Imagine if you lived in a forest where there were lots of bears. After the first one or two encounters, your body would want to become more efficient at responding to the bear problem. Essentially, cortisol helps the body adapt to repeated or long-term stressors, like living in bear-infested woods or handling prolonged food shortages. Some of the effects of cortisol are similar to those of adrenaline—it raises blood pressure and blood sugar, inhibits cognition (clear thinking), and destabilizes mood. It also disrupts sleep, which makes a lot of sense if you are living in a forest full of
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