A 4-point cortisol saliva test measures how your hormone levels change across one day. You collect four separate saliva samples at four set times using the color-coded or numbered tubes in your kit, then store and ship them all together. Timing is the most important factor — cortisol follows a predictable daily rhythm, and collecting at the wrong time produces inaccurate results.
Important: Register your kit before you collect. Follow the exact collection schedule printed in your kit — your kit's times take priority over any general guidance in this article.
Planning your collection day
Choose a representative, normal-activity day. Your kit or care provider may recommend specific guidance on when to collect, including — for people with menstrual cycles — which cycle days are best for hormone testing.
Identify the four collection times from your kit's schedule. A common schedule is: about 30 minutes after waking (before breakfast), midday, early evening, and right before bed. The exact times in your kit are what you must follow.
Set four phone alarms or timers before the day starts so you do not miss a collection window.
Important: If your kit includes timing instructions for medications or hormone supplements — for example, when to take or temporarily pause a topical or sublingual hormone — follow them exactly. Never stop a prescribed medication without first talking to your care provider.
Before each of the four collections
For at least 30–60 minutes before each sample, avoid the following:
Eating, drinking anything except plain water, or taking supplements
Brushing your teeth, flossing, or having dental work done
Using mouthwash, lip balm, anti-aging creams, or any hormone-containing cream on your hands or face
Consuming caffeine (avoid caffeine for the entire collection day)
Vigorous exercise, smoking, or using nicotine products
Right before each collection:
Wash your hands.
Rinse your mouth with plain water and spit it out.
Wait 10 minutes before collecting.
Collecting each sample
Pick up the tube designated for that time point. Tubes are color-coded or numbered — use the correct tube for each time.
Let saliva pool in your mouth naturally, then lean forward and let it drain passively into the tube. Do not spit forcefully into the tube.
Fill the tube to its marked line. Most kits require the tube to be about three-quarters full with liquid saliva. Bubbles and foam are acceptable as long as there is liquid saliva at the fill line — foam alone does not count.
Seal the tube tightly and write down the date and the actual clock time of that collection.
Place the tube in the freezer or refrigerator immediately, following your kit's storage instructions for each sample.
Repeat this process at each of the four scheduled times.
Note: If you cannot collect at the exact scheduled time, collect as close to it as possible and record the actual time on the tube. Also note if you experienced unusual stress during the day, since acute stress can temporarily raise cortisol levels.
After all four samples are collected
Store all four tubes as your kit directs — many kits require freezing the samples. Once the set is complete, package the tubes with the cold pack from your kit and ship according to your kit's shipping instructions.
Need more help?
If you missed a collection window or are unsure about the schedule for your specific test, contact our support team through chat with your Kit ID. There is no cost for a replacement collection kit when a new sample collection is needed for the lab to complete your analysis.