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A 2025 study of 201 healthy volunteers found that cortisol levels peaked before waking and not afterwards, suggesting that we rely on a pulse of cortisol to wake us in the mornings<\/p>\nFeeling tired? Bloated? Having trouble sleeping? Your cortisol levels might be too high \u2013 or that\u2019s what social media would have you believe.<\/p>\n
Cortisol is the latest chemical to fall under the spotlight as, in many health and wellness influencers\u2019 eyes, it\u2019s to blame for all manner of problems \u2013\u00a0problems that the correct combination of supplements can, of course, fix.<\/p>\n
But what exactly is cortisol? And why is it causing so much trouble?<\/p>\n
Cortisol is commonly known as a stress hormone. When we sense a potential threat, the amygdala in our brain triggers the \u2018fight or flight\u2019 response: adrenaline and noradrenaline are released to prepare us to do battle or run away. This is what we feel when we jump during a scary movie or are nervous before a big work presentation.<\/p>\n
Most of the time the stress doesn\u2019t last long \u2013 the scare is momentary, the presentation is only a few minutes \u2013 and our adrenaline levels return to normal shortly after it passes. Neuroscientists and psychologists call this acute stress and, in moderate amounts, it\u2019s actually good for us.<\/p>\n
Cortisol comes into the equation when that stress is prolonged or feels unmanageable. In these cases, cortisol is released from the adrenal glands on top of the kidneys. <\/p>\n
It peaks after 15\u201320 minutes and, during that time, helps our body to continue responding to the threat by making sure energy is available and blood is flowing to the muscles, as well as keeping our brain alert.<\/p>\n
But this doesn\u2019t happen every time we\u2019re afraid or stressed \u2013 far from it. \u201cGetting a cortisol response from acute stress is actually quite difficult,\u201d says Prof Stafford Lightman of the University of Bristol Medical School. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very easy to get an adrenaline response, but causing cortisol release is a challenge. It\u2019s whether you personally perceive something as being a severe enough threat.\u201d<\/p>\n
A 2025 study of 201 healthy volunteers found that cortisol levels peaked before waking and not afterwards, suggesting that we rely on a pulse of cortisol to wake us in the mornings<\/p>\n
But the stress response isn\u2019t cortisol\u2019s only role. It has other important functions as well, some of which are positive. For example, cortisol helps you get up in the morning: your cortisol levels rise before you wake<\/a>. Without this increase preparing you for the day, it would be even harder to get out of bed.<\/p>\n Cortisol plays a huge range of roles, Lightman points out. \u201cCortisol is a signalling molecule \u2013 almost every tissue in your body has cortisol receptors: your muscles, your liver, your brain.\u201d<\/p>\n When your organs and muscles receive signals from cortisol, it triggers them to carry out important functions that keep your body stable. For example, when organs such as your liver and pancreas detect cortisol, it helps them to maintain steady blood sugar levels and keep your blood pressure consistent. Cortisol can also trigger anti-inflammatory mechanisms in the body, helping to boost your immune system for short bursts.<\/p>\n \u201c[Cortisol] does multiple things,\u201d Lightman says. \u201cAnd it\u2019s kept very carefully under control by the body because so much depends on it. In fact, it\u2019s the only hormone you need for life \u2013 without cortisol you would die.\u201d<\/p>\n Patterns matter<\/p>\n You certainly need some cortisol, then, but what if you\u2019re worried you have too much of it \u2013 an amount that, as the influencers are so keen to point out, could be causing you problems.<\/p>\n Determining that can be tricky, though, as your cortisol levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day (rising in the morning and falling in the evening). The trouble is that the at-home test kits used to measure your cortisol levels ask you to check them just once a day and claim this gives you an indication of whether they\u2019re generally \u2018high\u2019 or \u2018low\u2019.<\/p>\n Lightman describes these tests as \u201ccomplete rubbish\u201d and points out that \u201cthe variation of normality at any one time point is massive and you couldn\u2019t possibly tell whether someone\u2019s cortisol was high or low. 20 minutes later it might be completely different.\u201d<\/p>\n To really know what\u2019s going on, you would have to measure your cortisol levels many times, over many days \u2013 this is how doctors diagnose diseases linked to changes in cortisol release.<\/p>\n To complicate matters further, cortisol is also released in bursts about every hour or so<\/a>. This pattern changes gene activity and is vital for a whole range of functions. One <\/a>study<\/a>\u00a0<\/a>recruited healthy volunteers to investigate this, blocking their natural cortisol and substituting it with matching doses that mimicked either a daily (circadian) rhythm without pulses, or a circadian rhythm with pulses (similar to a natural release pattern).<\/p>\n The participants on the non-pulsed protocol scored worse on working memory tasks and reported poor sleep. Those on the pulsed protocol, however, were less able to accurately identify facial expressions, which is conversely linked to better mental well-being. The results suggest that it\u2019s not necessarily the amount of cortisol in your system that affects your ability to function, but the pattern with which it\u2019s released.<\/p>\n Studies on mice also suggest that we\u2019re able to learn new skills better while our cortisol levels are higher, as neuron connections form more easily. But we need cortisol levels to dip for these skills to be stored long-term in the brain<\/a>.<\/p>\n But even if you could track cortisol over a whole day, this still wouldn\u2019t say much about your health. \u201cYou would first have to define normality for that particular person,\u201d says Lightman, \u201cand then show that their pattern for the day fell outside the normal range. Nobody has done that. All these wellness people tell you is that your pattern is \u2018dysregulated\u2019, but that\u2019s complete rubbish.\u201d<\/p>\n Scientists agree that chronic stress is bad for our health and that managing it can make our lives a little better. But, Lightman says, we shouldn\u2019t always jump to blame cortisol. <\/p>\n \u201cHealth problems can develop if you experience long-term stress \u2013 a divorce, losing your job, something that wakes you up in the night worrying. That doesn\u2019t mean the cortisol is causing it.\u201d<\/p>\n Tackling the source of our stress is the best remedy, rather than resorting to supplements in a bid to reduce our cortisol levels, but this isn\u2019t always an option. <\/p>\n Luckily, we can manage our stress levels in other ways. A 2019 study, for example, found that older people given dance training for three months showed a reduction in their peak cortisol<\/a> and dancing has also been shown to reduce feelings of stress<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hugs can also be a great way to deal with short-term stress. One study found that when students received more than their usual number of hugs in a day, their morning cortisol spike was lower the day after.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Rear](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-1405825156-1-1.jpg\")
The Japanese practice of ‘Shinrin-yoku’, or taking in the forest atmosphere, has been shown to consistently lower cortisol levels – Getty
\nDon\u2019t panic<\/p>\n