Coffee, Cortisol & Chaos: Is Your Morning Routine Wrecking Your Hormones?

Liz Riesen, RD
Apr 21
4 min read

I LOVE my morning cup of coffee. It's something I look forward to, but I have had to adjust my routine a couple times over the years based on my stress response and hormone levels - so I can continue to feel energized, but also calm and focused in my day.

So let's talk about cortisol (our stress hormone), caffeine, and how to create a morning routine that actually supports your energy, metabolism, and mood (not just for the next hour… but all day).

Cortisol - Your "Get Up and Go" Hormone

Cortisol is essential to our body and health. It is so essential, that if the body can't make enough cortisol (HPA Dysfunction) it will actually "steal" progesterone along with other hormones to ensure it will have enough cortisol for the day. Hello hormone imbalances!

Cortisol is the hormone that helps you feel awake, alert, and ready to take on the day. Cortisol production begins before you wake up, and should peak within 2 hours of waking. This is what we call our cortisol awakening response (CAR). This is part of your circadian rhythm, your body’s built-in clock.

*Note: This is why it's recommended to have a consistent bedtime and waking time, so your body can accurately predict when it needs to start cortisol production.

Coffee Can Spike Your Cortisol (And Stunt It)

If you have high cortisol production from stress, not sleeping well, or hormone imbalances - it can mean a cortisol surge that leads to anxiety, nervousness, and an early energy crash in the day.

If you have low cortisol production from chronic stress, inflammation, or hormone imbalances - it can stunt cortisol production for the remainder of the day leading to chronic fatigue, brain fog, and low mood.

You might think this means that caffeine and coffee is off the table, and for some women that may be necessary based on their cortisol and hormone levels, as well as the symptoms we are addressing. But, the good news is that for most women you can still enjoy a cup of coffee we just want to be mindful of timing. I'll get into this in the next section.

Want to know what your cortisol levels are? The best measure is through a 4-point collection over 24-hours, like the DUTCH Panel

woman reading magazine and holding coffee cup

What Happens When You Drink Coffee First Thing in The Morning?

Caffeine stimulates your adrenal glands to release more cortisol, which can lead to:

Blood sugar crashes (hello, carb and sugar cravings at 10 am)
Anxiety, nervousness, or brain fog
Afternoon energy slumps and low mood
Hormone imbalances, especially progesterone, estrogen, and thyroid

It doesn’t mean coffee is bad—it just means timing matters.

Adjust Your Morning Routine for Optimal Hormone Balance

So let's talk about how you can shift your morning routine and particularly that cup of coffee first thing in the morning - so that you're supporting your hormones and stabilizing energy in the day.

Get Natural Light Exposure

Open up the curtains or step outside to get natural light that helps stimulate natural cortisol production. Light signals your body that it’s morning, plus it can boost mood!

Delay Coffee by 60–90 Minutes After Waking

This allows your body to naturally produce cortisol and reach that peak CAR level without overstimulation. Drink water with lemon or herbal tea upon waking to hydrate and take the place of that first cup of coffee.

Light Movement or Workout Depending On Cortisol Production

Light movement also helps with natural cortisol regulation. If you are producing too much cortisol (Stage 1 HPA Dysfunction) then the morning is the best time for you to exercise to help manage cortisol production for the day. If you are not producing enough cortisol (Stage 3 HPA Dysfunction) you're best sticking to stretching, yoga, or a light walk in the morning to boost cortisol naturally without pushing your body too far.

Include Protein and/or Healthy Fats.

If you're hungry for breakfast, focus on a protein-rich breakfast (think eggs, avocado, yogurt, overnight oats) before caffeine. This helps stabilize blood sugar and prevents a steep spike and drop in cortisol and energy.

If you're not hungry, try adding MCT powder or collagen to your coffee to help reduce blood sugar swings.

Intermittent fasting? You can add a Prolon's fasting shake or bar before or with your cup of coffee. Clinically tested to lengthen and sustain your fast when you eat either the Prolon Fasting Shake or the Prolon Fasting Bar.

Tip: The chocolate shake blended with a cup of coffee makes a delicious mocha!

Notice Your Patterns

Do you:

Feel anxious or shaky mid-morning?
Crash hard around 3 p.m.?
Crave sugar or carbs shortly after breakfast?

Your hormones are talking. It might be time to experiment with shifting your morning routine—your energy, metabolism, and mood will thank you.

Want to Go Deeper?

If you suspect your hormones are out of sync, personalized nutrition and functional hormone testing can uncover what’s really going on. I offer 1:1 consultations and a comprehensive hormone testing package that dives into cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, organic acids, inflammatory markers, and more.

Link to My Foundations of Hormone Balance Program

Link to Comprehensive Hormone Testing Package