In this episode, I explain cortisol and science-based protocols for properly setting your cortisol rhythm, which can significantly increase your daytime energy, focus, mood, and stress resilience, while also improving your sleep quality. Most people mistakenly think cortisol is bad, and many assume their levels are too high, when in fact many health and performance challenges simply stem from a disrupted cortisol rhythm. Getting your cortisol rhythm right can be transformative for your health and performance. I outline behavioural, nutritional, and supplement-based strategies to raise or lower your cortisol levels at the appropriate times of day and night. I also provide specific protocols for overcoming burnout. If you’re dealing with stress, low energy, hormone or sleep challenges, or simply want to optimise these for the sake of your physical and mental health and performance, this episode offers science-backed protocols to help.
Introduction to Cortisol and Burnout
Cortisol is a powerful lever for overall health and well-being, impacting mood, sleep, the immune system, and long-term well-being. While commonly associated with stress, cortisol's primary role is to deploy and direct energy to tissues, particularly the brain, for various demands, not just stressors. It releases glucose (blood sugar) into the bloodstream from the liver and muscles to provide this energy. Cortisol is produced in the adrenal glands and operates on a slightly slower timescale than adrenaline/epinephrine. Unlike adrenaline, cortisol is lipophilic, allowing it to cross the blood-brain barrier and act on receptors in the brain, especially in the hippocampus, which is crucial for memory. Burnout is a real condition, and understanding cortisol's role is key to addressing it. The goal is to achieve a high cortisol early in the day and low cortisol before and during sleep. If this rhythm is corrected, it can resolve issues like morning anxiety, low energy, and sleep difficulties associated with burnout. There are two main patterns of burnout: being stressed in the morning and exhausted in the afternoon, or being stressed at night and exhausted in the morning.
The Cortisol Rhythm and Its Regulation
Cortisol levels fluctuate throughout a 24-hour circadian rhythm, which is vital for health and performance. Ideally, cortisol should be high shortly after waking and low in the hours leading up to and during the initial stages of sleep. This rhythm is generated by the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, a self-regulating negative feedback loop involving the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. Neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus release corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which signals the pituitary to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which then stimulates the adrenals to produce and release cortisol. As cortisol levels rise, the PVN registers this and eventually shuts down CRH release, causing cortisol levels to drop. As cortisol levels become very low, the PVN again signals for its release, leading to the natural rise late in sleep and into the morning. This rise in cortisol is known as the cortisol awakening response (CAR), which is essential for waking up and feeling alert.
There are four phases of cortisol secretion:
- A six-hour period of minimal secretory activity, starting 4 hours before and continuing 2 hours after lights out for sleep, when cortisol is very low.
- A three-hour period (third to fifth hour of sleep) where cortisol begins to slightly rise.
- The main secretory phase, a 4-hour period (sixth, seventh, and eighth hours of sleep) where cortisol increases very rapidly, correlating with REM sleep and high brain activity requiring energy.
- The period after waking, with a crucial first hour or 90 minutes post-waking to further amplify the cortisol increase.
Protocols for Boosting Morning Cortisol
- Bright Light Exposure Early in the Day: View bright light, ideally from sunlight, within the first hour of waking (preferably 30 minutes). This can increase cortisol levels by up to 50% and is clinically significant for mood and energy. It sets the rhythm for lower evening cortisol. On cloudy days, this is even more critical. If sunlight is unavailable, a 10,000 lux artificial light source can be used.
- Hydration: Drink 16-32 ounces of water with electrolytes first thing in the morning. Even mild dehydration can impair cognitive and physical function, and proper hydration modestly increases alertness and cortisol release.
- Caffeine Intake: For habitual caffeine users, caffeine does not significantly spike cortisol but prolongs its effectiveness. Delaying caffeine intake by 60 to 90 minutes after waking can prevent an afternoon crash by making the cortisol decline more gradual, distributing energy more evenly throughout the day. Occasional caffeine users will experience a significant cortisol spike.
- Exercise at Consistent Times: Exercising at roughly the same time each day (within a 2-3 hour window) creates an "entrainment cue" for the SCN, reinforcing the timing of cortisol release and providing anticipatory energy. While familiar exercise may not cause a massive cortisol spike compared to novel exercise, its consistent timing helps anchor the overall cortisol rhythm.
