Why Cortisol Isn’t the Villain: Insights from Mumbai Surgeon Dr. Manan Vora

If you scroll through Instagram these days, you’ll see countless posts urging you to “lower your cortisol” for better health. It’s easy to think of cortisol as the bad guy, the stress hormone that’s sabotaging your diet and your sleep. But as Dr. Manan Vora, a Mumbai‑based orthopaedic surgeon and health educator, points out, it’s not that simple.

First things first: cortisol is absolutely essential. Produced by the adrenal glands perched atop your kidneys, this steroid hormone does a lot more than just signal stress. It helps regulate blood‑sugar levels, keeps your metabolism humming, contributes to blood‑pressure control, fine‑tunes your immune response, and basically prepares your body to face a challenge. In other words, without cortisol you wouldn’t be able to get out of bed on a busy morning.

So why the hype about getting rid of it? The answer lies in the word “chronic.” When you encounter a short‑term stressor – say you’re sprinting to catch a train – cortisol spikes, releases stored glucose for quick energy, and temporarily puts non‑essential functions on pause. That’s the classic “fight‑or‑flight” response, and it’s a lifesaver. But if the alarm keeps ringing – long work hours, endless notifications, sleepless nights – cortisol stays elevated far longer than it’s meant to. That’s when the hormone starts to wear down the very systems it was supposed to protect. People often notice disturbed sleep, sudden cravings, a shift in appetite, or a dip in motivation to move. Some put on extra belly fat, others actually lose weight, and many feel perpetually wired or anxious. The pattern is the same: the stress response never truly turns off.

Dr. Vora emphasizes that the body isn’t “against” you; it’s simply reacting to the signals it receives. The goal, then, isn’t to eradicate cortisol – that would be like trying to live without oxygen – but to manage the stress that keeps it firing nonstop.

Practical tips? He suggests gentle, consistent habits: aim for regular sleep windows, sprinkle short walks or light stretching throughout the day, and experiment with mindfulness or breathing exercises when you feel the pressure mounting. Nutrition matters, too; balanced meals that avoid big sugar spikes help keep blood‑glucose – and consequently cortisol – in a healthier range.

Remember, everyone’s response to chronic cortisol elevation is a little different. Some may see a number on the scale shift, while others notice mood swings or a constant “on‑edge” feeling. The common thread is prolonged stress, not the hormone itself.

In short, cortisol is a vital partner in your body’s survival toolkit. Treat it with respect, tame the chronic stress that overstimulates it, and you’ll likely find better sleep, steadier energy, and a calmer mind.