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I have been trying to figure out the best time of day to exercise to decrease my cortisol-I think I might have a cortisol issue. For the past 1.5 years I've done crossfit 3 days a week at 6am, so I get up by alarm at 5:15 have coffee then work out, I also try to do 2-3 cardio sessions a week to burn calories. After my work out I have more coffee, then work on my feet most of the day. I eat paleo/primal most of the time. After I lost 35 lbs, my weight has stuck for a year, fat around the middle, not improving on my strengths and really need my coffee all the time.

Anyway...I read from Dr. Jack Kruse that I should skip cardio and lift at 5pm. But then I hear to work out in the am when cortisol is the highest. What are the thoughts? Should I change my exercise time?

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6 Answers

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Exercise that stresses the body raises corisol. However, rest and repairing muscles reduces cortisol. You need to push your system hard (whether it is running or lifting) and focus on sleep to reduce your cortisol levels.

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How do you reset your circadian cycle of cortisol/DHEA/melatonin if it's not normal? (sorry couldn't figure out how to post this as a response to Quilt)

Also, if your circadian cortisol/DHEA/melatonin cycle isn't normal, when should one train?

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Bright light early in the morning will do this, especially if it has some blue in it. You can also add some melatonin at night 30m before you want to sleep. But the light is the key. Also at night make sure you get no blue light at all, install F.Lux on the computer, don't watch TV/use iPads/iPhones/etc., change the bedroom light to yellow/orange, cover all LED lights, esp. blue/green ones, and sleep in a pitch black room. – raydawg Aug 26 at 10:26
click the "add comment" button below his answer. – raydawg Aug 26 at 10:30
if you google cycloset and see how it works you might begin to see many things you believed in a new light. People like MM and Matt dont want you too. Cycloset increases AM cortisol surge that is diminished when one is LR due to carbs out of cycle or from artifial light. The science is deep and I will keep it out of here but realize that cycloset has been FDA approved for T2D and works completely independent of insulin. It raises brain dopamine and it means there is another pathway to diabetes you might not have perceived. – The Quilt Aug 26 at 16:25
too show you there are other issues in diabetes read this It is very possible to get T2D with an abormal FBG and you might even have a very fasting insulin at the same time. This is a paradox the current meme in the paleo sphere struggles with it. You should ask questions when faced with paradox. The critics will base all the answers on dogma. :diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/52/6/… – The Quilt Aug 26 at 16:27
for some reason the "add comment" button doesn't appear on any posts except my own. – ANML Sep 1 at 23:18
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If I read your post correctly, you're working out 5-6 times a week and such workouts are crossfit (which tends to be high intensity and stressful) coupled to cardio (you didn't describe what that entails, but 'cardio' tends to be high stress-low payoff based on what most people conventionally define as 'cardio').

Based on the limited info above, anecdotally of course, I'm not surprised that you've plateaued. Happened to me.

Instead of trying to figure out what time of day you should workout to reduce cortisol, I think that you need to reevaluate your program as a whole - determine the right weekly exercise AND recovery (including sleep) combination / plan. If you've noticed, so many people in the paleo-fitness arena (Sisson to McGuff to Wolf) focus heavily on / emphasize recovery.

As an experiment, take a full week off (while you reevaluate) from working out (and get plenty of sleep) and see how your body reacts.

Don't miss the forest for the trees.

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It depends if your normal circadian cycle of cortisol/DHEA/melatonin is intact or not. Then you make the choice.

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The quilt is back? – primallykosher Aug 25 at 19:02
FYI new users paleohacks.com/questions/118128/… – Bread-Eating Beelzebub Aug 25 at 22:10
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 @MM what does the drama thread you linked to have to do with "Best time to exercise?" if you've got a grudge against Dr. Kruse, please keep it to yourself. – raydawg Aug 26 at 10:29
it has to do with him coming back and plying his untruths here. – Bread-Eating Beelzebub Aug 26 at 14:05
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Lately I have found working out in the afternoon to be a bit better. I used to always work out in the morning.

The reason for this is post workout is when I get most of carbs in for the day. I do better with carbs at night. During the day I keep carbs down, which helps to regulate my blood sugar, than at night, after my workout, my body is primed to accept the carbs. This works for me, and something you might want to give a try.

In terms of cortisol, you want cortisol during a workout, it help you lift heavy things :) THe problem is not cortisol, but chronic cortisol.

So to sum up, try working out at night. Work on getting your blood sugar levels regulated (if that is a problem for you), manage your stress, so you are not constantly in "flight or fight" mode. Workout hard, but don't overtrain, and you cortisol will be your friend. Eat carbs and protein post workout to help refuel and repair (anabolic responses). This strategy helps to use cortisol and insulin for the positive effects.

Just my two cents :)

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In terms of weight loss, "cardio" is a poor substitute for an active lifestyle. My suggestion: quit stressing and move more.

Oh, and maybe drop the post-workout coffee to aid in muscle recovery.

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