Huberman Lab
Huberman Lab

How to Control Your Cortisol & Overcome Burnout

January 7, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Voices & The Context

  • The Format: Solo narrative podcast episode; a deep-dive science lecture with protocols, zero-cost tools, and sponsor breaks.
  • The Key Players: Andrew Huberman, neurobiology professor at Stanford School of Medicine; solo host delivering evidence-based insights on hormones and health.
  • The Vibe: Educational, empowering, science-heavy—intense focus on biology but optimistic and actionable for everyday life.

🗝️ Key Themes & Topics

The episode unpacks cortisol as an energy-mobilizing hormone (not just "stress"), emphasizing its 24-hour rhythm: high upon waking for alertness, low at night for sleep. Huberman debunks myths, explains mechanisms, and provides tools to optimize it for mood, immunity, and performance.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (01:29) **🎙️ Episode Introduction: Cortisol & Burnout**
  • 2 (03:00) **Cortisol Biology Basics**
  • 3 (03:43) **24-Hour Cortisol Rhythm Phases**
  • 4 (11:54) **Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR)**
  • 5 (20:22) **HPA Axis Mechanism**
  • 6 (31:17) **Parallel SCN Pathway for Morning Boost**
  • 7 (37:47) **Morning Protocol: Bright Light Exposure**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

How to Control Your Cortisol & Overcome Burnout

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