Good morning! As you probably know, finding ways to manage cortisol is on everyone’s mind right now. High cortisol levels! Cortisol deficiency! Foods, supplements, and practices to balance cortisol! We’ve become just as obsessed with lowering this steroid hormone as we are with keeping our collagen levels high.
That’s just how life works: certain trends and topics come and go in cycles, and right now, given our stressful lifestyles, we’re focused on lowering cortisol. Especially if you live in a big city, rush out of the house, and squeeze into a crowded subway car—it’s hard not to show up at work stressed, exhausted, and with this tricky hormone through the roof. But cortisol is actually essential for functioning and getting through the day. As psychologist Brenda de la Peña tells Vogue: “Every morning when we wake up, our body produces a natural cortisol spike that helps us get up and moving. The challenge is to keep it stable and sufficient throughout the day, preventing it from spiking more than necessary or staying elevated all the time.”
So, the goal is to keep cortisol steady and regular, without beating ourselves up for feeling emotionally stressed. What it’s really about, says de la Peña, “is becoming more aware of our tendency to go on autopilot, which we do to save mental energy. We live our daily lives in a pretty automatic way, exhausting ourselves and reacting to everything around us. In reality, we can simply choose to let things pass. Our energy is limited, and stress doesn’t exactly help us.”
“We need to make a strategic and firm commitment to the habit of consciously choosing what we spend our energy on,” she adds. “We should foster a state of inner calm that lets us listen to what we need. We can make small daily decisions with a steady, calm attitude instead of an anxious one.”
Key Takeaways
– A rise in cortisol in the morning is normal. The real issue isn’t whether cortisol rises, but whether our stress response is chronically over-activated.
– Ways to regulate morning cortisol include having a morning coffee, staying off your phone, and connecting with nature.
– What happens when cortisol is high or unstable?
Having a consistent early morning routine is crucial to prevent your cortisol from skyrocketing before you even get to the office. And if your mornings are chaotic and stressful? You might notice symptoms like constant exhaustion, irritability, pain, muscle tension, digestive problems, or even hair loss as signs of high cortisol. These vary from person to person, but they should usually raise a red flag that you need to respond differently to everyday life.
Mary Delberghe, a naturopath and hormone expert based in France, explains some of the effects like this:
– Chronic fatigue and sleep issues, including trouble falling asleep, restless sleep, and poor sleep quality.
– Hormonal imbalances that lead to irregular periods, hormonal disorders, and reduced fertility, especially in women.
– Weakened immunity and higher vulnerability to infections.
– Chronic inflammation, which raises the risk of arthritis and heart problems.
– Fluctuations in blood sugar, including low blood sugar, lower energy, cravings, and fatigue.
– Weight gain and excess fat storage, particularly around the belly.
How do you know if your morning cortisol is actually a problem?
First, it’s important to remember that cortisol itself isn’t bad. Anu Lala, MD, a cardiologist and internal medicine doctor at Mount Sinai, says a healthy rise in cortisol right after waking is completely normal—it helps us transition from sleep to wakefulness, mobilizing energy and regulating blood pressure to prepare for the day. So, the issue isn’t really whether our cortisol rises, she says, but whether our stress response is just chronically over-activated.She explains, “This is when someone is living in a constant state of what we call sympathetic activation. It’s the fight-or-flight response, meaning you’re ready to defend yourself or run if needed. It’s an evolutionary protective mechanism.” This can show up in many ways. She lists signs of chronically high cortisol activation, like waking up feeling anxious or on edge, having racing thoughts before you even get out of bed, or feeling a strong urge to check emails or start working right away. Other signs include feeling very irritable first thing in the morning, struggling to concentrate even after a good night’s sleep, and craving sugar or processed foods early in the day.
