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Cortisol Synchrony

Meaning

The optimal, rhythmic pattern of cortisol secretion throughout a 24-hour cycle, characterized by a sharp rise shortly after waking (the Cortisol Awakening Response or CAR) and a gradual decline throughout the day, reaching its nadir before sleep. This synchrony is a critical marker of a well-regulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and robust circadian rhythm. Deviation from this pattern is a clinical sign of HPA axis dysregulation.