Our overall wellbeing is intrinsically linked with hormones, particularly for those of us who menstruate. Put simply, hormones are chemical messengers that send signals from our brains to our cells and organs, and they influence many of our bodily functions, including feelings of hunger and tiredness, how well we sleep and even the extent to which we fall head-over-heels in love. 

Hormone levels within the body fluctuate naturally, and our bodies, for the most part, work smoothly despite some peaks and troughs. Sometimes, though, this balance can be thrown off by stress, lack of sleep or underlying medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism. There’s been a lot of noise around hormonal balance recently, and as with anything in the wellness world, this can get confusing. 

So, let’s start simple: when we talk about hormone balance, what we’re really talking about is overall balance and wellbeing. “For the most part, the body’s hormone control is automated and not easily influenced by outside factors,” explains Dr Zoe Watson, a GP and founder of wellbeing platform Wellgood Wellbeing. 

However, just because we can’t control our hormones, doesn’t mean the lifestyle choices we make don’t have the power to influence them. Anything that claims to balance your hormones for you is probably a waste of money, but there are daily habits that can have an impact on how our bodies regulate hormones – especially when it comes to our health.

With this in mind, we’ve collated some expert-approved daily hacks that can help to keep your natural hormone balance ticking over nicely. You’re probably already doing some of them. And better still, they’re all completely free. 

If it sounds simple, that’s because it is. We all know that what we consume has a huge impact on our health and wellbeing, and our diet is crucial to hormonal wellbeing. 

“When thinking about hormone health, looking at your diet is a really good place to start,” says Dr Shirin Lakhani, a female health expert. “Make sure you are including enough protein and healthy fats at every meal and try to cut down on sugar and refined carbohydrates. There are, of course, limitations to relying on nutrition to balance hormones as we don’t really know what’s going on within the body, but a balanced, healthy diet is always beneficial.”

It’s important to eat regularly too, as Dr Thomas Matthew, a GP and mind, body and emotional wellness expert, explains: “Make sure you’re not skipping meals as this leads to an increase in the hunger hormone ghrelin, causing hunger pangs. Also, the brain primarily uses glucose as its energy source and any drop in glucose leads to getting hangry.”

Some specific types of food are even thought to boost levels of key hormones. “The amino acid tryptophan is used to make our feel-good hormone, serotonin,” says Dr Matthew, “so eating foods high in this is one way to increase levels. These foods include salmon, chicken, eggs, cheese spinach and nuts. 

“If you combine them with carbohydrates, greater levels of tryptophan are released into the bloodstream, meaning it can reach the brain for maximum benefit.”

“Spend time with people you like and love, and give them a hug,” recommends Dr Matthew. “Being sociable as part of a group and being tactile increases the release of oxytocin, the bonding/love hormone that makes us feel loved, safe and warm and fuzzy inside.”

Not one for physical contact? Don’t worry – any type of human connection that makes you feel good will boost your levels of oxytocin, causing a cascade of feel-good serotonin and dopamine hormones. So if you’re happier connecting with others online, that’s great too. 

All the experts advised exercise as beneficial to hormone health and overall wellbeing. “Exercise has a powerful effect on balancing, suppressing and increasing certain hormones like oestrogen, growth hormone, testosterone and cortisol,” says Dr Watson.

“Any exercise you can manage is a good thing,” she tells Stylist. “If you’re new to working out, start off with gentle walks. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming: think small, manageable changes that you can build on. Yes, 30 minutes a day is optimal, but if you’re doing nothing and are now managing a 10-minute walk every day? That’s incredible.”

“Exercise improves blood flow to your muscles and increases hormone receptor sensitivity,” agrees Dr Lakhani. “While any exercise is going to be beneficial to your overall health, some studies suggest that HIIT exercises in particular can have a really positive impact on your hormone levels.”

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: limit screen time before bed. 

“Too much exposure to blue light from mobile phones or computer screens can disrupt your sleep cycle,” explains Dr Lakhani. “Your body responds to the light as if it was daytime and the hormones adjust in response, meaning we get confused. The sleepy hormone melatonin is suppressed by the light, which can negatively affect many functions. Avoiding screen time in the evenings will help restore your natural circadian rhythm.”

You’re probably familiar with the fight-or-flight response – our natural stress response that causes the body to release several stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream.

“These hormones do a number of things,” explains Dr Lakhani. “They increase concentration, strength and improve your ability to react to things. After you’ve dealt with this short-term stress, the body, and hormone levels, should return to normal.”

However, if you’re chronically stressed, your levels of cortisol and adrenaline can remain high, even when there’s no immediate danger.

“The vast majority of people are in a subconscious state of chronic stress which is the root of many mental and physical health issues,” says Dr Matthew. “So, simply by practising saying no to stress, you will be bringing the levels of cortisol and adrenaline down which can help with low mood and anxiety.”

Easier said than done? Try some mediation or breathwork, suggests Dr Watson. “Or really any relaxing activity of your choice. Spending some time chilling out will help reduce your levels of cortisol and adrenaline and boost serotonin, dopamine and melatonin, reducing stress, improving mood and improving sleep.”

Gratitude is having a moment – and for good reason. “No matter how tough things can seem, every day try and find something you’re grateful for,” advises Dr Matthew. “A gratitude diary is a great way of doing this. As well as reducing our stress response, gratitude journaling can help us to cultivate a positive mindset, providing further stress relief and boosting those happy hormones.”

Yes, we’re going to bang on about sleep again. “A good solid eight hours sleep a night is crucially important for overall health,” says Dr Watson. “If you can fit it in, a cheeky nap is great for boosting energy levels too. Rest is important for both body and mind. It allows our cells time to heal, and gives our brains time to process things which have happened during the day. 

“Lack of sleep pushes cortisol and adrenaline levels up, and persistently elevated levels of these hormones can have implications for many areas of mental and physical health.”

If this seems like a lot, remember – it doesn’t have to be difficult. “You simply need to look after the general health of your body and mind, and the rest will fall into place,” Dr Watson reassures us. 

Images: Getty