Get bright light in your eyes within 30–60 minutes of waking, ideally outdoors for 5–10 minutes. This anchors a healthy cortisol awakening response — a sharp morning peak followed by a steady decline through the day — which is associated with lower perceived stress and anxiety.^[1]

Supplement zinc (15–30 mg elemental, with food). A 2023 meta-analysis of randomised trials found zinc supplementation significantly reduced serum cortisol, likely via modulation of the HPA axis and reduced oxidative stress.^[2] Take with the largest meal of the day to minimise nausea, and avoid taking it at the same time as iron or calcium (which block absorption).

Take 200–400 mg magnesium glycinate or magnesium threonate in the evening, 1–2 hours before bed. Magnesium dampens HPA-axis activity and improves sleep quality; multiple RCTs show reductions in cortisol and subjective stress.^[3]

Use ashwagandha (KSM-66 or Sensoril extract, 300–600 mg/day) for 8 weeks. A 2022 systematic review of RCTs found consistent reductions in morning cortisol (≈20–30%) and anxiety scores. Take in the morning or split morning/evening with food.^[4]

Do 10 minutes of slow nasal breathing at 5–6 breaths/minute (4-second inhale, 6-second exhale) once or twice daily — ideally mid-afternoon when cortisol naturally dips, and again before bed. Slow breathing reliably lowers cortisol and increases vagal tone in controlled trials.^[5]

Cap caffeine at 200 mg/day and stop by 12 pm. Caffeine acutely raises cortisol, and the effect is largest in the afternoon and in habitual users under stress.^[6] Switch the afternoon coffee for green tea (L-theanine blunts the cortisol spike) or decaf.

Protect sleep: 7–9 hours, dark room, consistent wake time. A single night of restricted sleep raises next-day cortisol by ~37–45%.^[7] Sleep is the highest-leverage cortisol intervention — do this before anything else.

Move daily, but don't overdo it: 30–45 minutes of zone-2 cardio (brisk walk, easy cycle) lowers baseline cortisol, while long high-intensity sessions (>60 min hard) raise it. Lift weights 2–3×/week for the anti-anxiety effect without the cortisol cost.^[8]