Reboot and Revive
Regulating Cortisol with the Eat Burn Sleep Anti-Inflammatory Method
If you frequently feel stressed, you may have experienced some of the symptoms of high cortisol. Cortisol is one of your main stress hormones, produced by the adrenal glands. Normally, cortisol levels are kept within quite tight parameters, but chronic stress affects this balance, leading to unpleasant symptoms. While you may not be able to make stress disappear completely, you can take steps to optimize cortisol regulation and enhance your resilience to stress.
What Does Cortisol Do?
Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone (a type of steroid hormone) that regulates a wide range of processes. Its primary role is regulating the “fight or flight” stress response that is part of the sympathetic nervous system.
When a stressful situation occurs, cortisol raises blood glucose levels, increases blood pressure, enhances glucose uptake in your brain, primes your immune system, and slows down non-essential functions like digestion so that you can deal with the stress.
This response is designed as a short-term reaction to help you survive. It dates back to when we had to deal with life-threatening dangers like saber-toothed tigers and woolly mammoths! Once the danger had passed your body would switch from “fight or flight” to the “rest and repair” parasympathetic side of your nervous system.
Having a balance between these two states provides the opportunity to recover from stress and replenish your physical and emotional resources. When you spend too much time in “fight or flight” and not enough time on rest and recovery you start to deplete your resources and head toward burnout.
Cortisol’s Daily Rhythm
Like many other hormones, cortisol has a circadian rhythm – a pattern that it follows each day. Under normal conditions, cortisol peaks at 7-8 am and then gradually declines until it is at its lowest level between midnight and 4 am (Azmi et al., 2021).
This rhythm flows opposite to the rhythm of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Melatonin can only help you sleep if cortisol is low, which is why cortisol dysregulation in the evening disrupts sleep.
Spending too much time on stressful activities can lead to a cortisol imbalance. At first, cortisol levels become chronically elevated, but over time, your adrenal glands struggle to maintain this output. When this happens, your cortisol rhythm starts to fluctuate. You may have excess cortisol at some points and low levels at other times. Eventually, if this pattern continues, your cortisol levels will drop altogether.
Common triggers for cortisol imbalance include:
- Long working hours.
- Inadequate sleep.
- Excessive, intense exercise.
- Skipping meals and consuming too much caffeine and processed foods that spike blood sugar levels.
- Lack of meaningful social interaction and loneliness.
- Grief and trauma.
- Dealing with a long-term health condition.
In the Expert Advice section below on Cortisol Regulation, you’ll gain a clear understanding of how cortisol becomes imbalanced, and most importantly, how to support healthy levels naturally. You’ll learn which foods to focus on and avoid, how lifestyle factors like sleep, movement, and stress management play a role, and which supplements may help. Whether you’re dealing with chronic stress, burnout, or inflammation, this is your guide to resetting your cortisol and restoring balance, so you can feel more energized, resilient, and calm.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. Chronic inflammation can lead to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and consequently increases the risk of strokes. Following an anti-inflammatory lifestyle can help soften the arteries and support cardiovascular health.
Do I need to cook while on the EBS Lifestyle?
Not necessarily. You can absolutely eat out by following the Eating Out Guide. This Lifestyle isn’t about perfection — it’s about damage limitation. And if you do want to cook at home, the recipes are simple, approachable, and designed for all skill levels.
Can you eat out while following the EBS Lifestyle?
Yes. There is an Eating Out section on the Eat Burn Sleep platform that will help you choose the best cuisines and the healthiest dishes on the menu when you are eating out.
Is the EBS Lifestyle suitable for me whilst pregnant?
Yes. Many women have used this lifestyle for fertility, during pregnancy, and afterward. Following this lifestyle during pregnancy has many benefits, and there is special personalized advice for Pregnancy & Postpartum. Check it with your doctor first, of course. Stick to your doctor’s supplements advice.
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