Skip to main content

[@hubermanlab] How to Control Your Cortisol & Overcome Burnout

· 9 min read
[@hubermanlab] Summarizer
Video Bot

@hubermanlab - "How to Control Your Cortisol & Overcome Burnout"

Link: https://youtu.be/Ibj1k3IZTNU

Short Summary​

Here's the information you requested:

Number One Action Item/Takeaway: Get bright light (ideally sunlight) into your eyes within the first hour of waking to increase cortisol levels and set up a healthy cortisol rhythm for the entire day.

Executive Summary: This podcast episode focuses on understanding and controlling cortisol levels to optimize health and prevent burnout. The key is to regulate the 24-hour cortisol rhythm: high in the morning for energy and focus, and low in the evening for restful sleep. This can be achieved through lifestyle adjustments like morning sunlight exposure, strategic caffeine intake, proper hydration, and evening light control, with supplementation as a secondary tool.

Key Quotes​

Here are five direct quotes from the Huberman Lab podcast transcript on cortisol, representing valuable insights:

  1. "If you remember nothing else from this episode, please remember that because if you get those two things correct, everything else in terms of health and wellness and performance, all of that will be reinforced by getting your cortisol rhythm correct." (This highlights the importance of cortisol rhythm to overall health.)

  2. "One of my biggest wishes for today is that you and hopefully the rest of the world will eventually come to adopt the understanding that cortisol is not a stress hormone. Yes, cortisol is involved in stress, but cortisol's main job is to deploy energy. It's an energy producing hormone. in particular, a brain energy producing hormone." (This is a surprising and valuable reframe of cortisol's primary function.)

  3. "And it's also the case and please hear this. I want to highlight bold underline this for you. It's also the case that the higher that first peak in cortisol is early in the day, the better you're setting yourself up for low levels of cortisol later in the evening and at night, which will allow you to fall asleep easily, to stay asleep easily. And now you know why." (This reinforces the importance of that AM light exposure as an anchor point for the entire day.)

  4. "In fact, it's been shown to quickly increase cortisol levels by up to 50%, 50%. And in fact, it's clinically significant." (This provides a data point highlighting the significant impact of early morning light exposure on cortisol levels.)

  5. "So, if you eat a grapefruit or you drink a I don't know 6 to 8 ounces of grapefruit juice, it's going to have a meaningful impact on how long the cortisol that's already in your bloodstream lasts... If you were to eat a grapefruit, you're going to extend the life of cortisol in your bloodstream by anywhere from 25 to 50%." (Interesting data showing that eating grapefruit or drinking the juice can help sustain cortisol)

Detailed Summary​

Here's a detailed summary of the Huberman Lab podcast episode on Cortisol:

  • Key Topic: Cortisol and its role in energy deployment, stress response, circadian rhythm regulation, and overall well-being; avoiding and overcoming burnout through cortisol control.

  • Importance of Cortisol: Emphasized as a crucial lever for health, impacting mood, sleep, immune system, and long-term well-being.

  • Core Concept: Cortisol Rhythm:

    • Ideal Rhythm: High cortisol in the morning (shortly after waking) and low cortisol in the hours before and during the initial hours of sleep.
    • Consequences of Disrupting Rhythm: Burnout, morning anxiety, low energy, and insomnia.
    • Goal: Fix the cortisol rhythm to resolve many burnout-related issues.

  • Cortisol's Function:

    • Not just a stress hormone: Primary role is to deploy and direct energy, especially to the brain.
    • Releases glucose: Triggers the release of glucose into the bloodstream from the liver and muscles.
    • Brain energy: Directs glucose towards the brain for cognitive function and dealing with stressors (good or bad).

  • Mechanism of Cortisol Release:

    • Adrenal Glands: Cortisol is produced in the adrenal glands.
    • Slower Response: Cortisol acts on a slightly slower timescale compared to adrenaline (epinephrine) in responding to stress.
    • Lipophilic Nature: Cortisol crosses the blood-brain barrier readily due to its lipophilic nature, impacting the hippocampus (memory).

  • 24-Hour Cortisol Pattern (Circadian Rhythm):

    • Phase 1 (Minimal Activity): 6-hour period, 4 hours before to 2 hours after lights out (sleep). Cortisol is very low.
    • Phase 2 (Preliminary Nocturnal Secretory Episode): 3-hour period (3rd to 5th hour of sleep). Cortisol slightly rises.
    • Phase 3 (Main Secretory Phase): ~4-hour period (6th to 8th hour of sleep). Cortisol increases rapidly; REM sleep is abundant. Duration dependent on amount of sleep.
    • Phase 4 (After Waking): Sharp rise in cortisol just before and immediately after waking (Cortisol Awakening Response - CAR). Critical period of about an hour to amplify cortisol increase. Tapers off gradually into the afternoon.

  • HPA Axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis):

    • Hypothalamus (PVN): Neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) release corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). These neurons are near ventricles and have access to body chemistry.
    • Pituitary Gland: CRH acts on the anterior pituitary, causing release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).
    • Adrenal Glands: ACTH travels to the adrenals and stimulates cortisol release.
    • Negative Feedback Loop: High cortisol levels inhibit CRH release in the hypothalamus, reducing cortisol production.

