anabolic steroids also reduce cortisol
but at the end of the day it is normal to have a spike in cortisol when you workout or are under flight or fight situations. the key is getting proper sleep and rest to offset that. it has to be balanced. if you are overwhelmed in life you need to figure out a way to ease up on things. i see people my age with a wife, 3 kids, 2 mortgages, 3 car payments, paying kids school, working 65 hours a week and getting 3-4 hours of sleep a night.. and they wonder why their cortisol is up.