How Stress Affects Hormones And 5 Ways to Manage It

Stress is an unpleasant yet essential part of life–it’s a survival mechanism designed to protect you from danger. It’s normal to experience temporary stress periodically, but prolonged stress can cause significant health risks. 

Side effects of prolonged stress include:

–Irregular menstrual cycles

–Anovulatory cycles 

–Mood swings

–Anxiety and depression

–Headaches

–Fatigue

–Irritability 

–Weight gain or loss

–Difficulty sleeping

How Stress Affects Hormones

Hormones can change from a variety of external factors, and stress is certainly one of them.

Here’s how it works:

When you perceive a threat (either immediate or ongoing), your hypothalamus signals to your adrenal glands to produce two key hormones: cortisol and adrenaline. Together, these hormones immediately increase your energy, heart rate, blood pressure and cellular regeneration in order to prepare and protect you from the perceived threat. 

But as these hormones increase, it forces other important hormones like estrogen and progesterone to decrease, leading to a hormone imbalance. They also suppress other bodily functions that aren’t absolutely essential in a fight-or-flight situation such as immunity, digestion and metabolism. 

When you experience an immediate threat such as an oncoming car, your stress hormones will surge temporarily and regulate once the threat has passed. But when you experience ongoing stress from situations like job insecurity, financial instability, challenging relationships, health concerns or a poor work-life balance, you risk the side effects of keeping your stress hormones elevated for a prolonged period of time. 

How to Reduce Stress

Though you may want to ignore or distract yourself from ongoing stress, it’s better to address it directly. Attempting to ignore stress can only amplify its physical ramifications. On the other hand, simply telling yourself to “eliminate stress” might seem overwhelming or even impossible. The key is to find small, actionable ways to reduce stress in the long term. 

Here are five things you can do to reduce stress:

1. Find the root cause

Sometimes, we focus so much on the feeling of stress that we forget where it’s coming from. The more specific you can be in identifying the origins of your stress, the more equipped you’ll be to address it head-on. While some stress may be out of your control for the time being, other stressors can be addressed if you choose. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to stress and believe there’s no way out. But being mindful about the stressors in your life and being open to tackling them can set you up for a healthier life.

2. Activity

Exercise is a healthy and effective way to alleviate stress quickly. The endorphins produced in exercise suppress cortisol while boosting your mood and enhancing cognition. Despite misconceptions about exercise, you don’t need to do much in order to reap the stress-reducing benefits. In fact, a walk, stretching or light pilates can make noticeable differences in your physical and mental health. Exercising daily can reduce stress in the long term, so try implementing a consistent exercise routine you can stick to. Be realistic, but don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. 

3. Connect with others

Human connection releases oxytocin–the hormone that combats stress and elevates your mood. The physical and mental health benefits of socialization are so significant that one should hold it to the same level as exercise and nutrition. Socializing isn’t always easy, but try pushing yourself to connect with someone each day. Participating in groups, calling a friend or spending time with loved ones are good options for developing deeper connections and improving your health. It also redirects your energy outwardly, which relieves the inward-focused energy that comes from stress. 

4. Gratitude 

Practicing gratitude may seem like the most abstract method of reducing stress, but it has tangible benefits. Gratitude is known to boost self-esteem, empathy and optimism–all of which help to mitigate the physical and psychological effects of stress. One study (among many) shows that feeling gratitude amidst stress increases endorphins, lowers cortisol, and improves sleep and social-emotional awareness. In practice, gratitude could mean keeping a daily journal and writing a list of things (big or small) that you appreciate. It could also mean expressing gratitude (a note, compliment, etc.) to someone new each week. 

5. Avoid caffeine and alcohol

There’s a myth that drinking alcohol can decrease your stress and make you feel more relaxed. But in reality, alcohol operates as a depressant, which gives you a temporary sedative feeling, while internally increasing cortisol and elevating your heart rate. 

Similarly, caffeine increases cortisol and adrenaline while blocking adenosine–a naturally-occurring chemical in your cells that reduces brain activity and helps you feel calm. While moderate amounts of caffeine (a cup or two per day) can prevent heart disease and memory less, too much can amplify your stress and cause long-term side effects. 

Treat Stress Holistically

It can be easy to dismiss stress as “just a part of life,” but experiencing stress on a regular basis with no relief can pose significant health challenges, particularly a hormone imbalance. Fortunately, managing stress is highly achievable when you identify the root cause, avoid triggers and pursue things that improve your physical, emotional and mental health. If you’re struggling with a hormone imbalance or other side effects of stress, it may be time to seek professional help. Contact us today for a personalized consultation.