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Cortisol Rhythms

Meaning

Cortisol Rhythms refer to the predictable, cyclical fluctuations in the secretion and circulating levels of the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol throughout a 24-hour period, primarily governed by the body’s master circadian clock. A healthy rhythm, known as the diurnal pattern, typically shows a sharp peak shortly after waking, followed by a gradual decline throughout the day, reaching its lowest point late at night. Deviations from this established pattern are clinically significant indicators of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction and maladaptation to chronic stress.