Photo by energepic.com

Written by Dr. Torrie Thompson, DC. Doctorate in chiropractic care.

If you’re eating clean, avoiding sugar, and still dealing with energy crashes,

irritability, stubborn weight, or feeling wired but exhausted, the issue may

not be your diet. It may be cortisol.

Cortisol is widely known as a stress hormone, but it doesn’t only respond to

emotional stress. The body releases cortisol in response to any perceived

threat such as poor sleep, inflammation, toxins, skipping meals,

overtraining, or even rushing through your day. To your biology, stress is

stress. And when cortisol rises, it directly impacts blood sugar.

Understanding how cortisol affects glucose levels can help you regain

control of your energy, cravings, and metabolism.

How Cortisol Raises Blood Sugar

Cortisol’s job is to keep you alive. When it increases, it signals the liver to

release stored glucose into the bloodstream so your body has fast energy

available. This made sense when stress meant immediate danger. In

modern life, however, most stress isn’t physical, yet the body still responds

as if it is.

When cortisol rises too frequently, often from day to day stresses, the liver

keeps releasing glucose even without food. This can lead to higher fasting

blood sugar, afternoon crashes, irritability, sleep disruption, and that familiar

feeling of being “wired but tired.” Over time, cells respond less effectively to

insulin, making it harder for glucose to move out of the bloodstream. Many

people who eat well still struggle with cravings and inconsistent energy

because cortisol is quietly influencing their blood sugar behind the scenes.

How Internal Stress Keeps Cortisol High

The body raises cortisol when it perceives metabolic, emotional, or

physiological stress. Common triggers include going too long without

eating, starting the morning with caffeine instead of food, poor sleep,

dehydration, poor gut health, undereating during the day, or inflammation

from everyday toxin exposures.

When the body experiences this pattern repeatedly, the brain learns to

anticipate stress and begins keeping cortisol elevated by default. This

creates a cycle where even small triggers can lead to big cortisol swings,

which then elevate blood sugar and create further instability. This is why

someone can feel anxious, shaky, hungry shortly after eating, or experience

early-morning wakeups even though their diet looks clean on paper.

Food-Based Ways to Support Healthy Cortisol Levels

Because cortisol is heavily influenced by how the body is fueled, daily food

choices can make a noticeable difference in stress regulation.

Starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast helps prevent the sharp

cortisol rise that happens when blood sugar dips in the morning. Foods

such as eggs, turkey sausage, salmon patties, or leftover protein from

dinner provide steady fuel and keep the stress response from activating

immediately after waking. Adding complex carbohydrates like sweet

potatoes, oats, squash, or berries helps supply a slow, steady source of

glucose that your brain can rely on.

Healthy fats contribute to cortisol stability as well. Foods like avocado,

olives, nuts, seeds, and olive oil help keep meals satisfying and prevent

rapid drops in blood sugar, which would otherwise signal the body to

release more cortisol. Magnesium-rich foods such as leafy greens,

pumpkin seeds, cashews, and cacao naturally support relaxation and a

smoother stress response.

Hydration plays a key role. Dehydration can elevate cortisol as the body

works to maintain blood pressure. Drinking water regularly throughout the

day helps reduce unnecessary stress activation and supports steadier

energy.

Even meal timing matters. Eating consistently every four to six hours,

instead of skipping meals or waiting until you feel depleted, keeps blood

sugar and cortisol steadier and reduces the likelihood of stress-driven

glucose release.

Targeted Support for Metabolic Balance

Targeted metabolic support can enhance the benefits of a cortisol-friendly

lifestyle. Dihydroberberine, a highly bioactive form of berberine, supports

healthy blood-sugar dynamics in a more efficient way. Traditional berberine

must be converted in the gut before it becomes active. Dihydroberberine is

already in its usable form, allowing for better absorption and often easier

digestion.

Many individuals find that dihydroberberberine helps support steady energy

and more balanced glucose throughout the day, especially when working

on balancing cortisol and internal stress levels.

Simple Daily Habits to Help Lower Cortisol Naturally

While dihydroberberine can be a valuable tool, daily lifestyle habits create

the foundation for more balanced cortisol. Spending a few minutes in

morning sunlight helps anchor the circadian rhythm, which naturally

stabilizes cortisol levels. Taking short walks throughout the day, especially

after meals, supports blood-sugar regulation and reduces the workload on

cortisol. Slowing your breath and taking several deep, intentional breaths

activates the vagus nerve and signals safety to the nervous system. Even

taking a brief pause to stretch, step outside, or put your feet on the ground

can help shift your body out of a stress response.

Simple daily behaviors like chewing thoroughly, eating without distractions,

staying hydrated, and giving yourself consistent meals throughout the day

send clear signals of stability to the body, which allows cortisol to come

down.

Rebalancing Cortisol for Better Blood Sugar

Cortisol plays a much larger role in blood sugar regulation than most

people realize. When the stress response is activated too often, glucose

rises even without food, leading to the same symptoms people often blame

on their diet.

By fueling the body consistently, choosing foods that naturally support

cortisol balance, incorporating simple daily stress-regulating habits, and

adding targeted support like dihydroberberine, you can create steadier

energy, fewer crashes, and a more predictable metabolic rhythm.