Cortisol Explained: The Stress Hormone, Its Symptoms & How to Support Healthy Levels Naturally

What Is Cortisol and Why Do We Need It?

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by your adrenal glands, two small glands located just above your kidneys.

It's commonly referred to as the stress hormone because it plays an important role in helping your body respond to challenging situations.

But that's only part of its job.

Cortisol is involved in several essential processes, including:

• Energy regulation: Helping your body manage how it uses carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
• Blood sugar regulation: Supporting the availability of energy when your body needs it.
• Blood pressure: Helping maintain normal cardiovascular function.
• Immune regulation: Influencing inflammation and immune system activity.
• Your stress response: Helping your body adapt to physical and psychological challenges.
• Your daily body clock: Following a natural rhythm that changes throughout the day.

In other words, cortisol is busy doing important things long before you've even thought about your first cup of coffee.

And having more cortisol at certain times isn't automatically a problem.

Cortisol Follows a Natural Daily Rhythm

In people who follow a typical daytime schedule, cortisol levels generally rise around the time of waking, remain relatively high during the early morning and gradually decrease towards the evening.

This natural variation is part of your circadian rhythm, the internal biological clock that helps coordinate sleep, alertness and other bodily processes.

Think of it like the changing light throughout the day.

Your body doesn't need exactly the same level of alertness at 7am as it does at 11pm.

Cortisol is one part of the system that helps manage those changing demands.

And importantly, a healthy cortisol pattern isn't a perfectly flat line.

What Happens to Cortisol When We're Stressed?

Imagine you're walking through the woods and suddenly hear something large moving in the bushes.

Your heart starts beating faster.

Your senses sharpen.

Your body prepares to react.

You've just experienced an example of your stress response.

When your brain identifies a potential threat, it activates several biological systems designed to help you respond.

One of these is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, or HPA axis.

It sounds complicated, but the basic process is relatively straightforward:

1. Your hypothalamus, a region of your brain, sends a hormonal signal.
2. Your pituitary gland responds by releasing another hormone called ACTH.
3. Your adrenal glands release cortisol into your bloodstream.

This response helps make energy available and coordinates other physiological changes.

It's an incredibly useful survival mechanism.

The problem is that modern life presents us with rather different types of threats.

You're probably not running away from predators on your morning commute.

But you might be dealing with looming deadlines, rising bills, relationship difficulties, a never-ending inbox or a phone that refuses to stop buzzing.

Our bodies can respond to psychological stressors using many of the same biological systems involved in physical threats.

And unlike a brief frightening encounter, some of these pressures can continue for weeks, months or even years.

Acute Stress vs Chronic Stress: What's the Difference?

Not all stress is necessarily harmful.

In fact, short periods of stress can sometimes help us focus, react quickly or perform under pressure.

The distinction is often between acute stress and chronic stress.

Acute Stress: The Short-Term Response

Acute stress is your body's response to an immediate challenge.

Perhaps you're running late for an important meeting, preparing to give a presentation or narrowly avoiding an accident.

Your body becomes more alert and mobilises the resources needed to handle the situation.

Once the challenge has passed, your stress-response systems can return towards their usual activity.

This is a normal part of life.

Chronic Stress: When the Pressure Doesn't Let Up

Chronic stress occurs when difficult or demanding circumstances continue over an extended period.

It might involve persistent work pressure, financial uncertainty, caring responsibilities or ongoing personal difficulties.

Rather than responding to one specific challenge, your body may repeatedly engage its stress-response systems.

Over time, chronic stress can affect sleep, mood, concentration and general wellbeing.

However, the relationship between chronic stress and cortisol isn't as straightforward as simply having permanently high levels.

Research suggests that prolonged stress can be associated with different patterns of HPA-axis activity depending on the individual, the circumstances and the duration of exposure.

Some studies find elevated cortisol measures, while others observe blunted or altered cortisol responses.

That's an important distinction, particularly when you're trying to make sense of the many cortisol claims circulating online.

What Are the Signs of High Cortisol?

This is where things can become confusing.

Search for high cortisol symptoms online and you'll probably encounter lists including:

• Difficulty sleeping.
• Feeling anxious or irritable.
• Persistent tiredness.
• Changes in appetite.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Weight changes.
• Feeling overwhelmed.

These experiences can certainly occur during periods of stress.

But they're also incredibly common and can have many different explanations.

Experiencing them doesn't establish that your cortisol levels are abnormally high.

Stress Symptoms Aren't the Same as a Cortisol Disorder

There is an important difference between everyday stress and a medical condition involving excessive cortisol production.

One such condition is Cushing's syndrome, a rare disorder caused by prolonged exposure to unusually high cortisol levels.

According to the NHS, possible symptoms include:

• Weight gain concentrated around the abdomen, chest, neck or upper back.
• A noticeably rounder face.
• Skin that bruises easily.
• Wide stretch marks.
• Muscle weakness, particularly in the upper arms or thighs.
• Changes in mood.
• Irregular menstrual periods.