But while these are good indicators of high cortisol, she says cortisol dysregulation is rarely diagnosed based on symptoms alone. “Most people don’t need cortisol testing, and it’s not just one symptom that gives you clues. Instead, it’s an accumulation of chronic stress activation that leads to these physical signs, which then become a concern,” she says. “From a cardiovascular perspective, what worries me isn’t one stressful morning—that’s normal. It’s the buildup of hundreds or thousands of mornings where the nervous system never gets a chance to reset.” Over time, she says, this can lead to high blood pressure, weight gain, worsening blood sugar control, increased inflammation, hypertension, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease.
So, what can you do about high cortisol levels? Read on…
As soon as you wake up: Don’t reach for your phone
You might have ended up here because you were googling and scrolling for answers on how to lower your cortisol. So this first tip might feel a bit obvious—but hear us out. It’s really hard to break the habit of checking your phone as soon as you wake up. However, as De la Peña confirms, that’s often what causes that first cortisol spike. Instead of gradually exposing ourselves to the flood of information and life around us, we force it all at once—and with it, stress. “Every little trigger sets off a whole automatic cascade of neurotransmitters, including the famous cortisol, which prepares us for an emotional battle. This stops us from using our energy wisely to have the best day,” she says. Try using a clock alarm, don’t answer emails or messages in bed, and avoid looking at your phone for as long as possible.
Or coffee…
It’s a universal habit: waking up, turning on the coffee machine, and drinking your coffee with half-open eyes, hoping it will be the antidote to get you through the day. Sadly, though, it’s not the best idea for keeping cortisol levels stable. “One recommendation that has worked very well for me, and that I give to all my patients, is to skip coffee as the first thing in the morning,” says de la Peña. “On a biochemical level, it makes the natural cortisol spike we all experience at the start of the day even worse.” Instead, try a nutritious, slow-energy breakfast that you enjoy and that supports both your physical and mental wellbeing. If you drink your coffee a little later, you’ll still get its benefits while avoiding those spikes. “Coffee contains caffeine, which is a natural stimulant,” nutritionist Mugdha Pradhan, founder of iThrive, previously told Vogue. “This means it can boost your metabolism by increasing your heart rate and energy use. That’s why drinking coffee in the morning—about 90 minutes after waking up—works well, because it matches the body’s natural cortisol rhythm.” But don’t worry about being too strict with the timing. Dr. Lala explains that while waiting for that cortisol activation might help, there’s no strong evidence that it makes a meaningful difference.Meaningful changes to cortisol biology. “The bigger picture matters much more than the exact timing,” she says. “Making a ritual out of your coffee can be part of a very healthy lifestyle.”
If you want to give up coffee, you can try herbal teas, chicory, or matcha instead. And there’s no need to worry about the 90-minute rule with matcha or tea either, she adds.
Other tips for keeping your cortisol levels stable
These are fairly general tips for lowering cortisol, and the truth is that not everyone relaxes the same way. A meditation session or yoga class can be a stress reliever for some, but for others, trying to focus on the present moment or doing a tree pose can be a challenge that actually throws off their cortisol levels.
The reality is that finding universal tips and tricks for keeping your cortisol levels steady first thing in the morning or when you’re heading out the door is tough. “Recommendations really depend on what helps each person calm their nervous system,” explains de la Peña. “Some people do better listening to music with headphones, others prefer reading, and some are so tired they use their subway ride to sleep and relax. Everyone knows what works best for them to handle the situation, but what really matters is their level of self-care.” In the end, you need to know what personally relaxes and de-stresses you, and make a habit of seeking it out.
Still, there’s one very simple fix: “When you realize you’re feeling stressed and rushed, taking a deep breath is the best way to let your brain know that everything is okay,” she says. “It’s easy and free.”
Make breakfast a sacred time
Some people prefer to eat breakfast when they get to the office, or practice intermittent fasting and eat later, but having a relaxed breakfast is one of the key principles of slow mornings that helps keep cortisol spikes in check. “This way, you let your body know that there’s nothing more urgent at that moment than focusing on yourself, waking up calmly, being thankful for another day, and doing whatever feels best for you to have a good day,” says de la Peña. “When I had high cortisol levels in the morning, I felt so stressed I couldn’t even eat. Now, breakfast is a sacred and symbolic act for me that sends an important message to my brain every morning: You come first, the rest can wait!”
