How to Control Your Cortisol & Overcome Burnout
Andrew Huberman
Aug 4, 2025
Mindsip insights from this episode:
Identify and address distinct patterns of burnout
Burnout manifests in two main ways: being stressed in the morning and exhausted at night, or being exhausted in the morning and wired at night, each requiring different corrective actions.
Practice physiological sigh for instant calm
The fastest way to calm down in real-time is the physiological sigh: a deep inhale through the nose, a second sharp inhale, and then a long, slow exhale through the mouth.
Use black licorice cautiously to manage cortisol levels
The compound glycyrrhizin in black licorice is a potent cortisol booster and should be used with caution, especially by those with high blood pressure.
Maintain sharp morning cortisol peak to combat aging effects
As people age, particularly after 40, the daily cortisol curve tends to flatten, which is linked to health challenges and underscores the importance of maintaining a sharp morning peak.
Incorporate grapefruit to boost cortisol and extend energy
Eating grapefruit can extend the life of cortisol in your bloodstream by 25-50% by inhibiting the enzyme that breaks it down, thus prolonging your energy.
Incorporate novel exercises to boost cortisol response
A new type of exercise or a novel intensity level will cause a much larger and more sustained cortisol spike than a workout your body is already accustomed to.
Delay morning caffeine to avoid afternoon energy crash
For habitual users, delaying morning caffeine intake by 60-90 minutes can prevent a sharp afternoon energy crash by making the decline of your morning cortisol more gradual.
Spike morning cortisol to enhance sleep quality
Creating a high cortisol peak in the morning triggers a negative feedback loop that ensures cortisol levels will be lower in the evening, promoting better sleep.
Understand cortisol's role in energy deployment
Cortisol's main job is not stress but to deploy energy, particularly glucose, to your brain and body for any task that requires it.
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