How To Lower Cortisol At Night: 11 Natural Ways To Promote Calm + Sleep Better

Key Takeaways

• High cortisol at night disrupts your natural sleep cycle, causing a "tired but wired" feeling.
• Adaptogenic herbs can help balance your body's stress-response system (the HPA axis).
• Top Herbs: Ashwagandha and Rhodiola are well-researched adaptogens that help regulate cortisol.
• Calming Support: L-Theanine and Jujube promote relaxation by supporting calming neurotransmitters like GABA.
• Lifestyle Matters: A consistent sleep schedule and reducing evening blue light are crucial for managing cortisol

What Is Cortisol And Why Does It Disrupt Sleep?

Cortisol is a hormone released by the adrenal glands, and is central to how the body handles stress—hence its reputation as the “stress hormone.” It influences several essential functions, including maintaining blood sugar balance, regulating fat, protein, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism; controlling inflammation; and supporting healthy blood pressure. 

Cortisol helps people wake up and feel alert. It typically peaks about 30-60 minutes after waking up, then gradually declines during the day. However, when cortisol remains elevated for long periods—often from ongoing stress—it can throw off this rhythm. Persistently high levels at night interfere with the body’s natural sleep cycle, making it difficult to fall or stay asleep and leaving you feeling wired but tired.

Quality sleep forms the foundation of good health, yet millions face challenges with insomnia and restless nights. Luckily, nature provides potent solutions through adaptogenic and calming herbs—plants that help the body handle stress and soothe the mind into restful sleep.

Chronic stress disrupts the natural sleep cycle by overstimulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, raising cortisol levels, and impairing the body's ability to relax. Optimal sleep requires balancing both the stress response and the calming neurotransmitter system known as the GABAergic system. 

5 Supplements To Help Lower Cortisol At Night

Adaptogens are plants that help normalize the body's response to stress—enabling deeper and more restorative sleep. Some of the best researched adaptogenic herbs include: 

1. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

Ashwagandha, sometimes called Indian ginseng, is one of Ayurveda’s most highly regarded adaptogens, prized for its ability to help the body adapt to stress and restore balance to mind and body. It is rich in withanolides—bioactive compounds shown to reduce cortisol levels, lower anxiety, and promote overall relaxation. Clinical studies suggest that Ashwagandha not only improves resistance to everyday stress but can also enhance sleep quality and help people fall asleep more quickly. One double-blind trial found that taking Ashwagandha extract resulted in significant improvements in both insomnia symptoms and anxiety, without next-day grogginess. This makes Ashwagandha a versatile choice for those seeking a natural way to manage stress and support restorative sleep. 

2. Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba)

Jujube, known as Ziziphus jujuba, is a staple of Traditional Chinese Medicine for calming the mind and enhancing sleep quality. Its fruits are rich in naturally calming compounds that help regulate neurotransmitters, including GABA, which is essential for relaxing the brain and enabling deep, uninterrupted sleep. Contemporary research supports the traditional use of jujube: one clinical trial found that a blend including jujube helped participants fall asleep faster, wake less during the night, and extend their overall sleep duration. Jujube’s ability to soothe both the mind and body makes it a beneficial herb for those experiencing sleep disturbances related to stress or anxiety. 

3. Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)

Rhodiola is recognized as an adaptogen, meaning it helps the body adapt to stresses of all types—physical, chemical, and emotional. It enhances resilience and has been used throughout European and Asian herbal traditions. Rhodiola has a long history as an energy and mood booster. Modern research shows that Rhodiola can reduce both mental and physical fatigue, improve mood, and sharpen concentration—while simultaneously supporting restful sleep by balancing the stress hormone cortisol. 

Rhodiola’s impact on sleep occurs because it promotes optimal functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the system that regulates stress responses. By normalizing the release of cortisol and enhancing resilience to stress, Rhodiola helps restore natural circadian rhythms—a cornerstone for falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer. 

4. Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)

Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) is another celebrated adaptogen, prized in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its “five-flavor” berries that nourish the body’s vitality. Schisandra is used to build stamina, support liver health, and enhance the body’s resistance to stress. It also possesses calming properties that may benefit sleep by helping restore healthy stress hormone levels and balancing neurotransmitters responsible for relaxation. 

Several studies and centuries of herbal practice suggest Schisandra berries are particularly helpful for individuals dealing with both sleep disruptions and persistent daytime fatigue—addressing sleep quality as well as daytime vitality. 

5. Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)

Siberian Ginseng, sometimes called Eleuthero, is not a true “ginseng,” but it is widely used as an adaptogen to enhance stamina, stress resilience, and mental clarity. Research emphasizes its main benefits as increasing resistance to stress and fatigue, and helping normalize the sleep-wake cycle for those whose sleep is disturbed by chronic stress. 

Siberian Ginseng works by gently stimulating the body’s ability to manage stress without causing overstimulation or jitters. It is especially helpful for those experiencing burnout, persistent tiredness, or brain fog—supporting both restorative sleep and energizing wakefulness during the day. 

Calming Herbs That Support Relaxation 

Calming herbs work by supporting the GABAergic system, helping the brain and body unwind before bed.

1. Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis)

Valerian Root is widely recognized for aiding natural, restful sleep. It encourages relaxation by increasing GABA production—a key neurotransmitter that soothes the nervous system. Clinical studies show valerian helps people fall asleep faster and may enhance sleep quality, all while avoiding troublesome grogginess the next day.

2. Hops (Humulus lupulus)

Hops are most commonly associated with beer, but they also serve as a mild sedative herb to aid sleep. They are often combined with valerian for synergistic effects. This combination has been proven to help people fall asleep more easily and enjoy longer, higher-quality sleep, especially during times of stress or restlessness.

3. L-Theanine

L-Theanine, found in green tea, helps the body relax by lowering nighttime cortisol and increasing calming brain chemicals such as GABA, serotonin, and dopamine. Clinical research supports its use for improving sleep quality and promoting relaxation without causing daytime drowsiness, making it an excellent choice for people sensitive to sedative effects.

4. Magnolia Bark (Magnolia officinalis)

Magnolia Bark has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to ease anxiety and support restful sleep. Its active compounds interact with GABA receptors, naturally promoting relaxation and drowsiness in a gentle, non-habit-forming way. Magnolia bark may be especially beneficial for those experiencing sleep problems caused by high stress.

5. Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

Skullcap is prized for its calming effect on the nervous system, helping to ease tension and improve sleep. The herb works by balancing GABA and glutamate, two key brain chemicals involved in sleep and relaxation. Skullcap’s ability to reduce nervous tension makes it particularly helpful for calming racing thoughts at bedtime.

6. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Lemon Balm is traditionally used to help with insomnia and reduce anxiety. Its gentle calming effects soothe both the mind and body, making it a popular ingredient in multi-herb sleep blends. Lemon balm’s widespread relaxing properties make it beneficial for anyone seeking natural support against stress-related sleeplessness or nightly worry.

Lifestyle Tips To Keep Cortisol In Check

Herbs and adaptogens work best as part of a holistic sleep routine. Additional strategies include:

• Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake-up schedule. 
• Reducing evening screen time to avoid blue light disruption. 
• Making the bedroom quiet, cool, and dark.
• Minimizing caffeine and alcohol intake.
• Sleep supplements that combine herbs with other nutrients, like magnesium, melatonin, and L-tryptophan, improve sleep through different mechanisms and can give even greater benefits. 

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