Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It follows a daily rhythm: high in the morning to wake you up, low in the evening to let you sleep. This rhythm is essential for your energy and your sleep.
When cortisol becomes a problem
The problem isn't cortisol itself, but chronically elevated cortisol caused by constant stress. Over time, this disrupts sleep, promotes fat storage, weakens immunity and keeps fatigue going.
Signs of dysregulated cortisol
- Tired on waking despite a full night's sleep
- Hitting a wall in the morning and a second wind in the evening
- Sugar and salt cravings
- Light sleep and night-time wake-ups
How to regulate it
Morning daylight, physical activity, regular sleep and breathing techniques like cardiac coherence help restore a healthy rhythm. On the supplement side, Ashwagandha is studied for its effect on cortisol: see the formula Ritual Energy and our article onAshwagandha.
Track the effects of stress
The KEORA Ring doesn't measure cortisol directly, but its effects: sleep, heart rate, HRV and stress. Enough to see whether your habits are genuinely rebalancing your stress levels.
Cortisol isn't your enemy. Never-ending stress is.