Real talk, hormone imbalance can lead to some seriously uncomfortable and frustrating symptoms. We’re talking weight gain, fatigue, poor sleep habits, and irritability. Honestly, who has time for any of this? And, get this-many of us may have one or all of these symptoms but do nothing about it. It’s because we think it’s just a normal part of life. But, here’s the thing, those symptoms are often linked to an underlying issue, one being hormone imbalance.
Want to learn about how hormone imbalance can cause all of those frustrating and miserable symptoms none of us want to deal with? Want to learn about some daily hacks to help balance hormones? Read on.
What is a Hormone Imbalance?
So, what is a hormone imbalance? Simple enough, it’s something that occurs when there is either too much or too little of a particular hormone in the body. And, since hormones play such an integral role in balancing our overall health, even just a slight fluctuation in a specific hormone can throw our balance out of whack.
Ok, great, so we know that hormone imbalances can throw our system for a loop. But what’s the deal with these little chemical messengers, anyway?
Hormones play a role in more areas of health than we could possibly talk about in this article. But to give you the general gist, here are some major areas they play a huge role in regulating.
- Metabolism
- Appetite
- Temperature regulation
- Mood
- Stress
- Sexual function
- Reproductive health
- Sleep
- Growth
- Heart rate
What are the Symptoms?
Let’s talk symptoms-how do you know if you have a hormone imbalance? An important thing to keep in mind is that symptoms will vary depending on what hormones are affected by the imbalance. But, with that being said, there are some common symptoms that go along with many different hormonal imbalances, so keep an eye out for any of these.
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Sensitivity to cold
- Increased thirst
- Depression
- Irritability
- Skin issues (dry skin, rashes)
- Sleep changes
- Sweating excessively
- Fatigue that goes on for an extended period of time
- Thinning hair and or nails
- Infertility
- Bloating
- Headache
If any of these symptoms happen to just pop up suddenly, call your doctor and get an appointment booked asap. Your doctor can run tests to look at your hormone levels and see if they are the cause of your symptoms.
What Causes a Hormone Imbalance?
If you’re dealing with a hormone imbalance and scratching your head trying to figure out what on earth caused it, you’re definitely not alone. Hormone imbalance and wondering why they happen can be confusing since they can really happen at any time. For many of us, they seem like they happen for no good reason.
To help break this down, here are some common causes of hormone imbalance.
- Chronic stress (yup, many of us know this far to well!)
- Diabetes
- Thyroid health issues
- Adrenal health issues
- Birth control pills
- Poor diet & lifestyle habits
- Environmental toxin exposure
3 Daily Life Hacks for Hormone Imbalance
Let’s get to the stuff we all want to know-how to deal with a hormone imbalance. We’re talking about life hacks that you can implement today that may not only help support better hormone balance but will be beneficial for overall health as well.
So, let’s get to it.
#1 Reduce That Stress
This is one of the top ways you can help balance your hormones. This is especially true when it comes to the stress hormone cortisol, which is quick to give you issues when you are dealing with periods of chronic stress. So, here’s your invitation to check in with yourself and be honest about how much self-care your practice each day (if it’s nothing, it’s time for a change!)
At FitOn, we believe in a very healthy dose of self-care (daily!) In order to function at your best, take care of others, and all of your life obligations, you must take care of you and reduce your stress. And, with stress reduction, comes better hormone balance. So, get your yoga mat out and practice with Vytas on the FitOn app. You can also drink that cup of chamomile tea before bed, and get your nails done once a month. Do you, and what makes you feel more relaxed. Your hormones will thank you for it.
#2 Hit the Hay Earlier
If you find yourself getting into bed after midnight each night, here’s one more reason to add to your list of reasons to get to bed earlier. Chances are, you already want to get to bed earlier, but just have so much on your to-do list it’s next to impossible each night. But, if you can just slowly shift that bedtime to be even an hour earlier, your hormones have a better chance at balancing themselves out since sleep deprivation has been linked to hormone and metabolism changes. Not getting enough sleep can even impact the foods you eat, making you more likely to snack on the junk food we all know we should be staying away from.
So, the takeaway? Start by moving your bedtime up just ten minutes earlier each night until you are getting into bed a whole hour or two earlier. (yay sleep!) You would be shocked at how much more rested you feel the next day, and what this can do for your hormone balance.
#3 Quit Sugar
Ok, ok, so we know this is way easier said than done, but by slowing shifting your eating habits away from foods with added sugar, you can do great things for your body, including hormone balance. And, since hormone imbalance and weight gain are often intertwined, you can also help boost weight loss efforts by quitting sugar.
Slowly cut sugar out of your diet by replacing it with natural options like raw honey and pure maple syrup (just be sure to enjoy these in moderation too.) You can also start swapping out packaged foods for natural options, you know like the foods that don’t come with food labels (fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, pasture-raised eggs)
The Bottom Line
No one should walk around with symptoms that interfere with their overall quality of life, and having a hormone imbalance can totally get in the way of living life to the fullest. So, if you struggle with getting those hormones in check, do yourself a favor and try implementing these life hacks. While they may not completely fix the underlying imbalance, they certainly aren’t going to hurt. Plus, they will help give your body that little nudge to start to establish that homeostasis we all are after.
