I've never tried hydrocortisone. Can you explain?
Thyroid is normal-to-optimal, did a full panel last year.
Pandemic ruined my exercise regimen, but I've been lifting for years. Definitely helps, but not a cure.
If your HPA is stressed it can result in less than optimal regulation of cortisol. Sometimes, this means spiking levels of norepinephrine to compensate. This can occur in the middle of the night. I often wake early and feel anxiety or ramped up. I take 10mg HC every morning. On weekends, this will calm me down enough that I zonk out for another hour or two. On weekdays, it can do the same if it this happens at say... 5am. If I get to the time to wake up, it still knocks back the anxiety.
The supplemental HC helps give your HPA support - it can result in helping it reset and after months you can wean back a bit and perhaps get off of it. I could not have survived without it.
That said, why your system is off is worth continuing to investigate - stress is #1, other hormonal or nutrition deficiencies also need to be solved. Sleep itself is a healer and lack of will never allow your system to balance. Chicken and egg thing going on there.
Define "optimal" thyroid labs. Do you have them?