The world of hormonal health can get confusing. Keeping track of menstrual cycle-related fluctuations is complicated enough without having to navigate all things hormone balancing, oestrogen ‘dumping’ and what it means to be ‘cortisol conscious’.

But despite how it may seem, hormonal health doesn’t need to be complicated. Our hormones are incredibly important, but taking care of them is relatively simple once you know the basics. In fact, for the most part, our hormones take care of themselves. There are just a few things we can do to influence our hormones and keep things ticking along nicely.

So, whether you’re worried about any potential hormone-related symptoms, confused by all the terminology on social media or just want to be in the know, here’s our guide to everything you need to know about taking care of your hormones – as well as where you can go to learn more. 

Over 50 different hormones have been identified in the human body, but some are more influential than others. Here are a few of the main ones we need to think about.

Oestrogen

Oestrogen is one of the most important female sex hormones, but its impact extends further than just the reproductive system. It’s produced by the ovaries and influences the brain, the cardiovascular system, helps the ovaries to release eggs (ovulation) and prepares the uterus lining for pregnancy. 

Having too high or too low levels of oestrogen can cause symptoms including irregular periods, low mood and weight gain.

Progesterone

Progesterone is another key hormones involved in the menstrual cycle. It performs several functions, but its main job is to prepare the uterus lining for pregnancy by facilitating the growth of blood vessels and encouraging glandular development. 

If pregnancy doesn’t occur, we see a rapid fall in progesterone, which contributes to the breakdown of the uterine lining seen during menstruation. But if an egg is fertilised, progesterone continues to be released, helping to support early pregnancy.  

Testosterone

Testosterone is primarily a male sex hormone, but women need it in small amounts too. It’s produced in the ovaries, and alongside oestrogen, it helps with the growth, maintenance and repair of everything from bone mass to reproductive tissues.

Having too much or too little testosterone can affect your sex drive, energy levels and mood. 

Cortisol

Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone and is released by the adrenal glands when we perceive stress or danger, facilitating the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. Cortisol isn’t inherently bad – it helps to wake us up in the morning as part of the circadian rhythm and can help to regulate our immune response and blood sugar levels. 

The problem comes when our cortisol levels remain high for extended periods, such as when we’re under chronic stress. This can lead to issues including poor sleep and bad digestion.

Melatonin

On the opposite side of the circadian rhythm is melatonin – the sleep hormone that helps us to switch off at night. As evening approaches and the sun goes down, our melatonin levels increase while our cortisol levels decrease, preparing us for a restful night’s sleep. It’s released by the pineal gland in the brain, which uses signals from the light receptors in our eyes to know when it’s time to trigger melatonin release. That’s why being around bright lights or using digital devices at night can lead to sleep issues – it can restrict the production of melatonin. 

Serotonin

Also known as the ‘happy hormone’, serotonin acts as both a hormone and a neurotransmitter, meaning it can carry messages in the brain as well as around the body. 

While some serotonin is produced in the brain, about 95% of it comes from the gut, where it helps to support the movement of food through the digestive system and get rid of waste. It also plays a key role in the gut-brain axis. 

As well as helping to regulate mood, serotonin can impact sleep quality (the brain needs serotonin to make melatonin), memory and even bone health.  

Oxytocin

Alongside other responsibilities, oxytocin also has the potential to impact your mental wellbeing. It’s also known as the ‘cuddle’ or ‘love’ hormone because it plays a vital role in the childbirth process and facilitates mother-baby bonding. Outside of this, oxytocin also helps to foster feelings of connection, trust and community. While it’s most commonly trigger is physical touch, you can boost your oxytocin levels in lots of ways, including self-massage, practising gratitude or joining a choir – anything that makes you feel warm inside.

Dopamine

Dopamine is most commonly known as the hormone triggered by technology use, but it’s a lot more complex than that. At its core, dopamine is designed to produce feelings of pleasure, satisfaction and motivation: it’s part of the body’s reward system. This means that from an evolutionary standpoint, it’s designed to make us do the things we need to do to survive – eat, drink, reproduce etc. Those activities release dopamine, and dopamine makes us feel good, so we’re more likely to do those things on a regular basis.

