How Stress and Sleep Affect Hormonal Balance

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that regulates your body's response to stressful situations. Unfortunately, most of us are so inundated with stress in our everyday lives that many of us have a surplus of cortisol. When prolonged stress and an imbalance of cortisol is left unchecked, it can lead to high blood sugar levels, increased belly fat, high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol and muscle loss. Even without the presence of a chronic medical condition like Cushing’s disease, overexposure to high levels of cortisol can contribute to changes in a woman's anxiety and depression as well as sex drive and menstrual cycles.

Women Are Often More Vulnerable to Sleep Disorders

Sleep is natural process that is absolutely essential for good health and proper hormonal balance. During the menstrual cycle, before menopause, and after pregnancy, women are most vulnerable to problems, including:

• Irregular periods
• Weight gain
• Weight loss resistance
• Depression and anxiety
• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Chronic insomnia

Endocrine disorders in both men and women can lead to imbalances in thyroid hormone, testosterone, cortisol and growth hormone, which can lead to sleep disparity. Sleep studies have shown that women are more prone to sleep disturbances early in the night and often sleep better in the latter half.

Hormone Balancing Diet Has Healthy Macronutrients

A hormone balancing diet consists of clean protein, healthy fats, antioxidant-rich vegetables and healing herbs to help your body thrive. Supplements that help the body handle stress and support the adrenal glands are a natural way to work toward hormone balance for many people. Often your body sends you important messages that you need to make changes in how you eat, sleep or manage stress. Food is the small hinge that swings the biggest doors when it comes to hormone balance. Highly processed foods, refined sugars and carbohydrates disrupt or damage digestion and trigger inflammation that affects hormone production and balance.