Most women are all too familiar with hormonal imbalances. They are a regular part of entering new life stages like puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Hormonal imbalance can also be caused by medications, medical conditions, stress, diet, and even a lack of exercise.
Despite their prevalence, that doesn’t mean we can always take them in our stride. They can have a considerable impact on our personal and professional lives. Keep reading to learn how and what you can do about it.
Physical Health and Function
Many women seek out womens hormone therapy Tempe and other locations when they’re tired of how much their hormonal imbalance is affecting their physical health and function. It can impact sleep and energy levels, metabolism and weight, bone and muscle health, and even reproductive and sexual health. Many women experience irregular periods and heavy bleeding, while men can experience erectile dysfunction.
When symptoms are persistent, it’s crucial to seek a professional evaluation. A healthcare professional can check thyroid and reproductive hormones, metabolic markers, cortisol levels, and other markers and suggest actions or medications you can take to help you start experiencing balance once more.
Sleep Patterns
Sex hormones, cortisol, and melatonin all influence our sleep-wake cycles. When your cortisol levels are high, it can be hard to fall asleep. If your progesterone levels are low, your sleep can be disrupted. It’s hard to have a great morning routine and set yourself up for a productive day when you’re sleep-deprived.
Try breathing exercises before bed, keep a consistent sleep/wake schedule, and limit caffeine and alcohol in the afternoon. These actions can go a long way toward achieving restorative sleep.
Skin, Hair, and Body
Our thyroid hormones, insulin levels, and androgens all influence how our hair grows, how healthy our skin is, and even our balance of muscle to fat. When your hormones aren’t balanced, you may notice dry skin, thinning or shedding hair, acne, or unexplained weight gain or muscle loss.
Fortunately, you can address these imbalances with a few key changes. Calm down your androgen and insulin fluctuations by reducing high-GI foods like white flour and white sugar. You can also add more micronutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and zinc, to your diet. Many people also find that increasing protein intake repairs their muscles and supports their hair health.
Mood and Cognitive Function
It can be hard to stay motivated in our personal and professional lives when our hormones are affecting our mood and mental clarity. Low estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels can all be to blame. They can be responsible for mood swings, anxiety, brain fog, and irritability.
Hormone replacement therapy can be a great way to restore balance to your hormones and everyday life. You can also take other simple actions, such as incorporating gentle movement into your day, prioritizing regular meals, sleep, and hydration, and using mindfulness practices to manage stress and feelings of overwhelm.
Something as seemingly insignificant as having imbalanced hormone levels can have more of an effect on everyday life than you think. When your hormones start to affect your personal and professional life, it’s time to take action with lifestyle changes and hormone therapy.
