Whether you just received your first pack of Hormometer™ tests or you've been testing for months, you've probably wondered the same question:

"What should I test next?"

Eli's new Testing Challenges feature answers that question. It's structured into structured, 2 test protocols that turn data points into insights you can use—whether you're establishing your baseline for the first time or digging deeper into specific patterns.

Each challenge unlocks something specific about your cortisol rhythm. Pick the one that best matches where you are in your testing journey.

The 6 Challenges

1. First Diurnal Rhythm

Who this is for: Users who haven't completed one full morning + evening curve yet
What you're testing: Your baseline cortisol pattern
Protocol: One morning test (within 30 min of waking) + one evening test (between 5-11pm)

What you'll learn: Whether your cortisol follows a healthy pattern (high in morning, low at night) or shows signs of dysregulation.

You'll see one of these patterns:

• In-range rhythm: Morning peaks at 2-8 ng/mL, evening drops below 1.5 ng/mL
• High morning cortisol: Consistently above 10 ng/mL (may indicate chronic stress or overtraining)
• Flat curve: Little variation between morning and evening (common with burnout)
• Inverted curve: Evening higher than morning (often "tired but wired")

Why start here: This is your foundation. You can't assess consistency, routine shifts, or workout recovery until you know what your baseline looks like.

First-time testers: This is your starting line.
Experienced testers: If you've never done a proper diurnal curve, do this before moving on to advanced challenges.

2. Rhythm Check

Who this is for: Users who have completed their first diurnal curve
What you're testing: Cortisol pattern consistency
Protocol: Repeat your diurnal curve (morning + evening) on a different day within the same week

What you'll learn: Whether your cortisol rhythm is stable or varies day-to-day.

• Pattern 1 - Steady: Your rhythm is stable and in-range—great work! Keep up your routine. Next, try the other challenges to see if other factors (like weekdays vs. weekends, workouts, etc.) meaningfully impact your cortisol.
  
  

• Pattern 2 - Problematic: Your rhythm is stable, but out-of-range on both days. This is a warning sign that something in your routine is impacting your cortisol levels consistently over time. Continue to track your curve and take note of lifestyle changes to see if you can bring it back into the target range.
  
  

• Pattern 3 - Variable: Your rhythm is in-range one day, and out-of-range the next. This is a sign your routine may be inconsistent. Swinging between in-range and out-of-range levels can leave you feeling "tired but wired." (High energy some days, and drained the other.) Keep testing to see what specific differences in routine are causing these shifts.

Why it matters: Consistency is everything. A stable pattern—even if it's imperfect at times—gives you a reliable baseline to work from.

First-time testers: Complete this right after Challenge #1 to confirm your baseline.
Experienced testers: If months have passed since your early tests, or if your routine has changed significantly, do this to re-establish your current baseline.

3. Weekend Rhythm

Who this is for: Users who have completed Challenges 1 & 2
What you're testing: Whether your weekend routine affects your cortisol differently
Protocol: One diurnal curve (morning + evening) on a weekend day

What you'll learn: How your weekend habits compare to your weekday baseline.

Three common patterns:

Pattern 1: Better on weekends
Your weekday curve is flat or high, but your weekend curve looks healthy.
→ What it suggests: Work stress or weekday demands are taxing you: you recover on weekends, but you need a better strategy to manage weekday stress.

Pattern 2: Worse on weekends
Your weekday curve is fine, but weekends spike your cortisol.
→ What it suggests: Late nights, alcohol, chaotic plans, or sleeping in are creating more stress than your structured weekdays.

Pattern 3: Always dysregulated
Both curves are out of range, regardless of day.
→ What it suggests: This isn't about your routine—there may be an underlying chronic stressor at play that's worth discussing with a healthcare provider.

First-time testers: Do this after establishing baseline consistency (Challenges 1 & 2).
Experienced testers: Use this if you've always suspected weekends are your problem—or if you want to confirm this time as your recovery window.

4. Weekday Rhythm

Who this is for: Users who have completed Challenge 3 (Weekend Rhythm) and want the full picture
What you're testing: How the demands of the workweek (Monday-Friday) impact your cortisol
Protocol: One diurnal curve (morning + evening) on a Monday

What you'll learn: How your work routine compares to your weekend baseline.

Combined with Weekend Rhythm, this shows you whether your issue is weekday stress, weekend chaos, or something that doesn't change with your schedule.

First-time testers: Optional after Weekend Rhythm if you want complete weekly visibility.
Experienced testers: If you've done Weekend Rhythm and suspect your Mondays are brutal, this confirms it with data.

For Users With Atypical Schedules

If you don't work Monday–Friday or have weekends off on Saturday–Sunday, you can still use the Weekend Rhythm and Weekday Rhythm protocols—just adapt them to your personal schedule:

Weekend Rhythm: Test on your rest day or lightest work day. This is when you have the most control over your routine, fewer external demands, or time to recover.

