Cortisol is widely known as the body's stress hormone. Chronic stress harms our mind and body. "It's not stress that kills us, it's our reaction to it."

Cortisol is one of the key hormones like insulin, melatonin, reproductive and thyroid hormones and other major ones. These chemical messengers affect blood sugar to blood pressure, growth and fertility, sex drive, metabolism, and sleep. They influence our daily thoughts and actions. Glucagon, epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine and growth hormones are also stress hormones, but cortisol is the main one.

However, cortisol is an essential hormone that regulates our body's stress response and affects nearly every organ and tissue. Our adrenal glands produce and release this hormone into our bloodstream when we are stressed. It's our natural "flight or fight" response that has kept us alive for thousands of years. This can help people adapt to stressful events or danger. On another note, high cortisol can be harmful over time. Reducing stress is the most direct way to lower cortisol. In other cases, high cortisol might be the result of an underlying medical condition or a side effect of a medication.

Certainly, higher cortisol is a major issue. Besides controlling blood sugar, sleep-pattern, or high blood pressure, it can cause muscle weakness, frequent urination, mood changes, weight gain, especially in the face and abdomen and decreased sex drive. If it remains high for a long period of time, it may lower the body's immune response.

Forgiving and caring for others reduces the pain of unpleasant stress. Mindfulness and getting rid of egos can also be helpful in reducing stress.

E-mail: rubaiulmurshed@shomman.org