For breakfast, consider something high in protein, like eggs, Greek yogurt, or a protein smoothie. This helps stabilize your blood sugar levels and prevents spikes. And make sure to drink your morning coffee after you eat breakfast. “Coffee stimulates cortisol production, so be careful not to drink it on an empty stomach or in the morning. Choose herbal teas, chicory, or matcha instead,” Delberghe says.
Connect with nature when you can
On an emotional level, anything that brings more comfort and less conflict—like getting up on time and setting up routines that help you start the day without too much stress—will greatly support your well-being.
And in the morning rush, it’s important to remember: You have free will! Taking control of those first few hours will affect your cortisol levels for the rest of the day. That’s why de la Peña stresses the importance of connecting with nature. “It’s proven to help reduce brain activity from beta waves to alpha and theta waves, which are linked to deep relaxation and creativity,” she says. “So whenever I can, I go outside, slow down the pace and external noise, and reconnect with myself.” For you, that might mean opening the door to your backyard and spending a few minutes with your feet on the grass. Or maybe it’s opening the window to the fire escape and listening to the breeze. Whatever it is, take back your morning and let your cortisol levels find their rhythm for your best day yet.
An Ideal Morning Routine
Dr. Lala is a big fan of having some kind of ritual in your morning routine to help keep you more grounded.Feeling more grounded and less stressed when you wake up is possible. She points to growing research suggesting that morning habits can reduce sympathetic activation and cortisol levels, while improving the regulatory responses we need to counter chronic cortisol activation.
It doesn’t have to be complicated or rigid. Simple things like slow breathing exercises, starting with a gratitude practice, or doing a five-minute stretch can make a big difference. Even opening the blinds and letting in natural light, she says, can be the simplest thing ever. The best morning routine is one that feels good to you and that you’ll enjoy sticking with. “Whatever works for you,” she says. “There’s no one-size-fits-all.”
Meet the Experts
– Mary Delberghe, a naturopath and hormone expert.
– Brenda de la Peña, a psychologist.
– Anu Lala, MD, a cardiologist and internal medicine doctor at Mount Sinai.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about lowering cortisol in the morning written in a natural tone with clear simple answers
Beginner Questions
1 What exactly is cortisol and why is it high in the morning
Cortisol is your bodys main stress hormone Its naturally highest in the morning to help you wake up and feel alertthis is called the cortisol awakening response The problem is when it stays too high or spikes because of stress
2 Why should I care about lowering my morning cortisol
When your cortisol is too high in the morning it can make you feel anxious jittery or wired but tired all day Lowering it helps you feel calmer more focused and less prone to stress eating or fatigue
3 What is the single most effective thing I can do right after waking up to lower cortisol
Wait 60 to 90 minutes before checking your phone or email Scrolling through notifications or news triggers an immediate stress response Instead sit quietly stretch or drink a glass of water first
4 Does drinking coffee first thing raise cortisol
Yes especially on an empty stomach Caffeine spikes cortisol If you need coffee try drinking it after youve had breakfast and some water or wait at least an hour after waking
5 Can eating breakfast really affect my stress levels
Absolutely Skipping breakfast or eating a sugary one causes blood sugar to crash which pumps out more cortisol A breakfast with protein healthy fat and fiber stabilizes your blood sugar and keeps cortisol lower
Intermediate Questions
6 How does morning sunlight help lower cortisol
Exposure to natural light helps set your bodys internal clock This signals your body to produce the right amount of cortisol for the day and then start winding it down earlier in the evening leading to better sleep and less stress
7 I wake up feeling anxious even before I do anything Whats happening
This is often called morning anxiety It can happen if your blood sugar dropped overnight or if your brain is already in threat detection mode from chronic stress A quick fix eat a small proteinrich snack before bed and try slow