- Occasional Deliberate Cold Exposure: Cold showers or plunges acutely increase epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine, leading to long-lasting improvements in mood and alertness. For boosting cortisol, cold exposure needs to be occasional (not more than twice per week), as habitual exposure diminishes its cortisol-increasing effect.
- Grapefruit Consumption: Eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice (6-8 ounces) can extend the life of cortisol in the bloodstream by 25-50% by inhibiting enzymes (like CYP3A4) that break down cortisol. This can be used in combination with other morning boosting strategies. Individuals on certain medications or with specific medical conditions should consult a doctor.
- Black Licorice Intake: Black licorice, specifically its compound glycyrrhizin, can significantly increase cortisol levels by inhibiting the enzyme 11-beta-hydroxydehydrogenase (11-beta HSD), which converts cortisol to cortisone. Due to its potency, caution is advised, and it should be used in very small amounts, especially if struggling to boost morning cortisol on days when other protocols are not possible. Pregnant or breastfeeding women and individuals with hypertension should absolutely avoid black licorice due to potential hazards.
Protocols for Reducing Evening/Nighttime Cortisol
- Dimming Lights and Avoiding Short-Wavelength Light: In the evening, approximately two hours after sundown, the system becomes highly sensitive to light, leading to significant cortisol increases and melatonin suppression, which is undesirable. Dimming indoor lights, especially overhead lights, and avoiding short-wavelength light (blue, green, white LEDs) is crucial. Using red or amber-colored lights, or glasses that filter short-wavelength light, can help maintain low cortisol and promote melatonin production.
- Limiting Late-Day Caffeine: Caffeine extends cortisol's half-life. To ensure cortisol levels drop adequately for sleep, a caffeine cut-off time (e.g., 2 PM for most, potentially earlier or later depending on individual tolerance and bedtime) is recommended.
- Stress Management with Breathing Techniques: When stress arises, especially in the evening, engaging the parasympathetic nervous system is vital to bring cortisol down. The physiological sigh (two sharp inhales through the nose, followed by a long exhale through the mouth until lungs are empty) is a rapid and effective method to reduce heart rate and stress. Even emphasizing long exhales is beneficial.
- Consuming Starchy Carbohydrates in the Evening: Eating starchy carbohydrates (e.g., rice, potatoes, yams) as part of the last meal of the day can help keep cortisol levels low. Cortisol's role is to deploy blood glucose; when blood glucose levels are already elevated from carbohydrates, the body is less likely to release cortisol. However, it's generally advised to avoid eating for 2-3 hours before sleep to not impair growth hormone release or sleep quality.
- Avoiding Late-Day Exercise: While exercise is beneficial, intense workouts late in the day (after sundown) can significantly spike cortisol levels when baseline levels are naturally very low. If late-day exercise is necessary, measures like long-exhale breathing, consuming starchy carbohydrates, dimming lights, and taking a warm shower post-workout are essential to bring cortisol back down and prevent sleep disruption. Failing to do so can blunt the next morning's cortisol response, leading to sluggishness and difficulty focusing.
Supplementation for Cortisol Reduction (Evening/Night)
Supplementation should always be secondary to behavioral protocols. They are useful for augmenting the effects of lifestyle changes.
- Ashwagandha: Can reduce cortisol levels by 11-29%. Dosages between 300-900 mg should be restricted to the late afternoon and evening to avoid impacting beneficial morning cortisol spikes.
- Apigenin: Found in chamomile tea, apigenin can decrease cortisol, although its effect is not as pronounced as ashwagandha. It works on GABA and chloride channel pathways. A common dosage is 50 mg taken in capsule form before sleep.
- Magnesium Threonate (or Bisglycinate): Can indirectly help suppress cortisol. Often included in sleep stacks.
Addressing Burnout Patterns
There are two main patterns of burnout, each requiring specific adjustments to the cortisol rhythm:
- Early-Phase Burnout (Stressed in the morning, exhausted in the afternoon): Characterised by cortisol rising too fast and too steeply in the morning, often with anxiety and early waking.
