What Is Cortisol?

Cortisol is your body’s primary stress hormone, produced by your adrenal glands. It's responsible for regulating your energy, mood, blood sugar, immune response, and sleep-wake cycle. Think of it as your body's internal alarm system: when you're under stress, cortisol rises to help you stay alert and responsive.

While cortisol is essential for survival, chronic stress can lead to prolonged elevated or depleted levels of cortisol, which disrupts your overall health.

Signs Your Cortisol May Be Out of Balance

• Feeling "tired but wired"

• Anxiety or panic attacks

• Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep

• Mid-day energy crashes

• Sugar or salt cravings

• Brain fog

• Stubborn belly fat

• Frequent illness or burnout

If these sound familiar, your cortisol rhythm might be off.

Take the Free Cortisol Quiz

Not sure where you fall on the cortisol spectrum? Take our free 2-minute quiz to find out if your stress hormone is too high, too low, o...