  • SCN (Suprachiasmatic Nucleus):

    • Central Circadian Pacemaker: Regulates the HPA axis and cortisol rhythm.
    • Parallel Pathway: A separate pathway from the SCN through the splanchnic nerve can also cause cortisol synthesis and release.
    • Light Sensing: SCN receives direct input from the retina, allowing it to respond to light and control cortisol release, especially after waking.

  • Protocols for Increasing Morning Cortisol:

    • Bright Light Exposure:
      • Sunlight is ideal within the first hour of waking (30 minutes preferred).
      • Sunglasses are removed.
      • Blink as needed.
      • If sunlight is unavailable, use a 10,000 lux artificial light.
      • Increases cortisol by up to 50%.
      • Clinically significant: Used to offset seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
      • Higher morning cortisol peak sets up better negative feedback regulation, leading to lower evening cortisol levels.
    • Hydration:
      • Drink 16-32 ounces of water with electrolytes first thing in the morning.
      • Increases alertness by impacting cortisol (modest, pulsatile increases).
    • Caffeine (for habitual users):
      • If caffeine adapted, won't significantly increase cortisol. Prolongs the duration of cortisol effectiveness.
      • Delaying caffeine 60-90 minutes after waking can flatten out the cortisol decline, preventing afternoon crashes.
      • If not adapted, will spike cortisol.
    • Exercise:
      • Increases cortisol, but the extent depends on familiarity.
      • Novel or high-intensity exercise leads to greater cortisol release.
      • Regular exercise at the same time each day (3-4 days minimum) reinforces the cortisol rhythm (entrainment).
      • Leads to an anticipatory rise in cortisol.
    • Deliberate Cold Exposure (Occasional):
      • Cold showers or plunges.
      • Increases cortisol, but less so with habitual use (more than twice per week).
      • Primary benefits are increased dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.
    • Grapefruit:
      • Eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice to inhibit enzymes (CYP3A4) that break down cortisol.
      • Extends the life of cortisol in the bloodstream by 25-50%.
    • Licorice (Black Licorice):
      • Glycerin in black licorice can increase cortisol levels potently by inhibiting the enzyme (11 beta HSD) that converts cortisol to cortisone.
      • Use with caution. Start with low doses.
      • Avoid if pregnant/breastfeeding or if you have high blood pressure.

  • Controlling Evening Cortisol:

    • Lighting:
      • Dim indoor lights; turn off overhead lights.
      • Use red or amber-colored lights (avoid blue/white LEDs).
      • Dim phone and computer screens; use red light filter (triple click shortcut on iPhones).
      • Use glasses that restrict short-wavelength light (e.g., window glasses).
    • Caffeine:
      • Limit caffeine intake; cut off around 2 PM.
      • Extends the life of cortisol; disrupts sleep.
    • Limit Stress:
      • Use real-time stress management tools.
      • Exhale-emphasized breathing (physiological sigh: double inhale, long exhale).
      • Slows heart rate, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and promotes calm.
    • Nutrition:
      • Consume starchy carbohydrates in the evening (rice, potatoes, etc.).
      • Increases blood glucose and suppresses cortisol release.
    • Late-Day Exercise:
      • Prioritize training earlier in the day.
      • Offset cortisol spike with quality protein and starchy carbs, long exhale breathing, a warm shower or sauna, and dim the lights.
    • Supplementation:
      • Best to pair with behavioral strategies.
      • Consider Ashwagandha (300-600mg) in the evening to reduce cortisol.
      • Consider Apigenin (50mg) in the evening before sleep

  • Burnout:

    • Not adrenal fatigue: Adrenals are typically still functioning.
    • Medical Conditions: First rule out Addison's Disease or Cushings.
    • Two Patterns of Burnout:
      1. Early Phase (Wired Morning): Waking up stressed, crashing in the afternoon/evening.
      2. Late Phase (Tired Morning): Waking up tired, stressed at night, insomnia.
    • Addressing Burnout:
      • Identify which pattern applies to you.
      • Then, apply the appropriate cortisol-regulating strategies.
      • Type 1 (wired): Implement NDSR, followed by hydration and bright light, and delay caffeine intake.
      • Type 2 (tired): Reduce nighttime cortisol by dimming lights, avoiding caffeine/stress, and practicing physiological sighs.
      • Both types: If you are not already doing it, include NDSR, and implement better sleep habits.

  • Cortisol and Aging:

    • As men and women age, the morning cortisol peak tends to round out, and the cortisol decline in the afternoon becomes more gradual (flattening).
    • Flattening is linked to lower lifespan and survivability, especially in response to chronic illness.
    • Post menopause for women correlates with flattening out of the cortisol rhythm into the afternoon.

  • Hippocampus and Cortisol:

    • Hippocampus is rich in cortisol receptors and is vital for learning, memory, and contextual control of stress.
    • Chronically elevated cortisol leads to degeneration of hippocampal neurons, impacting cognition and stress regulation.