Sleep Hormone Test | Sleep & Stress Lab Test

Sleep Hormone Test Panel — Basic

This test checks the morning levels of two hormones present in your body, cortisol and melatonin. For this test, cortisol is collected via a blood draw and melatonin is collected via a urine sample. Both hormones play an important role in a person’s quality of sleep. Measuring the levels of these hormones can help you and your healthcare provider understand why you may be having problems sleeping. Read more

Test details

Sample type:

Blood and Urine

Preparation:

You must schedule an appointment for sample collection in the morning only (between the hours of 7am and 9am). Please be sure to drink plenty of fluids before your urine sample collection. Fasting is not required for this test.

Test type: In Person

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$139.00

+ $6.00 Physician Service Fee

Quantity

About the Test

This test checks the morning levels of two hormones present in your body, cortisol and melatonin. For this test, cortisol is collected via a blood draw and melatonin is collected via a urine sample. Melatonin and cortisol have an opposite relationship and work together to regulate sleep and wake cycles. Cortisol levels are typically highest in the morning and tend to decrease throughout the day. At night, cortisol levels continue to decrease, while levels of melatonin, the body’s major sleep hormone, start to rise in response to darkness, preparing the body to sleep.

Buy your own sleep hormone test online with Quest. No doctor’s visit needed – simply purchase, access hormone testing at a nearby location, and get fast results.

Cortisol and melatonin are essential hormones that play a vital role in the body’s ability to regulate its sleep cycle. The levels of both hormones change throughout the day and work together to maintain a steady rhythm.

The recommended amount of sleep per night for adults is seven hours. More than 50 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder and closer to 100 million people report that they do not get an adequate amount of sleep daily. When either, or both, of these hormone levels are not working as they are supposed to, the body’s internal clock can get messed up with one of over 80 different sleep disorders, affecting overall health and leaving a person with low levels of energy. If you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms listed below, this sleep hormone test may be for you.

This sleep lab test measures morning levels of two key hormones involved in the sleep-wake cycle: cortisol (in blood) and melatonin (in urine). These hormones typically follow an inverse (opposite) circadian (recurring natural biological 24-hour cycle) pattern—cortisol levels are usually high in the morning to promote wakefulness, while melatonin levels are low after peaking during the night to support sleep.

The adrenal glands above the kidneys produce cortisol. Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone and fluctuates throughout the day. Normally the body will regulate cortisol levels to deal with stress and pressure, but sometimes our bodies remain in a stressed state for too long. Too much (hypercortisolism) or too little (hypocortisolism) cortisol can result in the body’s inability to complete its normal functions and may lead to health problems such as anxiety, depression, headaches, memory issues, digestion problems, trouble sleeping, weight gain, and heart disease.

The pineal gland, located in the brain, is a small gland in your endocrine system that produces the hormone melatonin. Your pineal gland makes and releases the highest levels of melatonin during the night. Very small amounts are produced during the day. This is why melatonin is often referred to as the “sleep” hormone. Too much (hypermelatoninemia) and too little (hypomelatoninemia) melatonin can result in the body’s inability to complete its normal functions and may lead to health problems such as trouble sleeping, dizziness, hypotonia, desire to sleep during the day, low body temperature, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

A sleep disorder test can help determine if the following signs and symptoms are due to:

Too little cortisol:

Overly tired
Worsening muscle weakness
Skin changes (darkening in folds and/or scars)
Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
Appetite loss/weight loss
Low blood pressure
Addison’s disease, a condition where the adrenal glands do not produce enough cortisol

Too much cortisol:

Trouble sleeping
Digestion problems
Headaches
Concentration/memory issues
Easy-to-bruise skin
Anxiety/depression
Weight gain
Heart disease
Cushing’s disease

Too little melatonin:

High blood pressure
Obesity
Metabolic syndrome
Insulin resistance
Various sleep disorders

Too much melatonin:

Trouble sleeping (usually involving sleeping during the daytime)
Dizziness
Muscle weakness
Low body temperature

You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase a test on questhealth.com. This test requires specimen collection at a Quest Diagnostics location or through Quest Mobile™, a convenient option for in-home sample collection*. Collection not available in AK, AZ, or HI.

*Check your zip code here for service availability, not available in all locations.

After you provide your specimen, it generally takes up to 9 business days to process and release your test results. However, processing times may vary. Your test results will be available in a clear and easy-to-read report. Independent physicians are available to discuss questions or concerns you may have regarding your results.

How it works

questhealth.com offers 100+ consumer-initiated Quest Diagnostics lab tests to empower you to have more control over your health journey. Choose from a variety of test types that best suit your needs.

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Book a visit to one of 2000+ Quest locations.

Visit Quest for sample collection

Complete your test sample collection during your scheduled appointment.

Get fast results

Access results online as soon as they’re available. You will be emailed when they are ready. Discuss your results with an independent physician at no extra cost. Treatment options may be available.

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+ in-home sample collection

No doctor visit required for purchase. If in-home service is available in your area, purchase for an additional $79 fee.

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Register your test
& schedule an appointment

After you make a purchase, register your test and Quest Mobile will contact you to schedule an in-home sample collection appointment.

In-home sample collection

A Quest Mobile phlebotomist will collect your sample and deliver it to Quest Diagnostics.

Get fast results

Access results online as soon as they’re available. You will be emailed when they are ready. Discuss your results with an independent physician at no extra cost. Treatment options may be available.

FAQs

Is there a reason this blood test is to be completed in the morning?

Yes. Cortisol levels naturally change throughout the day. Cortisol levels typically peak in the morning, and the morning level would be the best single point indicator of a problem with your stress hormone. Melatonin levels also change throughout the day and will typically be low or undetectable in the morning hours.

How are cortisol and melatonin related?

These hormones typically follow an inverse (opposite) circadian (recurring natural biological 24-hour cycle) pattern. Cortisol and melatonin have an opposite relationship and work together to regulate sleep and wake cycles. Cortisol levels are typically highest in the morning, when melatonin levels are low, and tend to decrease throughout the day. At night, cortisol levels continue to decrease, while levels of melatonin start to rise in response to darkness, preparing the body to sleep.

Can I use my FSA or HSA funds to purchase tests on questhealth.com?

You may be able to use your FSA or HSA funds to purchase lab tests at questhealth.com. Please review your FSA/HSA plan or check with a tax professional to confirm specific requirements for individual eligibility.

Our references

Center for Disease Control. About Sleep. Accessed March 12, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html.
Quest Diagnostics. Cortisol, A.M. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-detail/4212/cortisol-am?p=r&q=4212&cc=PHP.
WebMD. What is Cortisol?. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-cortisol
Cleveland Clinic. Cortisol. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22187-cortisol
Cleveland Clinic. Melatonin. Accessed March 12, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23411-melatonin
Cleveland Clinic. Sleep Disorders. Accessed March 12, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11429-sleep-disorders
St. Hilaire, M.A., Lockley, S.W. (2022). Measuring Urinary 6-Sulphatoxymelatonin in Humans. In: Jockers, R., Cecon, E. (eds) Melatonin. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2550. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2593-4_4

Tests purchased on questhealth.com are only for individuals who intend to pay directly for testing and do not want to submit a claim for reimbursement under their health insurance.

Sleep Hormone Test Panel — Basic