Photo-Illustration by Chloe Dowling for TIME (Source Images: Robert Brook—Science Photo Library, Getty Images, Elena Fontana—Getty Images, nito100/Getty Images) Contributor Do you feel overwhelmed by ...

Have you given any thought to your cortisol levels lately? The so-called “stress hormone” has become a popular scapegoat, blamed for everything from exhaustion and bloating to anxiety, brain fog, ...

Your cortisol is probably fine. Here’s what TikTok gets wrong about the “stress hormone” Have you given any thought to your cortisol levels lately? The so-called “stress hormone” has become a popular ...

Social media loves to blame cortisol for menopause weight gain. But though Cortisol levels rise during perimenopause, the stress hormone isn’t the sole culprit behind your changing body. Reduced ...

Cortisol helps regulate stress, sleep and metabolism—but chronic elevation can harm long-term health. Signs of high cortisol include poor sleep, visceral fat gain and feeling mentally alert but ...