The Cortisol Awakening Response: Your Body's Natural Morning Alarm System
What Happens to Your Stress Hormones When You Wake Up Each Morning?
Your cortisol levels surge dramatically by 50-75% within the first 30 minutes of waking in what’s called the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR), serving as your body’s natural alarm system that prepares you for the day ahead. This remarkable physiological response represents one of the largest hormonal changes in the human body, mobilizing energy, enhancing alertness, and coordinating multiple systems to transition from sleep to active wakefulness. The CAR is so consistent and important that it serves as a key marker of circadian health, stress resilience, and overall physiological function.