Stress
Stress, Cortisol, and What You Can Do About It
Cortisol isn't the enemy — dysregulated cortisol is. How to tell the difference and what actually helps.
Dr. Timothy CarpenterJune 29, 2026 5 min read
Cortisol 101
Cortisol should be highest in the morning and taper through the day. Chronic stress flattens or inverts that rhythm, driving fatigue, cravings, poor sleep, and stubborn abdominal fat.
How we assess it
A four-point salivary or urinary cortisol rhythm reveals patterns a single blood draw cannot. Paired with HRV data, it tells us how your nervous system is actually coping.
Interventions that consistently work
- Morning light and consistent wake times
- Zone 2 cardio 3x/week
- Breathwork or meditation, even 10 minutes daily
- Boundaries around news and social media
- Adaptogens (ashwagandha, rhodiola) when clinically appropriate
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