Cushing's syndrome can also be associated with high blood pressure, diabetes and other medical complications.

It may be caused by prolonged use of certain steroid medicines or, less commonly, conditions affecting hormone-producing glands.

And if testing is needed, a healthcare professional can determine which investigations are appropriate.

What About 'Cortisol Belly' and 'Cortisol Face'?

You've probably seen these phrases everywhere.

The idea is that cortisol causes abdominal weight gain, facial puffiness and other visible changes that can supposedly be reversed through special routines or supplements.

There is a grain of biological truth behind some of these conversations.

Prolonged, medically excessive cortisol exposure, as occurs in Cushing's syndrome, can cause characteristic changes in body-fat distribution and facial appearance.

But that doesn't mean everyday abdominal weight gain or a puffy face can be attributed to cortisol.

Weight and body composition are influenced by many factors, including age, genetics, nutrition, activity levels, medication and underlying health conditions.

And facial puffiness can have several possible causes unrelated to cortisol.

Unfortunately, the popularity of these terms has created a misleading impression that everyday changes in appearance are reliable indicators of hormone imbalance.

They're not.

Can You Lower Cortisol Naturally?

Now for the question that brings many people to this subject in the first place.

How do I lower my cortisol naturally?

First, it's helpful to reframe the question.

If you have a medically diagnosed cortisol disorder, lifestyle changes alone aren't a substitute for appropriate treatment.

But if you're dealing with everyday stress, there are evidence-based strategies that may help you manage it more effectively.

Some of these approaches have also been investigated for their effects on cortisol measurements.

For example, a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Psychoneuroendocrinology in 2024 examined 58 studies involving 3,508 participants.

Researchers found that stress-management interventions had a beneficial overall effect on cortisol measurements compared with control conditions.

Mindfulness and relaxation interventions showed particularly promising results.

However, changes in cortisol readings don't necessarily tell us everything about how someone feels or whether their long-term health has improved.

The practical takeaway?

Here are some sensible places to start.

7 Natural Ways to Manage Stress and Support Your Body's Normal Rhythm

1. Prioritise Consistent, Restful Sleep

Sleep and stress are closely connected.

When you're under pressure, you may find it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep. After a poor night's rest, everyday challenges can feel even more demanding.

It's a relationship that can quickly become frustrating.

Maintaining a fairly consistent sleep schedule, getting natural daylight during the day and creating a relaxing evening routine can help support healthy sleep patterns.

And importantly, don't turn achieving perfect sleep into yet another thing to worry about.

If you'd like to explore this relationship further, read our article on Why Can't I Sleep? Understanding Stress, Cortisol & Your Sleep Cycle.

2. Move Your Body, Without Making Exercise Another Stressor

Exercise is one of the most widely recommended ways to support physical and mental wellbeing.

Regular physical activity can improve mood, support sleep and offer a valuable break from everyday pressures.

That doesn't mean you have to push yourself through an exhausting workout every day.

A brisk walk, gardening, swimming, cycling or dancing around the kitchen can all contribute to an active lifestyle.

Interestingly, cortisol can rise temporarily during demanding exercise.

That's a normal physiological response, not automatically a sign that the exercise is harming you.

The aim is to find a level of activity that suits your body, your circumstances and your recovery needs.

Consistency matters far more than trying to optimise every workout around your hormones.

3. Experiment With Mindfulness and Breathing Exercises

Before you dismiss meditation as something that requires sitting cross-legged on a mountain, hear us out.

Mindfulness doesn't need to be complicated.

At its simplest, it's about deliberately bringing your attention to the present moment.

That might involve focusing on your breathing, noticing physical sensations or spending a few quiet minutes away from distractions.

A 2024 meta-analysis found that mindfulness and relaxation-based interventions were among the approaches showing the clearest effects on cortisol measurements.

A further systematic review published in 2026 also reported reductions in cortisol following structured mindfulness-based stress reduction programmes, although results varied across studies.

This doesn't mean a five-minute breathing exercise will magically balance your hormones.

But regular relaxation practices can be a useful part of a broader stress-management routine.

No expensive equipment required.

4. Take a Closer Look at Your Caffeine Intake

For many of us, coffee is practically a personality trait.

And there's nothing inherently wrong with enjoying it.

But caffeine is a stimulant, and its effects can sometimes make an already stressful day feel more intense.

Some people experience restlessness, a faster heartbeat or difficulty sleeping after consuming caffeine.

And poor sleep can make handling the next day's pressures more challenging.

You don't necessarily have to abandon your morning coffee.

Instead, pay attention to how much caffeine you're consuming, when you're drinking it and how you feel afterwards.

5. Make Time for Genuine Downtime

There's a difference between not working and actually relaxing.

You might finish your working day, sit on the sofa and spend the next hour scrolling through emails, social media and increasingly alarming news headlines.

Technically, you're resting.

But mentally? Perhaps not so much.

Finding activities that allow you to properly disconnect can be helpful.

That might mean reading, spending time in the garden, cooking, listening to music or having an uninterrupted conversation with someone you care about.

