“…Little evidence of a change in cortisol was evident from a meta-analysis of RCTs (5 studies, n = 328; SMD = 0.08; 95% CI = −0.19, 0.35; I 2 = 26%). Following a single session of exercise, some studies documented no change ( 58 , 59 , 88 , 100 ), some documented an increase in cortisol during or immediately following exercise ( 66 , 68 , 74 , 82 , 90 , 103 , 105 , 106 ), and others identified a decrease in cortisol compared with baseline at the conclusion of exercise or following a recovery period ( 70 , 72 , 79 , 85 , 87 , 92 , 96 , 104 ). The increase in cortisol levels observed in some studies was greater when exercise was performed in the morning rather than the afternoon and was linearly related to exercise intensity ( 66 , 102 ).…”