How to Lower Cortisol Naturally: 5 Ways to Help Manage Stress

Key takeaways

• Cortisol is an essential hormone that the body requires, so the goal is not to eliminate it.¹

• For everyday stress, regular movement, consistent sleep and relaxation techniques may help support your body’s stress response.³

• There is no single food, drink or supplement that treats medically high cortisol.

• If you have persistent symptoms or are concerned that your cortisol is unusually high, talk with your doctor about whether testing or treatment is appropriate.¹

What is cortisol and how does stress affect it?

Cortisol is a hormone made by your adrenal glands that helps your body respond to stress. Your body also needs it to help regulate functions such as blood pressure, blood sugar and metabolism. During stressful situations, cortisol levels temporarily rise as part of your body’s fight-or-flight response.¹

For everyday stress, healthy routines around movement, sleep and relaxation may help regulate your body’s stress response. If symptoms are persistent or unexplained, however, talk with your doctor about whether testing is appropriate.

5 ways to help lower cortisol naturally

If everyday stress is affecting how you feel, habits that support relaxation, movement and sleep may help your body manage its stress response.³ If your cortisol is medically high because of an underlying health condition or medication, lifestyle changes alone are not a treatment.

Here are five practical ways to manage everyday stress and support a healthy cortisol response.

1. Practice mindfulness and slow breathing

Relaxation techniques such as mindfulness, meditation and slow breathing can help calm your body’s stress response. Slow, deep breathing may also help reduce stress-related cortisol for some people.³

A few options include:

• Meditation or mindfulness

• Yoga

• Slow breathing exercises

• Journaling

• Listening to calming music

Mindfulness can be as simple as taking a few quiet minutes to focus on your breathing or work through a 5-minute mindfulness exercise.

2. Exercise regularly

Regular physical activity may help support stress regulation and healthier cortisol patterns over time.⁵

Options can include:

• Walking

• Swimming

• Yoga

• Pilates

• Stretching

More intense exercise can temporarily raise cortisol as part of your body’s normal response to physical stress, so harder exercise is not necessarily needed when your goal is managing stress.⁵ Instead, focus on movement you can do consistently.

3. Build better sleep habits

Sleep and cortisol follow closely connected daily rhythms. A consistent sleep schedule can help regulate your body’s normal stress response.

A few habits to try include:

• Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same times each day

• Winding down with a quiet activity such as reading or taking a warm bath

• Limiting bright screens close to bedtime if they keep you awake

• Paying attention to whether caffeine, nicotine or alcohol interfere with your sleep

Chamomile tea can be part of a relaxing bedtime routine, but research on whether chamomile improves insomnia is limited, and there is not evidence that drinking it directly lowers cortisol.⁷

4. Eat a balanced diet

Rather than looking for a specific “cortisol-reducing diet,” focus on an eating pattern that supports your overall health and energy.

That can include:

• Fruits and vegetables

• Whole grains and other fiber-rich foods

• Fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids

• Protein

• Healthy fats

• Fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut

High-fiber foods can support your overall health and can be one part of a balanced diet.

5. Make time for things that help you unwind

Activities you enjoy can give you a break from everyday stress and make it easier to relax. That might mean gardening, dancing, listening to music, spending time with friends or family, walking your dog or simply setting aside time for a hobby.

The activity matters less than finding something that regularly gives you a chance to slow down and step away from stress.

Before making a major change to your diet or exercise routine or regularly using a supplement or herbal product, talk with your doctor, especially if you take medications or manage a chronic health condition.

What can you take to lower cortisol?

There isn’t one supplement everyone should take to lower cortisol. Ashwagandha may lower cortisol levels for some people, but research has not consistently shown an improvement in perceived stress, and questions remain about long-term safety and dosing.⁶ Supplements can interact with medications and may not be appropriate for everyone, so talk with your doctor before taking one specifically for cortisol.

Does apple cider vinegar really help with cortisol?

