The Insulin and Cortisol Surge

Yesterday, my husband requested I buy a case of coconut juice to give us energy while working on our new house all weekend. Since I heard we were going to have record-high temperatures here in Colorado (and I know that coconut juice is high in electrolyte minerals that increase energy when hot, drained and sweating) I decided to go for it.

Last night, around 8:30pm, those cans of ice-cold, tropical sweetness were way too tempting. Although I usually only indulge in after-dinner treats on fun or special occasions (I’ll tell you why in a second) this time I couldn’t resist.

What happened is that I woke up around one or two a.m. feeling restless, anxious, and mildly fearful. I wasn’t surprised. Here’s why:

The Insulin/Cortisol Surge

When we eat or drink something high in sugars, an hour or so later we get what’s called an “insulin surge”. Insulin is a hormone that carries sugar out of the blood stream and into storage. You can think of insulin as a kind of “usher”.

Essentially, insulin drops our blood levels of sugar. The timing and intensity of the drop is directly related to the glycemic value (sugar content) of the foods eaten. In other words, if we eat a high-glycemic food without fat or protein to help slow absorption, insulin comes in fast and furious to drop that sugar load in the blood. A quick and sudden rise of blood sugar leads to a quick and sudden drop.

But it doesn’t end there (and here’s where insomnia and anxiety come in).

As soon as blood sugar levels drop, another hormone comes in to counter that action. That hormone is called cortisol. One of cortisol’s purposes is to make sure blood sugar levels are steady, and that there’s enough energy (sugar) in the blood to make us “go”. Herein lies the problem when you’re trying to get some sleep.

Cortisol is a stress hormone that has many more jobs that just raising blood sugar. As soon as it’s secreted by the adrenal glands, it turns on the sympathetic nervous system and decreases the parasympathetic. The sympathetic system prepares us for wakefulness by releasing stored energy for use, increasing heart rate, and preparing us for a “fight or flight” response, if needed.

The parasympathetic system, on the other hand, does the opposite. It’s the “rest and digest” side that prepares us for quietude, relaxation and sleep.

Which of these do you think would come in more handy from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.? You guessed it.

Last night I woke up after the insulin/cortisol surge. With cortisol up, it’s no doubt that I, for one, woke up in the first place, and secondly, that I woke up a little anxious. A cortisol surge (anytime in the day or night) can do that to a person.

If you struggle with insomnia, or have a chronic sense of anxiety or worry anytime in the day, a little work on the insulin and cortisol surge can go a long way.

Must-do blood sugar balancing tools for insomniacs to decrease the insulin/cortisol surge:

1. Always eat carbohydrates with some protein or fat to slow their digestion time. Carbs are grains, pastas, sweets, fruits, breads, cereals, etc.

2. Do not eat sweet foods or drinks in the evening. If you like a sweet treat in the day, have it with lunch, not dinner.

3. Always eat a little protein (animal or vegetable sources) and a little good fat (avocado, butter or ghee, yogurt, coconut meat, nuts and seeds) at dinner to help balance blood sugar for the night and into next morning.

4. Have an earlier dinner (before 7pm) and try not to eat after 8pm.

5. Eat your largest meal of the day at breakfast or lunch. Avoid large meals at dinnertime.

Have you put any of these into practice? If so, we’d love to hear how it has effected you sleep or performance in the day. Please comment below.