Feeling occasionally slightly stressed is normal. It becomes harmful to health when stress level is elevated for a long period of time.
Our body naturally produces stress hormones.
These hormones produced by the endocrine system — including cortisol and adrenaline — help us respond to situations that require a rapid surge of energy and alertness.
Whether it's worrying about missing something, having to hold a presentation in a crowded room or fear of loss. From time to time we get that little adrenaline rush.
If the stress hormones are released frequently and remain in the bloodstream for a long time, a hormone imbalance can occur.
Left unmanaged, these "fight/flight" reactions can also wreak havoc on health. Hormonal and general health.
Stress hormones should only be released from the body occasionally.
Unfortunately, nowadays it is more and more common to feel “stressed” every day. The chronically stressed have a higher risk of health problems. Including weight (loss or gain), high blood pressure, thyroid problems and a higher risk of infection, fatigue, insomnia, depression, anxiety and as mentioned above, gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and constipation.
Too much stress can also cause irregular menstrual cycles and infertility in women, as well as decreased libido in both men and women. Because stress also triggers mood swings and irritability, hormone imbalances can lead to personal problems.
When stress causes a hormonal imbalance, it can have an overall negative impact on your entire life. Whether in children, adolescents and adults, man and woman.
Ways to cope with stress
Awareness of when and why the feeling of stress arises, whether symptoms are triggered by the above causes, are the first steps in addressing stress-related hormone imbalances.
- Learning to remain calm in tense situations can better control reactions to external stimuli.
- Wonderful ways to reduce stress and address hormone imbalances include:
- Incorporate a regular exercise routine into your everyday life
- Relaxation methods such as daily meditation, mindfulness and/or breathing exercises (also short sessions)
- Improving sleep hygiene
- Cold water baths
- Reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption
- An adjusted healthy diet (what is healthy for me may be unhealthy for someone else)
- Adjusting the work-life balance
- Massages
- Adapt sports activities (holistic training)
- Exercise in the fresh air (and open the window in between and take a deep breath)
- Emotional support from family and loyal friends
- Making use of accompaniment from a therapist, psychologist or coach for mental health can also help to better manage stress and improve health
- If possible and necessary, remove oneself from the given environment
- Be mindful and learn to recognize when it's time to say STOP
It is important to find out what is going on in the body. By paying attention to how you feel about how you react to stressful situations, you may be able to identify and counteract Potential hormone imbalances.