Hey, let’s just have a little chat like we always do when grabbing a cup of coffee and talking about life. Except today, we’re diving into something that might be happening right under your nose: hormone imbalances. Yep, those sneaky little signals your body sends you when things aren’t quite right.
Hormones are like the messengers that keep all the activities going inside your body. They control your metabolism as well as your attitude. What happens, however, when they start to veer a little off? Your body does not yell at you, at least not constantly. We do think most of the time, it hiccups. It’s the body whispering to you, asking for just a little bit of help, and it’s easier to catch than you might think.
- Feeling Exhausted All the Time?
Okay, we all get tired. Life is busy, work is crazy, and sometimes binge-watching that new series until 2 AM doesn’t help. But this is distinct. That bone-deep fatigue that never goes away no matter how much you sleep.
When your hormones go off kilter, particularly in terms of your thyroid hormones, you feel like running on empty all the time. Your thyroid is the powerhouse of energy in your body. Although hypothyroidism is when your thyroid doesn’t manufacture enough hormones, these facts slow down everything for you gravely. One feels sluggish, and brain fog seems to shut down all his functions, even making it a heavy-duty to get out of bed.
If that describes you, it’s time to start tuning in and listening to yourself. Your body is whispering in your ear to take things seriously.
- Unexplained Weight Gain (or Loss)
Of course, we all wax and wane a little bit in terms of weight, but if your pants are suddenly too tight (or too loose) and you haven’t done anything different with your diet or routine, could it be hormones talking?
This stress hormone, cortisol, also likes to mess with your weight. Under situations of chronic stress, your body keeps pumping out more and more cortisol, which might even cause you to gain weight, especially around the belly. Having too much of the thyroid hormone can, on the other hand, be associated with weight loss even in people who are normally eating.
But if your body seems to change in ways that don’t make sense, pay attention. It is one of the clearest signs that the hormones in your body are out of balance.
- Mood Swings and Irritability
Sometimes, you might wonder where all these emotions come from; one minute, you’re fine, but a few minutes later, you’re snapping at someone for no reason. Don’t worry, though – you’re not alone.
Hormones are the cause of many emotional feelings. When the estrogen or progesterone in your body is off kilter, you may find yourself battling mood swings, irritability, even anxiety, and depression. These feelings can often be related to your menstrual cycle, menopause, or certain conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS.
Do not rationalize it away as “overacting.” If you are constantly having fluctuations in your mood that just don’t seem like you, your body may be sending you a wake-up call to get your hormones checked.
- Sleep Issues
Do you know the sensation you get when you are rolling over, looking at the ceiling, imploring your body to naturally go asleep already? Well, if you are suffering from insomnia or don’t feel as rested after a full night’s sleep as you should be, it could very well be hormonal.
Another hormone that affects the sleep hormone melatonin is cortisol and progesterone. High levels of cortisol will keep you awake with too much energy to fall asleep at night. Low progesterone can also disrupt sleep patterns in women.
The next time you lie awake wondering why you just can’t drift off, you might consider hormones as the culprit.
- Skin Problems You Can’t Shake
Acne isn’t just a teenage phenomenon. If you are experiencing breakouts, dry patches, or oily skin that come seemingly out of nowhere, it could all be due to the great hormone war in your body.
Another hormone crucial to both men and women is testosterone, which can produce much more oil in your skin than before. And there you have it-acne. Estrogen maintains your skin lubricated and silky. When one of these balances is interrupted, your skin issues a clear signal, whether as pimples, dryness, or excess oil.
And don’t forget cortisol again; it can increase inflammation and make any skin issues worse. If your skin is having a tantrum and nothing you’re doing is helping calm the mood, don’t just grab another skincare product. Your body might be showing you that it’s time to pay attention to what’s happening in there.
- Churning Tummy
Bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea- if your digestive system feels like it’s on a rollercoaster, hormones could be the reason.
When your estrogen and progesterone levels change, it can delay or quicken your digestion. Cortisol also affects the gut. Digestion slows when in stress because the body is in “fight or flight” mode, therefore experiencing all kinds of digestive discomforts.
Well, if you have already reached a conclusion that your digestive issues do not obviously have some direct cause, then perhaps it is already time to reassess what is really on with your hormones.
- Changes in Your Hair and Nails
Are you shedding more hair than normal? Or perhaps your nails just keep breaking or are easily splitting? Such small changes can be a harbinger of the imbalance of hormones.
The crucial role of thyroid hormones in hair growth and nail health is such that excessive or deficient levels can lead to hair thinning, hair loss, and even changes within your nails. Hair falling out in clumps or once-strong nails breaking can be very devastating.
This is your body waving the red flag. It’s telling you that something needs some support, and possibly a solution to hormonal imbalances may be how you reverse those changes.
- Low Libido
Let’s be real for a second. If you feel that you have a lower sex drive than usual, it may not just be stress or being tired. Your hormones speak a lot about your attitude toward intimacy.
Your estrogen, testosterone, and even cortisol levels affect your libido. When they get out of sync, your libido can plummet in a split second. If this sounds like you, understand it is common and correctable. It’s just another way your body is trying to tell you something: Something is not quite right.
Final Thoughts: Listen to Your Body
Our bodies have always had something to say to us, but we’ve simply been too busy to listen. Small symptoms can easily be overlooked due to overabundance in the body of hormones. But these symptoms do count, and your body should have its say.
Look for signs such as fatigue, weight shifts, mood swings, or whatever you are having that you didn’t expect. Check with a professional. Don’t ignore what your body is trying to communicate. It’s worth a conversation.