One researcher says your ears tell the most accurate story of your mental health.
Stress manifests itself in many different ways. Some of us eat too many gummy bears when it strikes, or find ourselves reaching for the potato chips and coffee for the seventh time in one day. Others hit the gym or bar, or feel bottled up and explode with anger.
However your stress manifests, there are some reliable signs it is taking hold. Weight gain and strained personal relationships can be a surefire sign you are hitting your own personal wall of tension. But how about rising cortisol levels in your ear wax?
It sounds outlandish but scientists say your ear secretions could be telling you something.
Researchers in the UK are suggesting your earwax could actually be a solid indicator of your mental health. A small study conducted by Dr. Herane-Vives, a psychiatrist at University College London Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, showed that a person’s level of cortisol measured via their earwax can give a more reliable reading of their stress levels than a blood test.
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Cortisol is a stress hormone released by your body telling you when it is time to engage in “fight or flight”. High levels of this hormone have been associated with not only stressful lifestyles but also anxiety, depression, and other psychiatric conditions. Often, cortisol is measured by taking a blood sample. This can be unreliable, however, as blood tests themselves can be stressful to undergo. The results from this route provided to doctors and researchers can easily show false positive results, says Herane-Vives. Cortisol measured in earwax, by contrast, can reveal how much of the hormone is produced by your body over longer periods of time.
Dr. Herane-Vives says that cortisol levels measured in ear wax also seem to be more stable than those measured from hair follicles. The result? The professionals get a better idea of your chronic stress levels. This is great as it can lead to a more accurate diagnosis.
Cortisol and the Pandemic (Why It’s Important to Relax)
So, your earwax could be your best tell-all feature. Does all that stress really matter, though? Yes, unfortunately it does.
Of course, a bit of pressure can be beneficial. Healthy stress pushes you to face up to your challenges and succeed. But too much of it can be your downfall. Cortisol does things like increase the sugars available in your bloodstream and help your brain make better use of them so that you can think and act fast. But this comes at the expense of other things. Cortisol also lowers your immune system, placing you, at least momentarily, at an increased risk of infection.
Long term, chronic stress is also associated with things like headaches, digestive problems, troubled sleep, anxiety, problems concentrating, and increased weight gain: all bad news. During the pandemic this is the last thing you need, of course.
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So, what can you do to relax? Everyone has different activities that work best for them. Just remember to keep things healthy. (Never increase your substance use as this could lower stress in the moment but obviously create more problems in the future).
Go for a walk, foster healthy friendships, take up a new hobby, and volunteer in your community. All these things can help you take a load off. And seek counseling if you need it. This can be a perfect place to start getting a handle on things.
For help handling stress, click here. For those who love earwax and simply can’t seem to get enough, click here.
photo credits: Red Confidential/Shutterstock.com
