How do the Mira Cortisol Pattern™️Wands work?Updated 3 hours ago

When does the patient test?

We generally suggest testing twice a day: a first-morning sample and an evening sample taken at a consistent interval after waking (roughly 10 to 12 hours). That pairing is what the 30-wand pack is built around, and it is what produces the day-to-night pattern view. Patients build a baseline over about a week of consistent daily testing, then settle into a few days per week as the app guides. Testing at the same point relative to waking each day matters more than the exact clock time.

Morning-only testing is a secondary option for patients who want a lighter routine. They still get a stress score and a trend against their own baseline — without the day-to-night pattern.

Why first-morning urine?

Because it is the most consistent, interpretable sample. Urine accumulates in the bladder between voids, so a spot sample reflects the free cortisol that entered the urine over the preceding hours, with a plasma-to-urine lag of roughly one to three hours, rather than the level at the moment of testing. A first-morning void therefore mostly reflects overnight cortisol, and testing at the same point relative to waking each day keeps results comparable. Mira's feasibility work found first-morning results were the most stable within individuals; later-day spot samples were less reliable without dilution correction.