Do This Before Bed — It Lowers Cortisol and Releases Trapped Fat | Dr. Mandell

Summary

Despite eating well and exercising, fat can remain stuck due to high cortisol levels. Cortisol disrupts the thyroid's ability to burn fat by blocking the conversion of T4 to T3 and causing muscle breakdown. To break this cycle, the video suggests practical steps like resetting your circadian rhythm, supporting thyroid health, preserving muscle mass, and managing stress. By calming cortisol and sending the right signals to your body, you can shift from survival mode to fat-burning mode and regain energy and balance.

Takeaways

• 😀 Cortisol, a survival hormone, can prevent fat loss by disrupting metabolism and thyroid function.
• 😀 High cortisol levels block the conversion of T4 to T3, leading to sluggish fat burning and energy production.
• 😀 Elevated cortisol can cause your body to produce reverse T3, which doesn’t help burn fat, leaving you feeling fatigued and stuck in fat storage mode.
• 😀 Cortisol suppresses TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), reducing thyroid hormone production and conversion, further impacting metabolism.
• 😀 Cortisol triggers gluconeogenesis, where your body breaks down muscle tissue to convert it into sugar, leading to fat storage and muscle loss.
• 😀 Chronic stress, poor sleep, overtraining, under-eating, stimulants, and emotional exhaustion drive the hormonal feedback loop that causes these issues.
• 😀 Step 1: Reset your circadian rhythm by getting natural light within 30–60 minutes of waking up to help regulate cortisol and thyroid function.
• 😀 Step 2: Protect your adrenals by avoiding caffeine before eating if you're already burned out and not skipping breakfast if you're depleted.
• 😀 Step 3: Support thyroid health by eating selenium-rich foods like Brazil nuts, zinc from pumpkin seeds or shellfish, and iodine from natural sources like seaweed.
• 😀 Step 4: Protect lean muscle by engaging in resistance training 2–3 times a week to signal your body to burn fat instead of storing it.
• 😀 Step 5: Rethink fasting. If your thyroid is suppressed, start with 12-hour overnight fasts and gradually increase as your body adapts.
• 😀 Step 6: Perform a simple tongue exercise before bed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reduce cortisol, and support recovery and repair.
• 😀 Lowering cortisol allows your metabolism to recover, insulin to stabilize, and your body to release fat, helping you transition from survival mode to fat-burning mode.

Q & A

What is the main reason people struggle with fat loss despite eating well and exercising?

The main reason is elevated cortisol levels. When cortisol is high, it disrupts the thyroid's ability to convert T4 into T3, causing the body to hold on to fat and making it harder to lose weight.

What role does cortisol play in weight gain and metabolism?

Cortisol suppresses the thyroid's function by blocking T4 to T3 conversion, which leads to a slower metabolism. It also triggers gluconeogenesis, where the body breaks down muscle to convert it into sugar, leading to fat storage and muscle loss.

How does cortisol impact thyroid hormone production?

Cortisol suppresses TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), which is responsible for signaling the thyroid to produce hormones. As a result, the body produces less thyroid hormone, and the remaining hormones are blocked or converted into a non-functional form (reverse T3).

What is reverse T3 and why is it problematic?

Reverse T3 is an inactive form of thyroid hormone that mimics T3 but does not trigger fat burning. It binds to thyroid receptors but doesn't activate the body's fat-burning processes, leading to sluggish metabolism and fat retention.

What is gluconeogenesis and how does it affect the body?

Gluconeogenesis is the process where the body breaks down muscle tissue and converts it into sugar. This sugar then increases blood glucose and insulin levels, promoting fat storage while simultaneously causing muscle loss, which further slows metabolism.

What lifestyle factors contribute to the hormonal feedback loop of weight gain?

Chronic stress, poor sleep, overtraining, undereating, stimulants, and emotional exhaustion all contribute to an unhealthy hormonal feedback loop, leading to elevated cortisol and impaired metabolism.

How can resetting the circadian rhythm help with cortisol regulation?

Getting outside into natural light within 30 to 60 minutes of waking helps regulate cortisol levels. It signals to the brain that the day has started, which supports healthy production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), encouraging the body’s natural rhythms.

What should you avoid in the morning to protect your adrenal glands?

Avoid caffeine before eating if you're already feeling burned out, as it can further stress your adrenal glands. Also, don’t skip breakfast if your system is depleted, as this can increase cortisol production.

Which nutrients support healthy thyroid function and fat burning?

Selenium from Brazil nuts, zinc from pumpkin seeds or shellfish, and iodine from natural sources like seaweed are crucial for healthy thyroid function, particularly in converting T4 to T3 for effective fat burning.

Why is resistance training important for metabolism?

Resistance training helps preserve lean muscle mass, which is essential for maintaining a healthy metabolism. It signals the body to burn fat rather than store it, even in the presence of elevated cortisol levels.