cortisol
n. uncountablen. a hormone your body makes when you are under pressure or feeling worried. It helps your body react to stress, but having too much for a long time can be bad for your health.
n. a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex that regulates various metabolic processes and the body's response to stress. Often used as a biomarker for physiological arousal or chronic psychological pressure.
Stressful situations cause your body to release cortisol.
High levels of cortisol in the morning help wake you up, but chronic stress can keep these levels elevated throughout the day.
Researchers measured salivary cortisol concentrations to determine whether the mindfulness intervention effectively lowered the participants' physiological stress responses during the high-stakes testing period.
From cortisone + -ol.
Uncountable when referring to the hormone generally; can be countable in medical contexts when referring to specific types or measurements.