There is not enough evidence to show that apple cider vinegar, or ACV, directly lowers or controls cortisol. ACV has been studied for its effects on blood sugar, but those metabolic effects do not establish that it treats high cortisol or a cortisol imbalance.⁸

As a result, ACV should not be treated as a remedy for a cortisol imbalance. Talk with your doctor before adding it regularly to your routine, particularly if you take medication or manage a chronic health condition.

Signs and symptoms of high cortisol

Cortisol that stays unusually high over time can lead to changes throughout the body. Symptoms associated with high levels of cortisol can include:²

• Bruising easily

• Muscle weakness

• Weight gain in your abdomen and face

• High blood pressure

• Purple stretch marks

• Irritability, anxiety and depression

Symptoms such as fatigue, sleep problems or weight changes can have many possible causes, so they cannot tell you on their own whether your cortisol is high.

When should you talk with your doctor about high cortisol?

Dr. Elizabeth Belanger, medical director at Mutual of Omaha, explains, “When the inappropriately high cortisol levels are caused by the pituitary, this is called Cushing’s disease.”

Cushing disease is one cause of Cushing syndrome, the broader condition that occurs when your body has too much cortisol over time. Cushing syndrome can also be caused by long-term use of certain corticosteroid medicines or by other conditions that cause the body to produce too much cortisol.²

Talk with your doctor if you have persistent or unexplained symptoms or are concerned that your cortisol may be unusually high. Cortisol can be measured through blood, urine or saliva tests, but testing alone does not identify the cause of an abnormal result.¹

Medically high cortisol requires evaluation of the underlying cause. Food, supplements and lifestyle changes should not be used in place of that expert care.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about cortisol

Can high cortisol at night affect sleep?

Yes. Higher-than-usual cortisol at night can be associated with difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Cortisol normally follows a daily rhythm, with much of its secretion occurring around the time you wake and lower levels later in the day.⁴ Sleep problems can have many causes, though, so talk with your doctor if they are persistent.

What is cortisol belly?

“Cortisol belly” is a nonmedical term often used to describe abdominal weight gain that people attribute to cortisol. Very high cortisol from Cushing syndrome can change where the body stores fat, but abdominal weight gain alone does not mean your cortisol is high.² If you have unexplained weight changes along with symptoms such as easy bruising, muscle weakness or wide purple stretch marks, talk with your doctor.

How long does it take for cortisol levels to go down?

There isn’t one set amount of time it takes for cortisol levels to decrease. Cortisol naturally rises and falls throughout the day, including a normal increase around the time you wake.⁴ Short-term changes related to stress may ease as the stressful situation passes, while medically high cortisol can require treatment of the underlying cause.¹ 

Sources:

1. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. “Cortisol Blood Test.” Reviewed April 24, 2025. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003693.htm

2. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. “Cushing Syndrome.” Reviewed April 24, 2025. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000410.htm

3. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Stress, Anxiety, and Sleep Problems: Considering Complementary Approaches.” Published May 2025. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/stress-anxiety-and-sleep-problems-considering-complementary-approaches

4. Stalder, T., Oster, H., Abelson, J.L., Huthsteiner, K., Klucken, T., and Clow, A. “The Cortisol Awakening Response: Regulation and Functional Significance.” Endocrine Reviews. Published Aug. 23, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39177247/

5. Li, X., Huang, J., and Zhu, F. “The Optimal Exercise Modality and Dose for Cortisol Reduction in Psychological Distress: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.” Sports. Published Nov. 24, 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41441399/

6. Albalawi, A.A. “Dual Impact of Ashwagandha: Significant Cortisol Reduction but No Effects on Perceived Stress — A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Nutrition and Health. Published online Aug. 1, 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40746175/

7. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Chamomile: Usefulness and Safety.” Updated November 2024. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/chamomile

8. Arjmandfard, D., Behzadi, M., Sohrabi, Z., and Mohammadi Sartang, M. “Effects of Apple Cider Vinegar on Glycemic Control and Insulin Sensitivity in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Controlled Clinical Trials.” Frontiers in Nutrition. Published Jan. 30, 2025. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1528383/full