You don’t need an expert to tell you that stress is bad for you. While a bit of stress can be a healthy source of motivation and energy, too much can wreak havoc on your body and mind. And that’s especially true when it comes to your hormonal health.

The stress-hormone relationship is a complicated one. Most of the symptoms associated with stress are hormonally driven – they occur thanks to the spikes in cortisol and adrenaline that occur when our body feels under threat, which raises our heartbeat and redirects blood to key muscles.

But high levels of cortisol can also knock the other hormones in our bodies out of balance, including the reproductive hormones oestrogen and progesterone. So, if you’re chronically stressed and suffering from symptoms such as irregular periods and painful cramps, then this system might be to blame. Here’s everything you need to know about this link.  

The relationship between stress and hormonal balance is easiest to understand when you think about what our stress response was designed to do in the first place.

While nowadays we might get stressed over a big presentation at work or the number of chores we’ve got to do, our stress response was originally designed to deal with life-threatening dangers such as predators or natural disasters. In these scenarios, our bodies needed to find a way to make parts of our body work harder to escape the danger – and that’s where the stress response comes in.

“When the body is focused on survival – whether that’s related to real or perceived threats – our adrenal glands trigger the release of adrenaline and cortisol, which rev up the body’s heart rate, increase glucose in the bloodstream and send blood to areas that need it most in an emergency situation, such as the heart and muscles,” explains Dr Haleema Sheikh, a GP and women’s health expert from The Marion Gluck Clinic. This diversion of resources leads to other systems in the body becoming deprioritised, such as our digestive system and immune response.

Our hormones are also affected due to this lack of resources. “Our reproductive hormones are made from the same precursor as cortisol – cholesterol – and the body will prioritise the production of cortisol when we’re stressed,” Dr Sheikh continues. “Thus, in times of prolonged stress, there may not be enough raw material to make adequate reproductive hormones.” 

Cortisol’s ability to change the way our body functions can also have an indirect impact on our hormones. For example, cortisol can inhibit ovulation by disrupting communication between the ovaries and the pituitary gland, leading to irregular periods and potential fertility issues. “Stress can also impact detoxification enzymes in the liver, which is how hormones are safely processed and removed from the body,” Dr Sheikh adds. “This can also lead to an imbalance.”

It’s worth noting that progesterone is particularly sensitive to the impact of stress, which means periods of high stress can lead to lower levels of the hormone. People dealing with chronic stress are more at risk of oestrogen dominance because the progesterone isn’t present to balance it out. This imbalance can lead to symptoms including breast tenderness, bloating, heavy and painful periods and fibroids.

On the flipside, low levels of progesterone can be a contributing factor to irregular periods, spotting and headaches. 

There’s no shortcut to undoing the impact of stress on your hormonal balance. While it’s possible to treat hormonal imbalance using hormone replacement therapy, it’s better to treat the underlying cause of your imbalance rather than focusing on the outcome.

“Addressing our stress levels is paramount for hormonal and overall health,” Dr Sheikh says. “It is important to respect and try to preserve the sleep/wake cycle, which plays a role in regulating our cortisol levels throughout the day, and try to keep the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems balanced.”

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to keep your stress levels in check. Regular exercise, a consistent sleep schedule and eating a healthy diet can all make a difference, as can engaging in relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation and breathwork.

Assessing the main sources of stress in your life and taking steps to remedy them – whether that’s setting boundaries at work or seeking therapy to work through a specific issue – can also make a difference. 

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with their mental health or emotional wellbeing, you can find support and resources on the mental health charity Mind’s website and NHS Every Mind Matters or access the NHS’ guide to local mental health helplines and organisations here.

If you are struggling, you can also ask your GP for a referral to NHS Talking Therapies, or you can self-refer.

You can also call the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org for confidential support.

Images: Getty