Understanding your cortisol rhythm and response types is critical for managing stress, energy, sleep, and overall health. Here's a breakdown of each aspect of the rhythm.

What a Healthy Cortisol Rhythm Looks Like

Cortisol follows a natural circadian rhythm, rising and falling throughout the day. A healthy pattern looks like this:

• 6-8 AM  – Highest - Wakes you up, boost alertness

• Midday –  Moderate decline - maintains focus and energy

• Afternoon –  Lower - Energy starts to dip slightly, but enough to sustain activities

• Evening – Lowest - Prepares you to wind down

A disruption in this rhythm can affect sleep, weight, mood, immunity, and more.

The 4 Cortisol Response Types

These patterns are often observed through salivary cortisol testing (4-point test over the day):

1. Normal/Healthy Response

Pattern: High in AM, gradual decline to low at night

Feels like: Good energy, sharp mental focus, sleeps well

Support: Basic lifestyle & nutrition support; maintenance

2. High All Day (Wired - Acute Stress)

 Pattern: Elevated morning through most of the day

 Feels like: Anxious, can't relax, racing thoughts, poor sleep

 Support: GABA, Theanine, magnesium glycinate, calming herbs like lavender, stress management techniques

3. Oscillating through the day (Wired & Tired - Rising Persistent Stress)

 Pattern: Alternating high and low through morning, possibly rising at night

 Feels like: cognitive and energy crashes, anxious, racing thoughts, poor sleep,  Support: Ashwagandha, GABA, Theanine, magnesium glycinate, calming and sleep herbs (lavender, lemon balm, passionflower), stress management techniques

4. Flatlined/Low All Day (Burnout/Exhaustion - Chronic Stress)

Pattern: Low morning, low throughout the day

Feels like: Fatigue, depression, brain fog, hard to get going in the morning, non-restful sleep

Support: Adaptogens like Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, magnesium glycinate, california poppyseed, valerian, passionflower.

How Cortisol Impacts the Way You Feel

Too High: Anxiety, irritability, poor sleep, insulin resistance, weight changes

Too Low: Fatigue, depression, cravings, chronic pain, low blood pressure, burnout

Flipped Rhythm: Groggy in the morning, alert at night = sleep problems and fatigue cycle

Cortisol affects blood sugar, inflammation, immunity, and brain chemistry (dopamine/serotonin), so imbalances ripple into everything from gut health to mental health.

Why Identifying Your Cortisol Curve Matters

Knowing which cortisol curve you fall into helps you match the right supplements to support your body’s current state. For example, someone with a “wired” pattern benefits from calming adaptogens and relaxation support, while someone with a “flatlined” pattern may need energizing herbs that rebuild resilience. By tailoring supplements to your unique cortisol rhythm, you can restore balance more effectively — supporting deeper sleep, steadier energy, and a healthier stress response over time.