Nine ways to reduce cortisol levels, as Amy Schumer discusses Cushing’s syndrome

Speaking to Alex Cooper on this week’s Call Her Daddy podcast, comedian and actress Amy Schumer opened up about how trolls helped lead to her Cushing’s syndrome diagnosis – a condition caused by excessive cortisol levels, which leads to facial swelling, aka, “moon face”.

“A year ago, the internet really came for me,” the 43-year-old said. “I was like, ‘Okay, everybody, like, relax.’”

It wasn’t until physicians then commented, suggesting she might have the condition, that Schumer actually took note.

“Doctors were chiming in in the comments and they were, like, ‘No, no … something's really up. Your face looks so crazy.’”

Following the birth of her son Gene in 2019 via C-section and breast reduction surgery, Schumer explained that she had been put on a course of steroid injections, which she attributes as the cause of her heightened cortisol levels.

“I wouldn't have known if the internet hadn't come for me so hard,” Schumer noted.

And although the condition is extremely rare – only 40 to 70 people out of every million have it – there has been a lot of discussion around cortisol in recent years – especially on TikTok.

So, what exactly is cortisol and how can we reduce our levels of the hormone?

What is cortisol?

Produced and released by the body’s adrenal glands, cortisol is a steroid hormone that helps regulate responses to stress.

It also helps suppress inflammation, regulate blood pressure and sugar, and helps control metabolism. Cortisol also impacts the body’s sleep-wake cycle and is essential for overall health.

However, high levels of cortisol can be harmful to your health, especially over a sustained period.

In very rare instances, it can lead to Cushing’s syndrome, as with the case of Amy Schumer. But otherwise, high levels of the so-called “stress hormone” can encourage weight gain, “moon face” or “cushion face”, muscle weakness and mood swings, among other things.

9 practical ways to reduce and manage your body’s cortisol levels

1. Quality sleep

There are many studies that show a strong connection between sleep and our physical and mental health.

Professor Kevin Morgan of Loughborough University, who has dedicated his career to researching human sleep, previously told Yahoo UK: "Sleep extension can offer all kinds of health benefits. Those we call 'short sleepers' are more prone to heart disease, they die younger, and they’re bigger than the rest of the population. By improving cardiometabolic health through sleep, you can reduce the risk of heart disease and increase your longevity. It’s not just that sleeping better helps you feel better – this has real implications for your health and wellbeing."

In terms of stress, specifically, adopting a regular bedtime routine, sticking to the same sleep-wake pattern as closely as possible, and creating a relaxing environment can all help improve your wellbeing.

2. Practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques

As well as identifying triggers and patterns, to help you avoid unnecessary stressors, it can be useful to practice mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, body scans, and focusing on the breath.

Not only do these methods help reduce stress, they help you understand why your body reacts in a certain way. For example, your stress levels may peak when you have a heavy workload or you interact with certain people – so can you find ways to balance things out or reduce negative interactions?

3. Maintaining healthy relationships

In a similar vein, consciously navigating relationships with work colleagues, friends, family and loved ones can have a huge impact on our stress levels and overall health.

4. Regular exercise

While intense exercise increases cortisol levels initially, levels are lowered a few hours after working out.

Studies have shown that regular exercise can also lead to greater resilience to acute stress, and can lower cortisol levels over time.

5. Balanced diet

As is the case with pretty much everything health-related, a nutritional, balanced diet is key to reducing cortisol levels.

Things like sugar, saturated fats and refined grains can increase cortisol levels, whereas a diet high in vegetables, fruits, polyunsaturated fats and whole grains has the adverse effect.

To lower your cortisol levels, consider introducing the following foods to your diet:

• Whole grains

• Legumes and lentils

• Healthy fats

• Water

• Green tea

• Vegetables and fruit

• Dark chocolate

6. Reduce caffeine intake

Caffeine not only impacts our stress levels, it can affect our circadian rhythms, leading to poor sleep and high blood pressure.

You should avoid consuming caffeinated food and drink around 6 hours before bed.

7. Avoid nicotine and alcohol

Again, both nicotine and alcohol impact our sleep, which in turn affects our stress and cortisol levels. Reducing your intake of both, particularly before bedtime, is recommended.

8. Controlled breathing

Practicing deep breathing techniques can help you manage stress and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn reduces cortisol levels.

9. Laugh

Regardless of whether it’s forced or authentic, laughter promotes the release of endorphins and helps to suppress cortisol.

Other positive wellbeing hobbies can also have a similar effect.

Read more about health and nutrition

• Nine superfoods to eat every day – and how to incorporate them into your diet (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)

• Six healthy eating 'rules' to follow in 2025 (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)

• What you can learn from countries with the 'healthiest diets' (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)