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Cortisol Melatonin Interaction

Meaning

The Cortisol Melatonin Interaction refers to the essential, reciprocal relationship between the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol and the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin, which governs the primary rest-activity cycle. This critical hormonal axis is fundamental to maintaining circadian rhythm integrity and physiological homeostasis. Clinically, a healthy interaction is characterized by an inverse relationship: high cortisol in the morning and low at night, juxtaposed with low melatonin during the day and high at night.