Cortisol is a hormone made by your adrenal glands that helps you wake up, respond to stress, regulate blood sugar, and maintain blood pressure. It normally follows a daily rhythm: highest in the early morning (to help you get going) and gradually falling through the day to its lowest point at night. This test measures your cortisol level in the morning, usually around 7–9 a.m., when it should be near its daily peak. Morning cortisol gives an important window into how well your adrenal and stress-response systems are working. Levels that are too low may be linked with fatigue, low blood pressure, dizziness, or difficulty handling stress. Levels that are too high may be associated with anxiety, sleep problems, weight gain around the middle, high blood pressure, or blood sugar issues. Looking at whether your morning cortisol falls in an optimal range helps identify both obvious adrenal problems and more subtle imbalances in your stress response.

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