7 Sleeping Disturbances That Indicate High Cortisol Levels

By Vanshika Gaur
09 May 2025, 11:00 IST

Disturbed sleep can indicate high cortisol levels, a stress hormone that disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle). Here are a few sleep disturbances that may indicate high cortisol levels. Tap to know!

Night Sweats

Night sweats occur when the cortisol levels are too high in the body, disrupting hormonal balance and affecting body’s temperature.

Waking Up Anxious

Cortisol levels are high in the morning, which helps wake us up. However, if stress levels are too high, it can lead to anxiety.

Mountain Climber Position

Sleeping with one knee bent and the other knee straight while lying on your stomach is also a sign of underlying high cortisol levels.

Difficulty Sleeping

Many people with high levels of cortisol have difficulty falling asleep, as this hormone interferes and disrupts the natural sleep cycle.

Nightmares

Elevated stress and anxiety levels are linked to high cortisol levels, which can cause frequent and intense nightmares.

Racing Thoughts

High cortisol levels can highly alert and stimulate the nervous system, leading to racing thoughts and making it hard to fall asleep.

Waking Up in Middle of Night

High cortisol levels disrupt sleep by waking us up in the middle of night for longer periods, making it difficult to fall back asleep.

Information Credits

According to PubMed, sleep disturbances are usually associated with high cortisol levels (stress hormones). It is advisable to consult a healthcare professional if you are experiencing any of these points.