Weekday Rhythm: Test on your busiest or most demanding work day. This is typically your heaviest shift, longest hours, or the day that feels most stressful in your cycle.

The goal is the same: compare your high-stress days to your low-stress days to see how your routine impacts your cortisol patterns.

5. Workout Recovery Assessment

Who this is for: Athletes, gym-goers, or users wondering if their training is too intense
What you're testing: Whether a specific workout requires more recovery support
Protocol:

• One test before your workout (establishes baseline)

• One test 2 hours after your workout

Note: Be sure to label the test with the specific workout type: HIIT, strength training, yoga, long run, etc. for you to be able reference later.

What you'll learn:

Cortisol back to baseline (or lower) within 2 hours:
Your recovery is sufficient. Your body is handling this intensity well.

Cortisol still elevated 2 hours later:
This workout is creating a bigger stress response than expected. Consider:

• More recovery days between sessions

• Lower intensity or volume

• Better sleep/nutrition around workouts

• Different timing (evening sessions that spike cortisol can disrupt sleep)

Pro tip: Run this for different workout types. You might discover your morning yoga is fine, but evening CrossFit sessions are keeping you wired at night.

First-time testers: Wait until you've established your baseline (Challenges 1-2) so you know what "normal" looks like for you.
Experienced testers: Use this to test specific training blocks, race prep, or load progression.

6. Spot Test

Who this is for: Users who want to assess a specific intervention or stressor
What you're testing: The impact of any single variable on your cortisol
Protocol:

• One test before the stressor

• One test after (timing depends on what you're testing)

Note: Label it with what stressor you're measuring

Use this to test:

• Travel and jet lag

• Big presentations or high-stakes meetings

• Dietary changes (cutting caffeine, intermittent fasting, eliminating sugar)

• New supplements or medications

• Drinking or social events with alcohol

• Sleep protocol changes (new bedtime, sleep tracking device, etc.)

What you'll learn:

Cortisol stays stable:
This stressor isn't significantly impacting your body.

Cortisol spikes:
Your body is working harder to adapt. Doesn't mean it's "bad," but does mean you should consider frequency or intensity.

Example: Many users discover that one glass of wine at dinner has minimal impact, but three drinks on Friday impact their cortisol the next morning. They often feel low energy and sluggish, or find their evening levels elevated, making it difficult to get a restful sleep.

First-time testers: Save this for after you've established your baseline. You need to know what "normal" is before you can measure deviations.
Experienced testers: This is your playground. Test everything: new supplements, diet changes, travel protocols, stress management techniques.

Your Testing Journey: Where to Start

Just opened your first pack?

Week 1-2: Establish Baseline

• Challenge 1 — First Diurnal Rhythm (2 tests)
  Get your morning + evening baseline

• Challenge 2 — Rhythm Check (2 tests)
  Confirm your pattern is consistent
  
  

Week 3-4: Understand Weekly Patterns

• Challenge 3 — Weekend Rhythm (2 tests)
  See if your routine affects your cortisol

After that:
You've used 6 tests and you have a complete picture of your baseline and weekly variation. From here, you can:

• Restock and move to optimization challenges (Workout Recovery, Spot Tests)

• Switch to a 3-month subscription for continuous tracking

• Take a break and retest quarterly to monitor trends

Already been testing for a while?

If you've tested randomly (different times, no pattern):
Start fresh with Challenge 1: First Diurnal Rhythm. Random tests don't give you a usable baseline.

If you established a baseline 3+ months ago:
Redo Challenge 2: Rhythm Check to confirm your current pattern. Bodies change— stress, seasons, routine shifts all affect cortisol.

If your baseline is solid and recent:
Jump to the challenges that answer your specific questions:

• Wondering about weekday vs weekend? → Challenge 3 or 4

• Questioning your training intensity? → Challenge 5

• Testing a new intervention? → Challenge 6

If you're working with a coach or provider:
Run Challenge 6: Spot Test repeatedly to measure specific interventions (supplements, sleep changes, stress protocols). This gives you before/after data for everything you're trying.

How Many Tests Will You Need?

If you're just starting:
Your first Discovery Pack (8 tests) covers:

• First Diurnal (2 tests)

• Rhythm Check (2 tests)

• Weekend Rhythm (2 tests)

• One Workout Recovery or Spot Test (2 tests)

That's a complete baseline + one optimization test.

If you're optimizing:
A 3-month subscription allows you to:

• Get expert onboarding with an Eli team member

• Run multiple Spot Tests for different interventions

• Retest patterns monthly or quarterly

• Track changes as you implement improvements

If you have any questions, send us a message to ask@eli.health.

CTA: Start your first challenge