Normally, cortisol levels rise in the morning and fall near bedtime. Stress causes the level to rise, but can quickly fall once things calm down.

However, as we age our cortisol rises higher and remains elevated longer than when we were young.

Cortisol is a “stress hormone” and when properly controlled is a major form of protection against stress and excessive immune activation.

But with age the body can develop cortisol receptor resistance, which means that not only will our cortisol rise higher, it is less able to reduce excessive inflammation.

This puts us in a very precarious position and puts our brain at risk of degeneration — developing Alzheimer’s dementia or Parkinson’s disease.