Cortisol follows a natural daily rhythm—peaking in early morning, declining through the day, lowest around midnight. Research by Dallman shows chronic stress flattens this pattern, keeping cortisol elevated when it should be low. This disruption drives appetite, promotes abdominal fat storage, and impairs sleep.
This companion covers the normal rhythm, what chronic stress does, the health consequences, interventions for restoration, and the eating connection to cortisol dysregulation. (3 min read)