummy tighten, breath quicken or even a sudden burst of energy.

You feel these things because cortisol is telling your primary systems, like your breathing and circulatory systems, to accelerate. At the same time, it tells your secondary systems, like your reproductive and immune systems, to slow down, allowing all of your energy to shift towards coping with the threat.

Once the threat has passed, your cortisol levels should slowly subside and your systems should return to normal functioning.

Too Much Stress; Too Much Cortisol

But, what happens when the stressful situation(s) never ends? What happens when your body has so much cortisol coursing through it that it remains on high alert for long periods of time?

When that happens, your systems never reset themselves. Your body may over-tax your primary systems or not restore your secondary systems to normal functioning, leading to issues like:

• High blood pressure
• Digestive issues
• Weight gain
• Depression or anxiety
• Decreased libido
• Reduced energy
• Reduced immunity
• Muscle weakness

If you’re feeling any of these symptoms for unexplained reasons, it could be that you’ve been battling stress for too long and your cortisol levels aren’t dropping as they should. Cortisol saliva tests or cortisol blood tests can both be used to quickly evaluate your cortisol levels so that you can find out if they are at an unhealthy level.

Coping with Stress

If you find that your cortisol levels are too high, it’s important to take steps to reduce your stress and begin restoring your body to its natural functioning. Of course, talking with your doctor will provide options that fit your health status and lifestyle, but these may include:

• Exercising
• Learning to slow down (Think yoga, meditation, massage)
• Keeping a gratitude journal
• Evaluating your priorities and taking steps to remove non-necessary commitments
• Employing self-care practices
• Embracing your creative side

Having some stress in your life is natural, but if you start to question the impact that stress is having on your overall health and well-being, it’s time to take back control. Walk in to your local Any Lab Test Now location to get the answers you need about your cortisol level. Once you know, you’ll have one less thing to stress over!

Stressed And The Holidays Aren’t Even Here Yet? Check Your Cortisol Level.

From a baby’s cry to fast-paced work projects, people are faced with stresses on a regular basis. In response to these daily demands, the body releases a naturally occurring steroid hormone, called cortisol. Cortisol helps regulate muscles, cardiovascular function, digestion and other systems. This gives you the extra energy and mobility you need to fight through a stressful situation. As your cortisol levels increase, you may experience increased appetite, cravings for sugar and weight gain. Then, as the stressful situation comes to an end and you no longer need the extra energy, cortisol levels should return to normal.

Prolonged stress, however, means that cortisol is being produced regularly. When this happens, it can build up in the body without an outlet for release. This keeps your internal systems heightened and on high alert which can cause damage or fatigue. Risks resulting from chronic increased levels of cortisol are serious and include:

• Lower immune function
• Lower bone density
• Learning and memory issues
• Weight gain, particularly in the abdomen
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Depression

Is your cortisol level high?
Hormone testing, including the Saliva Cortisol Test or the Total Cortisol Test, can determine if your cortisol levels are too high or too low. Because cortisol levels naturally adjust throughout the day, the test may be required both early in the morning and again in the afternoon for the most accurate results.

What should I do about high cortisol levels?
Normal cortisol levels typically range from 6 to 23 micrograms per deciliter. Higher cortisol levels may be an indicator of Cushing disease or long-term, unmanaged stress. Low cortisol levels may be an indicator of Addison’s disease or hypopituitarism. In either case, your doctor will help you understand your test results and recommend any additional treatment options.

Stress management techniques may also prove effective in reducing higher than normal cortisol levels. From healthier eating and increased physical activity to meditation and deep breathing, stress management techniques provide your body with an outlet for releasing built-up cortisol and help bring your levels back into a healthier range.

If you regularly find yourself under stress, even if it is stress that stems from a positive experience, consider a  Saliva Cortisol Test or the Total Cortisol Test to live a healthier life and avoid long-term health issues.

Stressed? Relax, It’s Stress Awareness Month

April is Stress Awareness Month. What a perfect excuse to take a vacation or a long weekend to relax as the weather is slowly starting to warm up.

We all get caught up in our day to day activities, and if not properly dealt with, the result is stress. It’s important to remember to relax and take time to ourselves. It’s healthy and necessary. Busy lives and stressful activities can result in decreased attention to your health. That’s why Stress Awareness Month is a wonderful reminder to relax and overcome stress. Check out these 10 ways to celebrate Stress Awareness Month.

If your scheduled is slammed and you need lab tests but don’t have the time to do so, you may want to consider one of our complete health panels. This takes up less of your time, while giving you a complete overview of your health. The basic check up panel is a good start if you’re not sure where to begin. Take Control of Your Health® this April!