Hormones and Mental Health - hEather Sites
Has someone told you that you woke up on the wrong side of the bed? Maybe you’re feeling “off”, stuck, fatigued or irritable and you’re not exactly sure what is contributing to these symptoms. The easiest thing to blame this on is stress, lack of sleep or other external variables. However, what could truly be at work is the chemical chaos in your body.
What are Hormones?
Less complex answers are responses like reproduction or physical growth. The more complex answers don’t have such an obvious response on our body. They are essentially chemical messages created in specific glands and tissues, also known as your endocrine system, that travels through your bloodstream to tell the body what to do. When a hormone is released for a specific cell or target in the body, it triggers a specific action. Some of the common glands responsible for releasing these hormones include the: pituitary gland (controls other glands and promotes growth), pancreas ( regulates blood sugar and releases insulin as needed, and adrenals (produces cortisol or stress hormones that create a fight-or-flight response).
What Specific Hormones Impact Mental Health?
For men, there’s testosterone which tends to decrease as they get older. This can contribute to reduced confidence, motivation and increased symptoms of depression.
For women, there’s progesterone, a more calming hormone utilized for sleep promotion and anxiety management. Imbalances increase stress sensitivity, mood swings and irritability. Estrogen increases serotonin which stabilizes mood and may also be referred to as the “happy drug.” It also increases dopamine which triggers the reward center of the brain. Women also have lower levels of testosterone, but are not as impacted by imbalances as men. Additionally, both can struggle with thyroid hormones and cortisol. When thyroid levels are too high (hyperthyroidism) energy levels can contribute to racing thoughts or anxiety. When levels are too low (hypothyroidism) energy levels may appear sluggish and increase depression levels. Cortisol is responsible for stress levels. At very low levels, stress hormones are beneficial in moments of fight, flight or freeze. However levels that become chronically too high are cause for anxiety, burnout, irritability and memory issues.
Hormone-Related Mental Health Conditions
Cortisol: Our bodies are primed to scan our environment for danger or triggers in order to protect ourselves. Mental health issues like anxiety and trauma can contribute to chronically high levels of cortisol, leading us to be in survival mode and in a constant state of alertness. This contributes to a reduction in focus and memory recall due to the body’s energy levels being directed elsewhere.
Estrogen: this fluctuates throughout the monthly cycle, but peaks during ovulation. This increases anxiety and memory issues during this time and can create mood disturbances.
Progesterone: this stays relatively consistent until roughly one week before menstruation when it peaks. As progesterone decreases and menstruation brings, symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) occur. This includes mood swings and irritability.
Testosterone: lower levels can contribute to anxiety and depression, but when levels are too high, it can lead to irritability, aggressiveness and poor decision making.
Life stages and hormones
As hormones in men and women decrease with age, increased symptoms of anxiety, depression and memory issues can occur. Additionally, key life changes such as perimenopause/menopause and the postpartum period after childbirth can be daunting. The hormone reduction can cause postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression (baby blues) and feel like an emotional rollercoaster.
If this sounds like you or someone you know, resources are available and you are not alone. Make sure to connect with your doctor or seek counseling for ways you can manage symptoms or support your loved one.