And no, your downtime doesn't need to be productive.

You don't have to turn every hobby into a side business or every evening walk into a step-count competition.

Sometimes doing something purely because you enjoy it is reason enough.

6. Eat Regularly and Look After the Basics

Nutrition plays an important role in overall health.

Rather than looking for a particular food that supposedly 'flushes out cortisol', focus on maintaining a varied, balanced diet.

That means including a range of vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, protein sources and appropriate dietary fats.

Regular meals and adequate hydration can also help you feel more comfortable and energised throughout the day.

Be cautious of restrictive diets, elaborate detox programmes or products claiming to reset your hormones.

Your body already has sophisticated mechanisms for regulating its internal environment.

You don't need an expensive juice cleanse to make them work.

7. Recognise When You Need Support

Sometimes the most useful thing you can do for stress isn't another wellness routine.

It's asking for help.

Chronic stress may be connected to circumstances that can't be resolved through breathing exercises or a better bedtime routine.

Workload, finances, caring responsibilities and relationship difficulties are real pressures.

Talking with someone you trust, establishing boundaries or seeking professional support can make a meaningful difference.

Where Do Adaptogens and Functional Mushrooms Fit Into the Conversation?

If you've been researching natural stress management, you've probably encountered the word adaptogen.

It's a term frequently used in the wellness industry to describe certain plants and fungi traditionally associated with helping the body adapt to challenging conditions.

Examples commonly discussed include:

• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): A botanical used in traditional Ayurvedic practices.
• Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea): A plant traditionally used in parts of Europe and Asia.
• Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum): A functional mushroom with a long history of traditional use in East Asia.

But there's an important point worth understanding.

The term 'adaptogen' isn't a guarantee of clinical effectiveness, and not every ingredient marketed as an adaptogen has the same scientific evidence behind it.

Research varies considerably between ingredients, preparations and dosages.

Some human studies investigating specific ashwagandha extracts, for example, have reported improvements in perceived stress and changes in cortisol measurements.

Although research is still developing, certain adaptogens are attracting growing scientific interest and showing promising potential.

Don't Be Fooled by the Numbers

Be cautious of supplement companies presenting a specific dosage, extraction ratio or beta-glucan percentage as the definitive measure of effectiveness. There is currently no universally established recommended daily intake for functional mushrooms such as Reishi.

While certain doses have been investigated in scientific studies, this doesn't make them a universal requirement.

A higher beta-glucan percentage doesn't automatically guarantee better results either.

There's a big difference between a dosage investigated in a study, a manufacturer's recommended serving and an officially established daily requirement.

What About Reishi Mushrooms?

Reishi is particularly interesting from a botanical and mycological perspective.

Known scientifically as Ganoderma lucidum, it has been used traditionally for centuries and contains several groups of naturally occurring compounds, including polysaccharides and triterpenes.

Researchers continue to investigate these compounds through laboratory, animal and human studies. The available clinical evidence is not yet sufficient to scientifically establish Reishi supplements as a proven way to lower cortisol or treat chronic stress, however the results that are available are very promising in this field.

At Mogo Farm, we believe functional mushrooms, like Reishi , deserve to be understood through both their traditional history and modern scientific investigation.

It's one of the reasons we're so passionate about growing and extracting our mushrooms here on our farm in Derbyshire.

We're interested in the biology of these remarkable fungi, the compounds they naturally contain and how different extraction techniques are used to prepare them. At the same time, it’s equally important to us in being transparent about current research and what has and hasn’t been clinically proven or established.

Do You Need a Cortisol Test?

With the growing popularity of at-home hormone testing, it's tempting to think that measuring cortisol might provide all the answers.

But cortisol is a particularly complicated hormone to interpret.

Its levels naturally change throughout the day, and results can be affected by sleep schedules, illness, medicines and other factors.

A single measurement doesn't necessarily indicate whether your body is responding normally to stress.

When doctors suspect a condition involving cortisol excess or deficiency, they choose specific tests according to the symptoms and suspected diagnosis.

These may include carefully timed saliva measurements, blood tests or urine collections.

For most people dealing with ordinary day-to-day stress, routine cortisol testing isn't necessary.

The Bottom Line: Cortisol Isn't Something You Need to Fight

We've become remarkably good at turning normal human biology into something to worry about.

Cortisol is a perfect example.

It's a hormone we need, produced by a sophisticated regulatory system that has evolved to help us navigate changing demands.

Yes, chronic stress can affect our physical and mental wellbeing.

And yes, research suggests that certain stress-management practices can influence cortisol measurements.

But feeling stressed doesn't mean your hormones are broken and supporting your wellbeing isn't about forcing cortisol as low as possible.

It's about creating routines that work for you.

Getting enough rest. Moving your body. Eating well. Making time for things you enjoy. Recognising when life is demanding too much.

And perhaps, most importantly, being a little less concerned with what social media says your hormones should be doing.

Because a healthy relationship with stress starts with understanding your body, not fighting against it.

Frequently Asked Questions