Figure 1.

Changes in cortisol concentration within the first hour after awakening in women with regular menstrual cycles and postmenopausal women. Cortisol concentration at each examined time point is depicted in (A). The relative mean increase in cortisol concentration 30 and 60 min after awakening over the individual baseline (F-MnInc %) and the integrated cortisol concentration ranging from the time immediately upon awakening to 60 min after awakening (i.e. area under the cortisol curve with respect to baseline, Fauc) in each examined group are depicted in (B and C) respectively. Each data point in (A) and each bar in (B and C) represents mean±s.e.m.