Cortisol secretion in saliva and hair: methodological considerations and relationships with state and trait well-being
type: CreativeWork
description: Cortisol secretion follows a distinct circadian rhythm characterised by a nadir in early sleep, gradually increasing concentrations during late sleep, peak levels at 30-45 minutes post awakening (the cortisol awakening response: CAR) and a declining pattern thereafter. Salivary cortisol enables determination of the diurnal pattern within the domestic setting, although the measurement presents methodological challenges that need to be addressed. Further, the diurnal pattern of cortisol has been studied in relation to trait and state ill-being, rather than well-being. Consequently the focus of this programme of research was to explore relationships between the diurnal pattern of cortisol secretion and measures of both state and trait well-being and to examine the impact of electronically determined participant adherence to protocol within the domestic setting. In the first instance healthy, psychopathology-free young females were investigated but the work was extended to investigate the impact of aging on associations between cortisol secretion and well-being in healthy older females. Data from healthy female participants demonstrates for the first time that moderate delays (on average 8 minutes) between awakening and the start of saliva sampling (previously considered tolerable) result in erroneous over-estimation of CAR magnitude and earlier timing of the CAR peak. This minimal level of non-adherence was not detected by self-reported awakening time, suggesting that electronic monitoring of awakening is essential in CAR research. The effects of moderate delays on the CAR measurement were explored in a detailed study, the first to sample salivary cortisol secretion at five minute intervals in the immediate post-awakening period. Over-estimation of the CAR magnitude and earlier peak were attributed to an observed approximate ten minute time lag between awakening and the start of the cortisol rise. In contrast non-adherence to the sampling protocol across the day did no…
abstract: Cortisol secretion follows a distinct circadian rhythm characterised by a nadir in early sleep, gradually increasing concentrations during late sleep, peak levels at 30-45 minutes post awakening (the cortisol awakening response: CAR) and a declining pattern thereafter. Salivary cortisol enables determination of the diurnal pattern within the domestic setting, although the measurement presents methodological challenges that need to be addressed. Further, the diurnal pattern of cortisol has been studied in relation to trait and state ill-being, rather than well-being. Consequently the focus of this programme of research was to explore relationships between the diurnal pattern of cortisol secretion and measures of both state and trait well-being and to examine the impact of electronically determined participant adherence to protocol within the domestic setting. In the first instance healthy, psychopathology-free young females were investigated but the work was extended to investigate the impact of aging on associations between cortisol secretion and well-being in healthy older females. Data from healthy female participants demonstrates for the first time that moderate delays (on average 8 minutes) between awakening and the start of saliva sampling (previously considered tolerable) result in erroneous over-estimation of CAR magnitude and earlier timing of the CAR peak. This minimal level of non-adherence was not detected by self-reported awakening time, suggesting that electronic monitoring of awakening is essential in CAR research. The effects of moderate delays on the CAR measurement were explored in a detailed study, the first to sample salivary cortisol secretion at five minute intervals in the immediate post-awakening period. Over-estimation of the CAR magnitude and earlier peak were attributed to an observed approximate ten minute time lag between awakening and the start of the cortisol rise. In contrast non-adherence to the sampling protocol across the day did no…
author: Smyth, N.
date published: 2013
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:02:18Z
provider: University of Westminster
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Westminster

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.34737/8z18y