How to lower cortisol levels?

Lower cortisol by supporting a healthy daily rhythm: higher in the morning and lower toward evening, rather than trying to suppress it all day.

• Early-day sunlight: Get outside soon after waking to help time the natural morning cortisol rise. Sunlight early in the day was also linked to less aggression and irritability. 1 2
• Heat exposure: A 20-minute sauna at 80–100°C was described as beneficial for lowering cortisol. A hot bath is an alternative; adjust it to avoid burns. 3
• Breathing and exercise: Use stress-buffering practices such as a five-minute breathing exercise, mindfulness, or NSDR; a physiological sigh can help in the moment. Breathing methods and exercise can also support cortisol downregulation, with the goal of allowing stress-related increases to come back down. 4 5
• Manage stress before sleep: Pay attention to psychological and physical stress in roughly the six to eight hours before sleep, and aim for cortisol to be low in the evening and at night. 6 7
• Ashwagandha: It may lower cortisol, but avoid extended use: one discussion recommends no more than two weeks of regular use before taking a break, and advises checking with a healthcare provider before using it. 8