Articles #circadian rhythm

In the past two decades of practice, if I were to name one single factor that silently disturbs sleep, weight, mood, digestion, immunity, memory — and often goes unnoticed in our usual investigations — I would say it is this: Cortisol.

As physicians, we often remind patients that sleep is not simply a pause in daily activity—it is an active, restorative process that keeps the body and mind functioning at their best. Sleep is as vital as food, water, and oxygen, yet it remains one of the most undervalued elements of health. Modern lifestyles have pushed sleep into the background, often treated as optional, when in reality, it is the time during which the body performs its deepest and most necessary repairs.