In the early stages of adrenal fatigue, the adrenals start pumping out extra cortisol as your body stays in a constant "fight or flight" stage. High cortisol 24/7 is not normal and is considered "stage 1" adrenal fatigue or insufficiency. When my adrenal fatigue was at its worst, my am reading was 53 more than twice what it should have been. All 4 times in my saliva test recorded above range high cortisol.