Ever feel like you're being chased by a lion? That’s exactly how your body reacts to chronic stress by flooding your system with cortisol, the stress hormone. While this fight or flight response can save your life in a true emergency, living in a constant state of stress wreaks havoc on your health.

In today’s episode, Dr. Martin unpacks the science behind cortisol and its impact on your body—from disrupted sleep and suppressed melatonin production to inflammation, immune dysfunction, and chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.