Think back to the last time you were stressed out about something: The racing thoughts, clammy hands, and nervous energy you likely felt were thanks in part to a little hormone called cortisol. While it's normal (and essential) for cortisol levels to rise and fall throughout the day, the hormone shouldn't stay elevated for too long.

Here's what doctors want you to know about the link between stress and cortisol, when it's time to bring your cortisol levels down, and the best supplements, foods, and practices to help keep the hormone in check.*

Cortisol is the body's main stress hormone, and our adrenal glands naturally release it throughout the day. Just about every organ in the body has receptors that react to cortisol, explains Ian Leber, M.D., the chief medical officer of Sollis Health.

"Cortisol is essential for living. It peaks at the beginning of the day to support getting out of bed and decreases throughout the day to allow 'sleep pressure' to build. Without cortisol, we would lack the motivation to get up and do things," says Shera Raisen, M.D., a physician at concierge primary care center The Lanby.

"Cortisol increases glucose in the bloodstream, enhances your brain's use of glucose, and it also increases the availability of substances that repair tissues," explains dual board-certified doctor Seema Bonney, M.D. This makes us feel more awake, alert, and ready to take action. So it makes sense that any time we're faced with a perceived threat, the adrenals churn out some more cortisol to help all the organs in our body prepare to fight or flee the situation.

The issue is that as cortisol revs our bodies up, it diverts energy away from the processes that aren't essential for the fight-or-flight response, such as digestion and rest.

"Typically, perceived threats pass quickly and the hormone levels return to normal resulting in a return to baseline for those nonessential systems," Bonney explains. However, "when stressors are consistently present and you constantly feel under attack, this fight-or-flight response stays turned on." This is when cortisol can start to negatively affect things like sleep quality, blood sugar balance, immunity, and digestion.

RELATED STORY: The 6 Best At-Home Cortisol Tests + Signs Of Abnormal Levels

Going through a period of prolonged stress and suspect your cortisol levels could use some help or optimization? There are plenty of ways to begin to bring the hormone back to baseline. If you're looking for a daily supplement to support a robust stress response, these three ingredients have all been shown to support healthy cortisol levels in clinical research:*

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in abundance in fish oil, can be another helpful ally during tense times.* The three major types—DHA, EPA, and ALA—have been shown to ease psychological and physiological reactions to stress and support mental well-being overall.* In one small study3 in 2003, for example, seven men who supplemented with a daily fish oil supplement had lower cortisol levels after three weeks.* Omega-3 supplements (specifically fish oil) are extremely popular and readily available. Read up on how to find the right one for you here.

L-theanine is an amino acid that promotes the production of relaxing alpha waves4, which calm down the brain but don't necessarily make us tired. In one 2016 clinical study5 published in the journal Nutrients, those who drank a beverage containing L-theanine and then completed a cognitively stressful task got through it with significantly lower cortisol levels than a placebo group. This calming amino acid is found primarily in green tea, but it can also be taken as a supplement.

Leber adds that getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals can also help keep the stress response in check. "It's the equivalent of ensuring your car has enough oil and the tires have the right amount of air," he tells mbg. "The vitamins associated with cortisol metabolism are B12, folate, magnesium, and vitamin C."

In addition to giving your body the right vitamins and minerals and supplementing as needed, here are some other ways that Bonney, Leber, and Raisen recommend keeping stress and cortisol levels in check.

Proactively work a handful of these self-care practices into your routine so that the next time a trigger arises, your body is ready to quickly come back to calm:

Cortisol is a hormone that helps conduct the all-important stress response. Practicing stress management techniques and fueling your body with the right foods and supplements will help keep it in check so your body is ready to react to stress—but not get consumed by it.*

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