How Exercise Balances Cortisol Levels

By M. Javad Ershad, MD

When the alarm goes off in the morning, many feel anxious about the day ahead. Meetings, presentations, and stacks of emails await us and the thought of getting everything done on time can send our minds spiraling. This anxiety can spike our cortisol even before getting out of bed. And if we have this experience every morning, cortisol levels can stay chronically high, leading to negative impacts on our health later in life.

Luckily, there’s something we can do about it. When we’re feeling stressed, we can put on our walking shoes and go for a brisk walk. After about thirty minutes of movement and deep breathing, we may notice that the anxiety calms, our minds become clear and focused, and there is a feeling of ease in the body. Also, movement not only reduces stress in the moment, but regular exercise can lower baseline cortisol levels over time, decreasing our risk for disease.

“We all know that exercise reduces our long-term risk for disease, but perhaps many don’t understand why,” says Anne Friedlander, PhD, exercise physiologist and head of Stanford Lifestyle Medicine’s Movement and Exercise pillar.

“The benefits of exercise on disease risk are multifaceted, but one contributor can be a reduction in chronic elevated levels of cortisol. Regular movement provides the opportunity for the cortisol to run its natural course—to rise, lower, and then come into balance,” says Dr. Friedlander.

What is Cortisol and What Does it Do?

Cortisol is a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that plays a key role in our natural daily rhythm, rising in the morning to energize you and tapering off at night to promote sleep. Cortisol is an important regulator of metabolism in the body. Nearly every tissue in the body responds to it.

Key Functions of Cortisol

• Gives us energy: It mobilizes glucose and breaks down fat and protein for fuel, especially after waking or during stress.

• Fuels metabolism: It fine-tunes blood sugar in tandem with insulin.

• Reduces inflammation: It tempers immune responses to prevent overreaction.

• Supports healthy blood pressure: It maintains circulation, preventing dizziness and fatigue.

• Modulates mood and sleep: It follows a daily rhythm that supports energy in the morning and sleep at night.

“Cortisol has a bad reputation, but it serves important functions in the body. Basically, you want it to be high when it is supposed to be high and low when it is supposed to be low,” says Dr. Friedlander. “The problem with cortisol in response to chronic stress is that it flattens out those highs and lows, so your body no longer responds normally.”

What Happens When Cortisol Levels are Chronically High or Low?

Cortisol is known as a “stress hormone” for its role in the fight-or-flight response. When we sense danger in our environment, our adrenal glands release cortisol and adrenaline to give us energy to fight off or run from the threat. Cortisol floods the bloodstream with glucose for quick energy, suspends non-emergency functions like digestion, and keeps the body focused on the threat.

When the threat passes, cortisol ideally lowers to a healthy level. But for many who experience chronic stress, cortisol levels can stay elevated and, over time, cause health concerns such as fatigue, poor sleep, digestion problems, mood swings, and immune suppression. Chronic elevation is associated with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and memory issues. People with Cushing’s syndrome, caused by excess cortisol, often exhibit abdominal fat gain, high blood sugar, and recurring infections.

Conversely, cortisol deficiency, seen in Addison’s disease or adrenal insufficiency, can cause fatigue, dizziness, weight loss, and emotional blunting. Though rarer, these disorders show how important it is to not only focus on reducing cortisol, but keeping our levels balanced.

How Does Exercise Help Balance Cortisol Levels?

Exercise is technically a stressor. A tough workout spikes cortisol as part of your body’s
physiological challenge response. But that spike is temporary, and it’s beneficial. Like a stress “dress rehearsal,” exercise trains your body to mount and then resolve cortisol responses effectively.

“Things like physical activity, meditation, and learning how to respond to stress in a more
productive way can help re-establish the normal cortisol patterns in your body,” Dr. Friedlander notes.

Similar to how vaccines train the immune system with small exposures making the system smarter and stronger, regular physical activity helps the body “learn” to reset cortisol levels back into balance after stress.

Scientific studies back this up. Research shows that people who engage in regular exercise programs tend to reduce their baseline cortisol over time, especially compared to sedentary individuals. The cortisol spike from exercise resolves faster, and recovery becomes is more complete. Plus, better sleep from physical activity further supports healthy cortisol rhythms.

Exercises that Balance Cortisol Levels

Moderate Aerobic Activity

Cardio exercises like brisk walking, light jogging, swimming, or cycling for about 30 minutes
daily can reliably reduce cortisol. Intensity should feel energizing, not exhausting. Consistency is key. Regular moderate workouts outperform occasional intense sessions. Some hospital wellness programs describe moderate exercise as one of the best ways to reduce cortisol.

Mind-Body Practices

Yoga, tai chi, and Pilates combine movement, breathwork, and mindfulness. Research confirms that yoga has a strong cortisol-lowering effect. These exercises engage the parasympathetic nervous system, calming the body post-stress. Even short daily sessions can help.

Strength Training

Lifting weights or bodyweight workouts (squats, push-ups, etc.) improve mood, metabolism, and resilience. Cortisol may rise briefly, but the body adapts. Keep sessions moderate in intensity and well-spaced with rest.

High-Intensity Training

HIIT and long-duration intense cardio spike cortisol significantly. If done too frequently without recovery, cortisol may stay elevated. Experts recommend limiting such sessions to one or two times per week, keeping them short and followed by a restful recovery. If you notice disrupted sleep or anxiety after intense training, it’s a sign to scale back.

“It’s important to remember that HIIT is fine as long as you incorporate enough rest into your program and it’s not performed more than two or three times per week depending on your fitness level,” says Dr. Friedlander.

Sample Exercise Plan for Cortisol Balance

• Monday – Brisk walk or light jog (30-60 mins)

• Tuesday – Strength circuit or HIIT (20 – 30 mins, short intensity)

• Wednesday – Light activity or full rest

• Thursday – Yoga or Pilates (30-60 mins)

• Friday – Cardio + strength, or HIIT (30 – 45 mins)

• Saturday – Fun physical activity (hike or bike ride with friends, team sport, 60+ mins)

• Sunday – Gentle stretching or relaxation (15 – 20 mins)

“Whatever your goals are for an exercise program, it’s important to adjust this schedule to meet your needs and listen to your body. Swap days, shift intensities, and prioritize rest when needed,” says Dr. Friedlander. “What’s most important is to choose an exercise you enjoy because that will ensure you’ll stick with it.”