What is Dawn Phenomenon? Each morning around 4–8 AM, your body releases a surge of cortisol and stress hormones to prepare you for the day. This signals the liver to release glucose — causing fasting blood sugar to be measurably higher than the evening before.
- Under chronic stress, cortisol stays elevated day and night. The morning surge is amplified, pushing fasting glucose far above your pre-bed reading.
- This tracker calculates your DP Delta — today's fasting glucose minus yesterday's evening glucose. A healthy delta is roughly 0–15 mg/dL.
- As cortisol normalizes over weeks/months after major stressors resolve, the delta should gradually shrink — often before weight changes appear.
- Watching sleep quality improve alongside a falling DP delta is a direct window into your nervous system recalibrating.
≤ 10 Excellent
11–20 Normal
21–35 Elevated
> 35 High
Your Recovery Journey
2024 – Early 2026
Peak chronic stress period 🌊
Full-time work + caregiving for Mom through dementia with violent behaviors
Mid-March 2026
Mom at peace 🕊️
A profound loss — and the beginning of release from acute caregiving stress
Late May 2026
Last day of work 🎉
Second major stressor resolves — cortisol recovery can begin in earnest
Weeks → Months ahead
Cortisol recalibration
Watch for: deeper sleep → lower DP delta → lower fasting glucose → weight shift
The longer horizon
Returning to baseline health ✨
The body is remarkably resilient — this tracker helps you witness the recalibration