Discussing some of the long term effects of stress and how it can lead to hormonal problems.
Hello friends! what are you doing Hope you are having a great day so far! I’m taking an F45 strength class and have calls for the rest of the day.
For today’s post, I wanted to talk a little about stress. I talk to clients every day, and this is a huge topic. We are all stressed. They can be emotional, physical or environmental stressors, and the effects are amplified over time. When stress becomes chronic, it can unfortunately wreak havoc on the body, affecting things like digestion, our immune system, glucose tolerance, sleep and hormones.
Today, I wanted to focus specifically on hormonal imbalances caused by stress and what you can do about it. Please note that as always, this post is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about personalized treatments for you and get the help and support you need. If you’re ever curious about functional lab tests to see how stress affects your body’s balance, email me at gina@fitnessista.com subject TEST.
How stress can cause hormonal imbalance
When we are stressed, our body releases cortisol, which is known as the stress hormone. When in small amounts, cortisol can be helpful. It gives us energy and adrenaline to tackle the task at hand. When stressors are chronic, our bodies are flooded with excess cortisol and eventually stop responding as well. High cortisol eventually leads to low cortisol, which gives us that feeling of apathy, fatigue, and exhaustion.
Cortisol can also affect the production of sex hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, DHEA and testosterone. Abundant hormones are vital to our menstrual cycles and reproductive health. High levels of stress can also affect thyroid function, which plays a huge role in metabolism and energy.
When cortisol is high, it can lead to mood swings, weight gain and mental health problems. The adrenal glands, which produce cortisol, are overworked, which can lead to adrenal fatigue. This is also called adrenal insufficiency, where the body doesn’t respond to cortisol the same way it used to.
This ongoing imbalance can contribute to a range of symptoms, from irregular menstrual cycles and fertility problems to fatigue, anxiety and depression.
Here are some of the things we can do about it:
How to manage hormonal imbalance caused by stress
Managing stress is one of the hardest, but one of the BEST things we can do for our health.
Here are some of my favorite strategies:
1. Adopt a regular exercise routine
Stress can be an incredible way to reduce stress, but it’s important to remember that exercise can be an additional stressor for the body, especially if it’s particularly long and intense. General movement can help lower cortisol levels, increase endorphin production (your body’s natural mood boosters) and is obviously good for overall health. I’m sure many of my fellow readers are already active, but this is just a reminder to keep moving and keep exercise a part of your routine. Just be sure to alternate intensities and include at least 1-2 rest days each week.
2. Practice Meditation and Mindfulness
The impact of meditation and mindfulness strategies is profound. It helps reduce cortisol levels and can make a huge difference in mood, productivity, focus, digestion and sleep. Meditation can also help with insulin sensitivity!
It doesn’t have to be a formal meditation session. Instead, you can do things that help you feel at peace, such as working on a puzzle, reading a book, chatting and walking with a friend, or staring silently at a blank wall. The key is to take the Zen feeling you have in these moments and translate it into the chaos of the rest of the day. It’s easy to feel peaceful while meditating, but how do you feel the rest of the day?
3. Maintain a healthy diet
The foods we eat can affect our hormonal balance. For example, many women create sufficient estrogen but are unable to detoxify it properly, which can lead to symptoms of estrogen dominance. You want to make sure you get plenty of green leafy vegetables, broccoli, spinach, artichokes, and healthy fats. Highly processed foods, sugar and coffee can also affect our body’s stress response and hormone levels. I like to get protein and plants at every meal, with lots of healthy fats too.
Blood sugar balance also makes a huge difference. Make sure you have protein, carbs and healthy fat at every meal and snack, try walking or light exercise after high carb meals, and I also like to eat my starches and desserts LAST so the protein and fiber kicks in the sharp increase in glucose.
4. Prioritize sleep
Quality sleep is essential for hormone regulation. When you’re under extreme amounts of stress (and chronic, daily stress), sleep can be one of the first things to suffer, which increases cortisol levels. Aim for 7-9 hours every night. If you need help getting better sleep, email me about working together — treating sleep problems is one of my favorite things because sleep is one of my favorite things!!
5. Stay connected and seek support
I think there is tremendous value in real, face-to-face connections and support. Surround yourself with uplifting friends and family members and don’t constantly drain your energy and joy. Talking about stress can help relieve it and the strength to know you are not alone. If you feel overwhelmed, seek the support of a therapist or counselor.
6. Incorporate stress relief techniques into your routine
Just like the mindfulness element, incorporate daily activities that bring you JOY, such as a hobby, time in nature, crocheting, reading, etc. Even when the whole day feels like one giant chaotic struggle, it’s worth it, even for five minutes.
A friendly reminder that managing stress isn’t just about reducing the momentary, it’s about creating long-term habits that affect your overall well-being and happiness.
If you struggle with anxiety or suspect you have a hormonal imbalance, check out this post on how to combat anxiety. It’s an old post but I still agree with these tips! 🙂
So tell me, friends: what are some of your daily stress-reducing habits?
Xoxo
