How to test cortisol levels saliva?

Are you feeling stressed out lately? Are you concerned about your health and well-being? Do not fear, my friend! You can test your cortisol levels using just saliva. Yes, that’s right – spit in a tube and voila! You will have all the information you need to tackle stress like a boss.

What is Cortisol?

Before we dive into the testing process, let’s first understand what cortisol actually is. Cortisol is a hormone produced by our adrenal glands in response to stress. It helps regulate many bodily functions including blood pressure, glucose metabolism, and immune system response.

Interestingly enough (prepare for knowledge bomb) cortisol also plays an important role in our fight or flight response. When faced with danger or stressors, our bodies release increased amounts of cortisol which triggers the necessary physical reactions needed for survival.

Why Test Your Cortisol Levels?

Now that we know what cortisol does let’s discuss why it’s important to test its levels in your body (hint: this is where I scare you into getting tested).

Having either too much or too little cortisol can lead to various health problems such as depression, anxiety disorders , weight gain/loss (and no one wants that!), chronic fatigue syndrome (sounding scary yet?), Cushing’s Syndrome (a rare but serious condition), Addison’s Disease (another rare disorder due inadequate production of hormones) and other life-threatening conditions!

Additionally (just adding fuel to the fire here) imbalanced levels of cortisol might be impacting your overall emotional state making us feel fatigued on some days while conversely edgy on others evoking feelings over being upset easily even when there isn’t any obvious trigger around causing those emotions!.

Luckily for us crazy bunch above who are imagining worst-case scenarios reading this article now have newfound hope as they read below how easy it is testing healthy yet balanced level of cortisol!

How to Test Cortisol Levels Saliva?

Now that you’re sufficiently scared, let’s move onto the actual testing process! Here are some easy steps for DIY saliva cortisol testing:

Gather Your Materials

Before starting the test process, make sure to gather everything you’ll need:
– Square-shaped strip of paper
– A straw
– Cotton swab (for any drool’s handle if found mentioned in instructions)

You may also want to have a timer handy as well.

Pick The Right Time

The best time to take a saliva cortisol test is within an hour of waking up. Our body’s natural cortisol levels are usually highest during the first few hours after getting out of bed in the morning. (your body knows how important breakfast is!)

If you cannot complete this step then do try to avoid eating or drinking anything except water at least thirty minutes before taking your sample! Keep it real folks!

Instructions You Need To Follow

Please follow these detailed but simple instructions closely and voila here we go!
1. Tear off a small square shaped paper.
2. Place it under your tongue for one minute (the time taken by normal people who don’t know what they’re doing).
3. Put hole on paper on top part of straw and spit combination into hole along with mucus from cotton swab via straw.

This collection method can capture your hormones without being altered due motion bias caused when spitting directly into tubes normally leading inaccuracies occurring if collected straightforward not involving paper model just outlined above where results will actually signify true hormone levels present and be accredited more accurately believe me!

Additionally,doozy coming up make sure not brush teeth drink tend drink tea coffee alcohol or smoke ideally within 30 mins getting ready preparing for side effects i.e., difficulties initiating sleep patterns fewer dreams headache lack appetite there already waiting over ~~~~

But alas (dramatic sigh) now that you have your sample, all that’s left is to send it off to a lab for analysis. Alternatively, you can purchase a home testing kit which allows you to analyze the test yourself.

Conclusion

Testing cortisol levels in saliva is an easy and painless process! It provides us with valuable insight into our stress hormone balance which means we are provided with more information regarding wellbeing helping improve healthier decisions ultimately providing peace of mind too !! So don’t wait, try out this DIY testing method today and keep track of the change over time; I bet they’ll shock even healthiest of people what’s happening inside them when constantly under stress or some other external force!

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