You may need to take a look at your CAR- no not the one in your garage, but your Cortisol Awakening Response. The Cortisol Awakening Response is the natural response of increased cortisol secretion that occurs when you awake in the morning. The cortisol, an important stress-related hormone, typically peaks between 30 to 45 minutes after awakening. After this peak, the levels will then fall progressively to less than half of the peak by noon. They will continue to drop to their lowest levels and stay there during the night.
Why is the CAR important?
The CAR can reflect a person’s ability to cope with anticipated challenges and their coping skills around chronic stress which can reflect the resiliency of the HPA axis (find out more about the HPA axis here).
Dysfunction in the CAR has been associated with:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Dementia
- Pain
- Blood sugar dysregulation
Talk with us at HHW if you are interested in learning more and testing your CAR!
Interested in learning more about balancing your hormones? Check out my YouTube channel!
Hormone balance can be tricky, particularly in your 40s and beyond- let me help! On my YouTube channel I have covered many functional medicine topics over the years and have more recently focused on perimenopause and menopause because I know firsthand this is a rollercoaster of a time for women and it's just not talked about enough in doctors offices- leaving women confused, frustrated, and searching for answers. Well, I'm here to help! And feel free to browse around as I have lots of videos on gut health, SIBO, immune health, metabolic health and more!