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Morning
cortisol peaks naturally at 6-8am
Endocrine Society
Good reasons to test
  • Difficulty waking or morning fatigue
  • Chronic stress or burnout symptoms
  • Wanting to track stress response over time

No fasting required. Morning between 7-9am (essential) Results arrive in 3 to 5 business days, explained in plain language in your dashboard. Most results sit within the usual range - that is still useful, and anything unexpected supports a conversation with your healthcare practitioner.

Targeted Testing

AM Cortisol

The morning hormone behind your wake-up, and your stress response

$65one-off, no subscription
  • NATA-accredited pathology
  • No GP referral needed
  • Results in 3 to 5 business days
  • Collect at 1,900+ centres

Why this test

AM cortisol measures your morning stress hormone peak.

Cortisol naturally peaks in the morning to help you wake and prepare for the day. Testing at this time provides the most clinically useful assessment of your adrenal function.

Understanding your results

Within range

Your morning cortisol is healthy

Below reference range

Low morning cortisol may warrant further investigation — discuss with your healthcare practitioner

Elevated

Worth discussing with your healthcare practitioner

Reference ranges vary by laboratory and personal context. Your result is shown against the lab's range in your dashboard, alongside what it means.

How it works

1
TODAY
Order online

Pick a test or panel and check out. No GP referral, no waiting room.

2
THIS WEEK
One quick visit

Walk into one of 1,900+ NATA-accredited collection centres. A single blood draw is all it takes.

3
IN 3 TO 5 BUSINESS DAYS
Clear results

We translate your results into plain language in your dashboard - what each marker means, and what is in range.

4
ONGOING
Track over time

Retest when it matters and watch your trends, so you can see what is actually changing.

Yes. You can order the AM Cortisol test online from Clarity Labs without a GP referral. It's $65, collected at any of 1,900+ NATA-accredited centres across Australia, with results in 3 to 5 business days via your secure online dashboard.

The AM Cortisol test is $65 at Clarity Labs, a one-off price with no subscription or membership. That covers your pathology request form and collection at any of 1,900+ NATA-accredited centres nationwide.

Cortisol follows a natural daily rhythm, peaking around 7-8am. Morning testing captures this peak for meaningful clinical interpretation.

'Adrenal fatigue' is not a recognised medical diagnosis. AM cortisol can help assess genuine adrenal disorders like Addison's disease or Cushing's syndrome.

If you have persistent symptoms like unexplained low blood pressure, salt cravings, significant unexplained weight loss, or extreme fatigue, please see a doctor in person rather than self-testing. These symptoms can indicate serious adrenal conditions that need direct medical evaluation.

No fasting is required, but testing must be done in the morning between 7-9am.

NATA-accredited pathologyCollected through Sonic Healthcare1,900+ collection centresNo GP referral needed

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Read more about this test

Evidence-based articles from the Clarity Journal.

Clarity Journal

Cortisol: skip 'adrenal fatigue', real burnout markers decoded

Why single cortisol tests are rarely useful, the "adrenal fatigue" myth debunked, and when specialised testing actually matters

11 min read

This information is for general education and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Results are best interpreted with a qualified healthcare practitioner in the context of your symptoms and history.

$65