- Implement Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) or Yoga Nidra upon waking for 10-30 minutes. This helps adjust the steepness of the morning cortisol rise and promotes deliberate relaxation.
- Hydrate and get bright light in the eyes (sunlight or 10,000 lux artificial light) to shift the timing of the maximum cortisol peak (acrophase) to after waking, rather than before.
- Delay caffeine intake by 60-90 minutes to flatten the cortisol decline in the late morning and early afternoon, ensuring more sustained energy and preventing an abrupt crash.
- Late-Phase Burnout (Tired in the morning, wired at night): Characterised by sluggishness and brain fog in the morning, but high energy, mental rumination, and inability to sleep at night despite exhaustion.
- Focus on all the protocols for reducing evening and nighttime cortisol: dimming lights, avoiding bright/short-wavelength light, avoiding late caffeine, and using physiological sighs.
- If the sun is still out in the late afternoon/early evening, a relaxing sunset walk can be beneficial. Viewing sunlight late in the day can reduce the detrimental effect of artificial light on melatonin suppression when indoors later.
- Ensure the night-time cortisol is low to allow for proper elevation the next morning, setting the correct rhythm.
Impact of Age and Health on Cortisol Rhythm
As individuals age, particularly from about 40 to 70, the morning cortisol peak (acrophase) tends to become more rounded or flattened, meaning the decline into the afternoon is more gradual. A flattening of the cortisol curve has been linked to lower lifespan and can affect the ability to overcome health challenges like cancer. Women transitioning through perimenopause to menopause also show a characteristic flattening of the afternoon cortisol curve. This underscores the critical importance of maintaining a high, sharp morning cortisol peak followed by a relatively steep, but not vertical, decline into low evening levels. Disruptions in the cortisol rhythm, particularly high cortisol in the afternoon, can impair cognition and memory, partly due to the degeneration of neurons in the hippocampus, which contains many cortisol receptors and is involved in stress regulation.
Chapters
00:00:00 Cortisol
00:01:29 Stress, Tool: Daily Cortisol Rhythm
00:03:16 Cortisol & Directing Energy, Glucose, Adrenals
00:06:39 Sponsors: Carbon & BetterHelp
00:10:14 Daily Cortisol Phases & Rhythm, Waking Up & Cortisol
00:17:55 Cortisol Release & Regulation, Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis
00:24:57 Rapid & Delayed Stress Response, HPA Axis
00:28:42 Bright Light & Cortisol Release, Tool: Increase Morning Cortisol & Sunlight
00:36:58 Sponsors: AG1 & David
00:39:48 Viewing Bright Light & Mood, Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
00:41:44 Increase Morning Cortisol, Tools: Hydration, Delaying Caffeine Intake
00:49:30 Exercise, Entrainment Cues & Cortisol Rhythm, Tool: Boost Energy & Exercise Schedule
00:57:52 Does Deliberate Cold Exposure Increase Cortisol?, Energy & Mood
01:01:19 Sponsor: LMNT
01:02:51 Increase Morning Cortisol & Nutrition, Grapefruit, Black Licorice
01:11:34 Afternoon & Evening Cortisol Rhythms, Sunlight, Screens
01:14:30 Lower Evening Cortisol, Tools: Dim Lights, Light Color
01:20:54 Lower Evening Cortisol, Tools: Caffeine Timing; Stress Response & Exhales; Starchy Carbohydrates
01:30:42 Low-Carb Diets & Cortisol, Metabolic Syndrome
01:35:30 Evening Exercise & Cortisol, Tool: Spike Your Morning Cortisol
01:44:32 Supplements to Reduce Cortisol, Ashwagandha, Apigenin, Magnesium
01:50:57 Burnout, Cushing's & Addison's, 2 Burnout Patterns
01:55:23 Early-Phase Burnout, Tools: NSDR/Yoga Nidra, Boost Morning Cortisol, Caffeine
02:01:35 Late-Phase Burnout, Tools: Reduce Evening Cortisol
02:08:02 Age, Male vs Females, Lifespan, Cancer; Menopause; Brain Health
02:13:41 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter