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How to Lower Cortisol, Including High Levels

By Edwina Clark, MS, RD, CSSD

March 1, 2026

Feeling stressed, exhausted, or gaining weight despite no changes to your diet or workouts? Elevated cortisol levels could be part of the reason.

Often called the “stress hormone,” cortisol plays an essential role in keeping you alert, motivated and responsive. It’s vital for survival. However, when cortisol remains high — often due to ongoing stress — it may contribute to issues like weight gain (particularly around the belly and face), negative muscle impacts, sleep disturbances, anxiousness and hormonal imbalances.

Cortisol is getting more attention these days because there’s simply a lot of people dealing with stress, from both an emotional and physical sense. It’s important to curtail that for improved health.

The good news? There are natural, lifestyle-based strategies that can help support healthy cortisol balance and subsequently lead to better health outcomes. These strategies involve eating less of certain foods and more of others, improving one’s sleep hygiene and more.

What is cortisol?

Cortisol is an essential steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to signals from the brain. It follows a natural daily rhythm — typically highest in the morning and lowest at night.

Often called the “stress hormone,” cortisol does much more than respond to pressure. It plays a key role in keeping you awake and alert, plus aids memory and cognitive function. It influences metabolism, immune system activity, cardiovascular tone, and the stress response by regulating glucose availability, protein catabolism, lipolysis and inflammatory response signaling. It also helps the body respond to perceived threats and supports fetal development during pregnancy.

Cortisol levels rise when the pituitary gland releases adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), signaling the adrenal glands to produce more. While short-term increases are normal and helpful, stress, lack of sleep, or lifestyle factors can keep cortisol elevated longer than intended.

High cortisol is associated with:

• Elevated blood glucose

• Negative muscle impacts

• Weight gain, especially in the face and around your belly

• Increased blood pressure

• Suboptimal wound healing and collagen formation

• Accelerated bone loss and reduced calcium absorption

• Immune system impacts

• Sleep and mood disturbances

• Dysbiosis and intestinal permeability

• Craving for sugar, fat and salt

The resulting high cortisol levels can lead to symptoms such as weight gain, an increase in blood pressure, fatigue and hormonal imbalances.

Serious consequences of chronically high cortisol

As you can see, when cortisol remains elevated for longer periods of time — due to stress, poor sleep, or prolonged corticosteroid use — it can begin to affect multiple systems in the body. Over time, persistently high cortisol may contribute to more serious health concerns.

1. Metabolic changes and weight gain

High cortisol can influence how your body stores and uses energy. It may promote abdominal fat storage (also between the shoulder blades and on the face), increase appetite and cravings (including for sweets), contribute to muscle breakdown, and make weight loss more difficult.

Because cortisol helps mobilize energy during stress, prolonged elevation can shift the body into a pattern that favors fat storage — particularly around the midsection. The “apple shape” — with abdominal fat — is often associated with poorer metabolic health.

2. Blood sugar and insulin disruption

Cortisol raises blood glucose levels to provide quick fuel during stressful situations. When this process happens repeatedly over time, it may elevate fasting blood sugar, reduce insulin sensitivity and increase risk for metabolic dysfunction

This dysregulation can place strain on your body’s ability to manage glucose effectively.

3. Cardiovascular strain

Cortisol influences fluid balance and blood vessel tone. Elevated levels may contribute to higher blood pressure, increased heart rate and greater cardiovascular impacts.

4. Muscle loss and reduced strength

High cortisol can also contribute to muscle loss because it shifts the body into a catabolic (breakdown) state, especially during prolonged stress. It encourages the body to use muscle tissue as a fuel source, which can contribute to muscle loss over time.

5. Bone density changes

Excess cortisol may decrease bone formation, increase bone breakdown and raise the risk of bone thinning over time. Maintaining healthy cortisol balance is important for skeletal health.

6. Immune system impacts

Cortisol plays a role in regulating a healthy inflammatory response, but high levels may negatively impact immune responses and immune system function.

7. Sleep disturbances

Cortisol naturally follows a daily rhythm, peaking in the morning and declining at night. When levels remain elevated into the evening, it may interfere with falling asleep, disrupt sleep cycles and reduce overall sleep quality.

Additionally, poor sleep can then further increase cortisol, creating a cycle.

8. Mood and cognitive effects

Stress hormone elevation can influence brain regions involved in mood and memory. Some people may experience increased anxiousness, irritability, difficulty concentrating and even changes in memory.

What can cause higher cortisol levels?

Factors that contribute to elevated cortisol levels include:

• Physical stress (ex: intense exercise), including overtraining

• Emotional stress

• Poor sleep

• Nutrient deficiencies

• High glycemic foods/added sugar

• Blood sugar imbalance

• Dehydration

• Alcohol

• High caffeine intake

• Corticosteroids and certain other medications

• Aging

• Hormonal changes

• Pituitary gland issues

• Adrenal issues

• Illness

Cortisol tends to follow a U-shaped curve throughout the lifecycle:

• Decreases from age 20–40

• Stable from age 40–50+

• Increases from age 60+

How to help lower cortisol levels

1. Follow Mediterranean diet principles

The Mediterranean diet — rich in whole foods, healthy fats and plant-based nutrients — is often associated with better stress resilience and metabolic balance. It also may help support healthy cortisol regulation in the following ways:

• Supports a healthy inflammatory response: The Mediterranean diet emphasizes anti-inflammatory foods like extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish, leafy greens, berries, nuts and seeds. These foods provide antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, which support normal inflammatory balance and overall resilience.

• Supports stable blood sugar: Frequent blood sugar spikes and crashes can trigger cortisol release. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fiber-rich vegetables, legumes, whole grains, healthy fats and moderate protein to slow digestion and promote steadier energy levels.

• Provides magnesium and potassium: Many Mediterranean staples — such as leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds, and avocados — are naturally rich in magnesium and potassium. Adequate intake of these minerals may support the body’s ability to adapt to stress.

• Encourages consumption of omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty fish and nuts are key components of the Mediterranean diet. Omega-3s are associated with healthy inflammatory signaling and may support balanced stress responses.

• Promotes gut health: This diet is high in fiber from vegetables, fruits and legumes. Fiber supports a diverse gut microbiome, and emerging research suggests the gut–brain axis plays a role in stress regulation and mood balance.

2. Eat foods with these key nutrients: magnesium, omega-3s and vitamin C

While you may or may not fully follow the Mediterranean diet, it’s important to consume foods with these three nutrients:

• Magnesium: It plays a key role in nervous system regulation, muscle function, and the body’s stress response. While it doesn’t “shut off” cortisol, adequate magnesium levels may help support a more balanced response to stress plus assist with sleep quality and blood sugar regulation. Meanwhile, a magnesium shortfall is common among both women and men.

• Omega-3s: Omega-3 fatty acids — particularly EPA and DHA found in fatty fish — play an important role in supporting inflammatory balance, brain health and stress resilience. Omega-3s may help regulate some of the systems that influence the body’s stress response.

• Vitamin C: The adrenal glands use vitamin C during the production and regulation of stress hormones. During periods of physical or psychological stress, vitamin C levels can become depleted. Maintaining sufficient vitamin C intake may help support normal adrenal activity and healthy cortisol rhythms.

3. Eat whole grains

Whole grains don’t act directly on cortisol production, but by supporting blood sugar stability, nutrient intake, gut health, and sustained energy, they help create conditions that promote healthier stress hormone regulation over time. A balanced, fiber-rich diet can play an important role in overall stress resilience.

4. Reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods

Highly processed foods and added sugars can contribute to blood sugar instability and systemic inflammation. It’s best to limit refined grains, added sugars, processed meats and industrial seed oils.

5. Limit caffeine

Caffeine can temporarily raise cortisol and stimulate the stress response. While moderate intake is generally safe for many people, excessive or poorly timed caffeine consumption may disrupt natural cortisol rhythms and sleep patterns. Limiting intake and paying attention to timing can help support healthier stress hormone balance.

6. Meditate

Meditation doesn’t eliminate cortisol — nor should it, since cortisol is essential. However, by calming the nervous system, reducing perceived stress, and supporting sleep and emotional regulation, meditation may help promote healthier cortisol rhythms over time.

Consider devoting 5 to 10 minutes a day to mindfulness meditation, guided meditation, breath-focused meditation or even loving-kindness meditation.

7. Exercise regularly, not compulsively

Short-term cortisol increases during exercise are normal and beneficial. Over time, consistent, well-balanced training can improve stress resilience, support sleep and blood sugar balance, and promote healthier cortisol rhythms. The key is regular movement paired with adequate recovery.

If you’re a hard exerciser, just make sure to get adequate recovery and watch out for signs like persistent fatigue, declining performance, sleep disruption, mood changes and hormonal irregularities.

8. Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep

Cortisol is not the enemy — it’s essential. But maintaining a healthy daily rhythm depends heavily on consistent, restorative sleep. Getting 7 to 9 hours per night helps keep cortisol elevated when you need it (morning) and lowered when you don’t (night), supporting overall stress balance and long-term health.

9. Spend time in nature

Natural environments can help shift the nervous system from “fight-or-flight” into “rest-and-digest” mode. This parasympathetic activation may support more balanced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity — the system that regulates cortisol.

Even brief exposure to green spaces has been linked to reduced self-reported stress levels. Since cortisol responds to both physical and psychological stress, lowering perceived stress may help normalize hormone output.

Exposure to natural daylight also helps regulate circadian rhythms. Proper light exposure during the day supports melatonin production at night, which in turn helps maintain a healthy cortisol rhythm.

Aim to get outside for 20 to 30 minutes each day, with regular weekly exposure to green space.

10. Consider ashwagandha

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogenic herb traditionally used in Ayurvedic practices to support stress resilience. Adaptogens are compounds that may help the body adapt to physical and psychological stressors.

Several clinical studies have shown that standardized ashwagandha extracts may help reduce perceived stress and support healthy cortisol levels in chronically stressed adults. In addition, ashwagandha promotes stress resilience, supports sleep quality, supports mood and cognitive function, and may even support exercise recovery.

Additional information

While cortisol-lowering medications exist, they can come with issues:

• Often not given for subclinical elevated cortisol levels

• Side effects such as nausea, acne, diarrhea, abnormal hair growth/ hair loss, fatigue, etc

• Drug-drug and drug-nutrient interactions

As always, you should consult your healthcare professional prior to beginning any new dietary or lifestyle regimen.

Edwina Clark, RD, is a registered dietitian, foodie and fitness-junkie on a mission to help others lead healthy and happy lives. Her clinical training experience includes weight management, diabetes, gut health, allergies and sports nutrition. Now based in Alexandria, Virginia, this proud Australian has over a decade of experience bringing evidence-based health and wellness products to market. Edwina is an Ancient Nutrition paid partner and part of Ancient Nutrition's Wellness Roundtable.