Hormone Reset Day 12

Today we’re talking about cortisol—one of the most misunderstood hormones in midlife. Cortisol isn’t “bad.” In fact, you couldn’t survive more than a few seconds without it. It’s anti-inflammatory, it responds to stress, and it helps regulate energy, blood sugar, immunity, and inflammation.
The issue isn’t cortisol itself...it is when it is disregulated.

We'll talk:
• Why modern stressors (emails, screens, poor sleep, blood sugar swings, low estrogen) elevate cortisol
• How chronic inflammation or infection keeps cortisol high
• Why high cortisol leads to blood sugar issues and a catabolic “breakdown” state
• How long-term stress depletes pregnenolone, the mother hormone that helps build other hormones
• Why many women shift from high cortisol to low cortisol—and why low cortisol is even more dangerous
• Why testing, not guessing, is essential for understanding your unique stress pattern
• How healthy cortisol should peak in the morning and fall steadily throughout the day
• Classic signs of dysregulation: waking up exhausted and feeling wired at bedtime
• Foundational tools: consistent sleep, adaptogens, magnesium, calming herbs, melatonin, breathwork, and wind-down routines
• The importance of morning natural light exposure to shut off lingering melatonin and reset your circadian rhythm

This week’s goal: choose 1–2 ways to actively support your adrenal glands—through mineral support, better sleep hygiene, hormone balancing, gut healing, or stress reduction techniques.

Your cortisol curve shapes your energy, sleep, resilience, and overall hormonal health.