The cortisol curve.
See the shape of a typical daily cortisol rhythm - the morning surge, the long daytime decline, and the evening wind-down - lined up with your wake time. It's an illustration of the pattern researchers describe, not a measurement of your hormones.
Free access to the Cortisol Curve.
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Method & sources
We plot the well-documented average daily cortisol rhythm - an overnight low, a sharp rise to a peak about 30-45 minutes after waking (the cortisol awakening response), then a steady decline to an evening low - and shift that fixed shape so it lines up with your wake time. The curve shows relative levels (%), not real units, and is identical for everyone; it does not measure or estimate your personal cortisol.
- Weitzman ED, et al. Twenty-four hour pattern of the episodic secretion of cortisol in normal subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1971;33(1):14–22.
- Clow A, Hucklebridge F, Stalder T, Evans P, Thorn L. The cortisol awakening response: more than a measure of HPA axis function. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2010;35(1):97–103.
- Adam EK, Kumari M. Assessing salivary cortisol in large-scale, epidemiological research. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2009;34(10):1423–1436.
- Endocrine Society. "Adrenal Fatigue" patient statement - no scientific support for adrenal fatigue as a medical diagnosis.
- Cadegiani FA, Kater CE. Adrenal fatigue does not exist: a systematic review. BMC Endocr Disord. 2016;16:48.
What the cortisol curve shows.
Cortisol follows a strong daily rhythm set by your internal clock and anchored to when you wake. It is not only a "stress hormone" - it also helps drive morning alertness and the normal sleep-wake cycle. In most healthy adults the pattern looks like this: a low point overnight, a sharp rise to a peak about 30 to 45 minutes after waking (the cortisol awakening response), then a long, steady decline through the day to an evening low.
Because researchers measure this rhythm relative to a person's wake time, this tool simply takes that average shape and slides it to match yours. Everyone sees the same curve - only the clock times change.
The points on the curve
- Morning peak - the cortisol awakening response, about 30 to 45 minutes after you wake, and the highest point of the day.
- Daytime decline - from the morning peak, cortisol falls steadily. The familiar mid-afternoon energy dip most people feel is largely a circadian effect, not a sharp cortisol drop.
- Evening wind-down - cortisol reaches its daily low in the hours before sleep, which is part of how the body prepares for rest.
Working with the rhythm
Daylight in the morning and a consistent wake time help keep this rhythm regular; dimming lights in the evening lines up with the natural wind-down. Seeing the general shape can help explain why focus often comes easiest in the late morning and why a "tired but wired" late night can feel out of step.
What this tool isn't
It's an illustration, not your data. It does not measure, estimate, or diagnose your cortisol, and it cannot detect any condition - a real measurement needs saliva, blood, or urine tests ordered by a healthcare provider. "Adrenal fatigue" is not a diagnosis recognized by endocrinologists. If you have ongoing fatigue or sleep problems, talk to a doctor.