But other less beneficial activities like social media use and eating sugary foods can also trigger dopamine, so it’s not all good. And too much dopamine can lead to impulse control and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, which is why it’s important to strike a balance.

Insulin

Insulin is an essential hormone: the body needs it to survive. Its core role is helping glucose in the blood to enter cells, where it’s used as energy. A lack of insulin – which occurs in people with type 1 diabetes – can cause blood sugar levels to spike, while too much insulin can cause blood sugar levels to plummet. It’s for this reason why having a responsive insulin system is so important.

Insulin’s ability to function is also affected by someone’s insulin sensitivity – ie how sensitive the body is to the effects of insulin. In people who are insulin resistant (a risk factor for type 2 diabetes), insulin no longer has the same effect, leading to spikes in blood sugar which can cause health issues further down the line. 

While that might feel like a lot of information, looking after your hormones doesn’t need to be complex. Many of the things you can do to support the health and function of specific hormones will provide benefits across the board – and they’re surprisingly simple.

1. Make walking part of your daily routine

Simply going for a stroll can work wonders for your hormonal health. It can keep your cortisol levels in check, balance levels of oestrogen and progesterone and even increase growth hormone, which helps to maintain our body structure and metabolism.

For more information – including how walking supports these specific hormones – you can check out our guide to the benefits of walking for hormonal health.

2. Keep an eye on your stress levels

Monitoring the amount of stress you’re dealing with doesn’t just have the power to lower your cortisol levels – it can mediate the knock-on effect those high cortisol levels have on the rest of your hormones, too.  

Indeed, high cortisol levels can lead to an imbalance of reproductive hormones and inhibit ovulation, as well as mess with the way hormones are processed by the liver. You can check out this piece on the stress-hormone connection to find out more.

3. Give strength training a go

The benefits of strength training aren’t just limited to muscle growth – it’s great for our hormones, too. It can lead to small increases in testosterone (which naturally declines as we age) and growth hormone, as well as improving insulin sensitivity, which can reduce your risk of conditions such as type two diabetes, heart attack and stroke.

This impact on insulin sensitivity almost means strength training is great for women with PCOS. It can also lower excess oestrogen and testosterone in people with the condition.

4. Eat a hormone-friendly diet

Giving your body the nutrients it needs to make and manage your hormones will ensure you’re on the right track. For people struggling with ovulatory health, nutrition is particularly important: getting plenty of carbs, proteins and micronutrients is a great place to start. Healthy fats are also important, because fat is used to make steroid hormones, including oestrogen and testosterone. Examples of healthy fats include avocado, nuts and seeds.

Certain foods can also support the healthy functioning of your circadian rhythm (which impacts the release of melatonin and cortisol), as well as the feel-good hormone serotonin. 

Supporting your gut microbiome through your diet can also help hormonal balance. Your gut is home to the estrobolome – a group of bacteria that help the body to get rid of excess oestrogen. Upping your fibre intake and reaching for fermented foods are two ways to get started.

5. Prioritise a consistent sleep routine

Getting enough good quality sleep is important for your overall wellbeing, but it’s particularly vital for hormonal health. For one thing, a lack of sleep pushes cortisol and adrenaline levels up, which can have a knock-on effect on your other hormonal systems.

Having consistent bedtimes and wake-up times can help to regulate your circadian rhythm, which will keep your melatonin and cortisol levels in check throughout the day.

6. Support your liver

Alongside the estrobolome in the gut, your liver plays an important role in the hormone detoxification process – making sure levels of your sex, thyroid and adrenal hormones don’t get out of balance in the process.

Looking after your liver health by limiting your alcohol intake, not smoking and eating a balanced diet are all great places to start. To find out more, you can check out this guide to oestrogen ‘dumping’ featuring advice from a GP.

7. Be dopamine conscious

Dopamine can make a positive difference to our mood, but searching for dopamine hits all day long will only increase the urge to chase those highs, which can lead to unhealthy or addictive behaviours. It’s for this reason that cutting out ‘unhealthy’ sources of dopamine is a good place to start – examples include taking a social media break (for example, by not looking at your phone for a certain period or avoiding it at certain times of day) and avoiding drugs and alcohol. 

Images: Getty