Women and Hormonal Imbalance

It is many days in the twelve months of each year that a woman deals with hormonal imbalance. Alongside this, from running house chores to managing full-time employment, a woman’s job is not quite easy. She has to put up with too many responsibilities, which is still multiplied if her marital status is double. Balancing a life dedicated to husband and children with the life always running under strict deadlines, presentations and client meetings, there is no pause. 

Every woman confidently goes through each phase and comes out with triumph. It is easy to put in words the mental and physical changes which a woman goes through due to hormonal involvement but coping up and staying composed all the while, is not very simple. This explains the very phrase dedicated to women, ‘it’s complicated’.

If you are among those hard-working women, read on to find out what causes hormonal imbalance and how it contributes in disorienting the life of a woman. 

What disturbs a woman’s’ hormones? 

The after-math of hormonal imbalance is quite complicated and lengthy but the reasons causing a disturbance in hormonal levels are sorted. Mostly it is the age of a woman that causes a sudden drop in the hormonal level. As the age increases, menopause proceeds which is a main cause of immense change in the level of hormones. You might be experiencing PCOS which is yet another active cause of hormonal imbalance. Some other active causes include pregnancy, contraceptives, and stress. 

Signs and Symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance

Hormonal imbalance welcomes a wide array of signs and symptoms which help you in its identification. Some very commonly observed signs and symptoms are listed below. 

●  Abrupt weight loss or weight gain

●  Vaginal dryness

●  Spotting

●  Irregular period 

●  Insomnia

●  Fluctuating blood pressure

●  Fluctuating heart rate

●  Fatigue

●  Headache

●  Tender breast

●  Puffy face

●  Bloating

How does hormonal imbalance disturb life?

Depression and Anxiety

It is strongly believed that a woman's attitude decides the environment of a house. If you are happy, your family is happy. If you are nervous and depressed, your family will reflect the same attitude. Depression and anxiety are most probably due to the involvement of low estrogen and progesterone levels. Estrogen contributes to elevating the level of serotonin and beta-endorphins. Both these neurochemicals bring you positive vibes and a glowing skin that radiates relaxation and happiness. Similarly, progesterone is also known as an anxiolytic hormone. In case of low levels of progesterone, you will notice being irritated and annoyed by the slightest disturbance

Unhealthy Sleeping Pattern

A good night’s sleep is more than a blessing. Hormonal imbalance keep you awake the whole night or cause intermittent sleep rather than sleeping for an undisturbed 7-8 required hours. You then wake up with a foggy mind. This leads to lethargy and you feel uninterested in everything. This becomes a routine when hormonal imbalance interferes in your smooth life patterns. 

The two crime partners, estrogen and progesterone, are known to produce a calming effect that puts our body to sleep. More specifically progesterone which is also called a neurosteroid produces a metabolite called allopregnanolone which signals our brain to comfort, putting you to sleep. During phases of low levels of these blissful hormones, you are devoid of a sound sleep.

Interestingly, not only estrogen and progesterone but insulin also contributes in disturbing your sleeping pattern. When the level of insulin drops, more cortisol, which is a stress hormone, is released and that keeps you awake. When you don't get enough sleep the level of plasma glucose raises and guess what is waiting for you? Diabetes mellitus.

Compromised Sexual Life

Your partner might be dropping hints but your hormones don't let you notice. After several attempts of grabbing your attention, your partner would give up on you and behave supposedly awkward. This might put you thinking where you went wrong that further aggravates your fluctuating emotions. The reason lies in the core of your hormones. 

Fluctuations in hormones lead to decreased sex drive. When the ovary produces low levels of estrogen, which is involved in producing sex drive, you lose one of the strongest contributors to sex. Other than estrogen, testosterone is also known to enhance sexual desire. Although testosterone is commonly considered a male hormone, it is also produced in women. Even though it is produced in a small quantity, it has huge contribution to the stimulation and lubrication of the clitoris and vagina. 

Lastly, androgens also have a role in this matter. They are produced from cholesterol and secreted from ovaries and adrenal glands. Androgens facilitate ovulation in women. When the level of androgens drops significantly ovulation becomes irregular. You must know that ovulation triggers the release of progesterone. With irregular ovulation less or no progesterone is produced which leads to a vicious cycle.

Weight Gain or Weight Loss

Many women complain about their weight. Half of them talk about how their weight increased abruptly within a few months, while the rest of the fuss about losing multiple pounds within a short frame of time. In some cases, it is the diet that is messing up with you but in the majority of cases, it is the hormonal imbalance that is the culprit. 

Most women think that it is the high stress level that is making them shrink or swell. This might lead them to start using over-the-+counter antidepressants. Since they failed to address the actual issue, now their overall health begins to deteriorate and the weight needle isn't moving anywhere. 

However, the fact of the matter is that cortisol levels are to be blamed. When cortisol level is too high it begins to store fat, especially belly fat. On the contrary, in some cases, it is quite the opposite. Women suffer from rapid weight loss making them stick-thin. Studies show that fluctuations in two hormones namely leptin and adiponectin are responsible for robbing your weight. These hormones speed up the metabolic rate which ultimately causes significant loss of weight.  

Acne

The most uninvited guests of all times are the acne on your face. They are sore, red and sometimes painful lesions which appear on your face, forehead, neck and back. This usually occurs due to increase in the level of testosterone which in turn increases the production of sebum. 

Low level of estrogen also contributes to the formation of acne. The involvement of estrogen is commonly seen with menopause and PCOS. 

What should you do for your disturbed hormones?

If you think you are facing a disturbed life, sleep issues or a combination of other signs of hormonal imbalance, you should consult a doctor to receive a piece of professional advice about your condition. This is to figure out the cause of your hormonal imbalance. Every woman exhibits different conditions upon hormonal imbalance. Instead of following tell-tale solution it is better to seek proper medical advice. Most of the times, the hormonal imbalance is nothing to worry about and can be managed well if help is sought so the best thing for you is to make an appointment with your physician or psychologist.