5 things cortisol does to damage the brain and how to reverse it

Cortisol levels rise and fall naturally throughout the day. Known as the body's primary stress hormone, cortisol is essential for survival, but in chronic excess, it becomes a silent killer of brain health. When the cortisol levels peak persistently, it can lead to a range of problems and also damage the brain. The damage often starts before you even realize you're under stress. When one feels bad, guilty, angry, or sad, it leads to a spike. These are all signs of stress. “Your brain does not know the difference between an actual physical stress or an actual reality stress and an imagined stress,” Dr. Clint Steele, a brain and nervous system specialist focused on cognitive longevity, notes. Here are five ways cortisol affects the brain, and some techniques that can help reverse the damage.

Shrinks the cortex
The cortex, the brain’s control center for logic, reasoning, and decision-making, physically shrinks when cortisol remains high over time. “The volume of the cortex actually starts to go down, meaning the cortex of your brain actually starts to shrink. It starts to rot. The cortex of your brain, as many of you know, is super important. This is the cognitive function area of your brain to help you with logical decisions to helps you think through processes. Also helps to control your emotions, a number of other things as well,” Dr. Steele said.

Reduces hippocampal volumeElevated cortisol levels can cause havoc on the hippocampus. The hippocampus is responsible for forming and storing memories. This part of the brain is highly sensitive to cortisol. Chronic stress causes the hippocampus to shrink, leading to difficulties in memory retention and recall. This is one of the earliest brain regions affected in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Affects memory
Chronic stress can make one forgetful. Yes, that’s right. When both the cortex and hippocampus are under strain, memory is one of the first functions to suffer. People with elevated cortisol levels may find themselves forgetting names, misplacing items, or struggling with concentration. It is important to understand that memory loss isn’t always about aging. Chronic stress can impair memory.

Disrupts emotional regulationCortisol disrupts emotional balance by interfering with the brain's ability to process and regulate feelings. Over time, this can lead to increased irritability, anxiety, and mood swings. The brain doesn’t know the difference between real danger and imagined stress. That’s why emotional awareness is crucial.

Damages decision-makingAnother devastating result of elevated cortisol is that it messes up with the decision-making ability. With reduced cortical activity, decision-making becomes more reactive and less rational. This can create a feedback loop, poor choices increase stress, which further elevates cortisol. That’s why one may feel stuck or overwhelmed. This is a sign of the brain struggling to function properly under stress.

How to reverse it

Managing stress is the only way to deal with elevated cortisol levels. Wondering how to ‘not stress’? Practice deep diaphragmatic breathing. “You can learn how to breathe properly. If you can learn to breathe properly with your diaphragm. Four seconds in, six seconds out. This tells your brain that it can relax. It allows the cortisol levels to start to drop,” Dr. Steele notes.

Another way to reduce stress is meditation. Yes, that’s right. Even brief meditation can help with managing stress. “Even if you don't like to meditate, even 30 seconds to a minute, just calm your mind, quiet your mind,” he suggests. Dr. Steele also suggests listening to music tuned to 528 Hz, which encourages alpha brainwave activity associated with calmness and mental clarity.