How to Achieve Natural Hormone Balance: A Woman’s Guide

Our hormones are responsible for innumerable functions throughout the body, from our metabolism to our mental welfare. For women, hormonal health is particularly important for reproduction and fertility, as well as physical and emotional well-being.

Hormonal imbalances can present in a wide variety of psychological and physical symptoms, from unmanageable mood swings to noticing an excess of fat around the abdomen.

Below, we’ll explore what it means to achieve balanced hormone levels, as well as how to build a lifestyle that keeps your hormonal health in check.

Why Hormone Health Matters for Women

While hormonal health is predominantly associated with women, the truth is that hormones govern countless vital functions for overall health in both biological sexes. That said, female hormonal health is particularly crucial for:

• Upholding regular menstrual cycles
• Boosting energy levels and promoting restfulness when it’s time to sleep
• Maintaining a healthy weight and the ability to lose or gain weight easily
• Balancing mood and helping to foster emotional resilience
• Encouraging a healthy libido
• Supporting fecundity, reproductive health, and the ability to carry a baby

4 Signs Your Hormones May Be Imbalanced

Noticing persistent disruption in any of the aforementioned areas could be a sign that it’s time to focus on your hormone health. Specifically, experts note that the following 4 signs and symptoms are frequently correlated with female hormonal imbalance.

#1 Your Periods Tend to Be Irregular

For women, one of the tell-tale signs of hormonal disturbances is irregularities in the menstrual cycle. Your cycle depends on a delicate feedback loop of progesterone, estrogen, thyroid and other hormones.

If something is off, it could result in:

• Missing your period
• Infrequent periods
• Particularly uncomfortable periods
• Spotting between menstruation periods
• Period cycles that drastically change in length

While it’s common for women to experience some fluctuations throughout the year and their lifetimes, consistently noticing changes in your menstrual cycle could be a sign of underlying hormonal imbalance.

#2 Your Weight Fluctuates Often

Your appetite is largely regulated by hormones, which can greatly influence both weight loss and gain patterns.

Sometimes, sudden weight changes may result from hormonal imbalances such as:

• Insulin resistance– Insulin is a key hormone involved in blood sugar levels. Sedentary lifestyles, carrying excess weight or eating lots of carbohydrates can contribute to insulin resistance in both women and men. This condition often leads to elevated insulin levels as the body tries to compensate for its reduced sensitivity to insulin.
• Thyroid conditions– Your thyroid plays a crucial role in metabolism, specifically the process of converting food sources into energy. If you have a thyroid condition, you can experience unexplained weight loss or weight gain.

If you’ve noticed changes in your weight but haven’t changed much about your diet or fitness routine, it may be worth consulting with a healthcare provider on whether hormonal imbalance might be to blame. Additionally, our appetite control support could help if you’re having issues with excessive cravings.

#3 You Struggle With An Unstable Mood

Hormones like estrogen play a critical role in your hormonal “checks and balances” system, regulating the amount of happy-making hormones like serotonin and dopamine in your system. If mood swings are hormone-related, they may be especially pronounced during your period.

#4 You Have Trouble Getting Enough Rest

Consistently struggling to get sufficient high-quality sleep can create a cycle of hormone dysregulation: not only do out-of-whack hormones dictate sleep cycles and quality, but consistently disturbed sleep can drive hormones further into imbalance.

Poor sleep quality or not getting enough rest has been linked to several health problems, including:

• Depressed immune function
• Difficulty managing appetite
• Weight gain

Fortunately, it may be possible to reverse sleep debt by prioritizing sleep hygiene and rest in your wellness routine. Focusing on rebalancing your hormones can be an excellent place to start.

Tips for Supporting Natural Hormone Balance and Well-Being

The foundation of healthy female hormone levels is establishing a balanced lifestyle and overall health: nutrition, daily movement and caring for your emotional health are all vital pieces of the puzzle.

If you’re not sure where to start, the following guidelines can help you build a regimen that encourages your body to reestablish its hormonal equilibrium.

Get Enough Protein

Protein is one macronutrient that can significantly influence hormonal health. In general, you’ll get at least .36 grams of protein per pound of body weight, though factors like weight management goals and your level of physical activity can influence your daily protein needs. You can learn more with our guide on the recommended daily protein intake for women.

Moreover, protein quality is as important as quantity when it comes to hormonal balance. Ideally, you’ll seek out diverse protein sources to ensure you’re prioritizing lean protein sources in your diet.

Don’t Skimp On Healthy Fats

Keeping your fat intake low is one of the common weight loss myths among women. However, like protein, the quality of your fat sources may be as vital for your health as how much you include in your diet.

One of the healthiest fats to emphasize is omega-3 fatty acids. These are plentifully found in many fatty fish, including:

• Mackerel – 2 grams per 3 oz. serving
• Farmed salmon – 1.7 grams per 3 oz. serving
• Atlantic herring – 1.3 grams per 3 oz. serving
• Anchovies – 1.2 grams per 3 oz. serving
• Wild Atlantic salmon – 1.2 grams per 3 oz. serving
• Whitefish – 1.1 grams per 3 oz. serving
• Bluefin tuna – 1 gram per 3 oz. serving

Omega-3s can also be derived from plant-based sources, such as:

• Edamame
• Ground flaxseed
• Walnuts

If you’re worried about consuming sufficient healthy fat levels from food, consider talking to a healthcare provider about whether taking a fish oil supplement could be right for you.

Incorporate Regular Movement

Increasing your level or frequency of physical activity is one of the best things you can do for hormonal balance and overall well-being. Staying active has been shown to encourage myriad physical and mental health benefits, from reducing psychological stress to facilitating hormonal balance.

Low-impact workouts can be an excellent option, as they reduce the amount of stress conferred on your joints while ensuring you reap the benefits of physical exercise. If you’re looking for how to balance hormones to lose weight in a healthy manner, you can refer to our article to learn more.

If you’re just getting started, you might try:

• Speed walking
• Pilates
• Yoga
• Stationary cycling
• Gentle aerobics
• Swimming, water aerobics or water sports

High-intensity workouts like HIIT, running or boxing can also be excellent for total well-being. However, if you think frequent high-intensity exercise is adding unnecessary stress to your body, it may be most beneficial to balance your routine with gentler forms of exercise.

Keep An Eye On Your Sugar Intake

Consistently eating lots of sugar can put you at risk of developing insulin resistance. Both conditions can lead to dysregulated hormones, as well as more noticeable effects like weight gain.

You can start limiting your sugar intake by:

• Opting for whole, home-cooked meals rather than highly processed ones or takeout
• Filling your grocery cart with foods from the produce area, rather than packaged products from bakery aisle sections
• Aiming to make each meal more colorful — an easy way to tell whether you’ve gotten your fair share of vitamins and minerals
• Swapping high-sugar desserts for fruits

Find Healthy Ways to Cope With Stress

Stress reduction can be vital for hormonal well-being, as elevated cortisol — a key stress hormone — can negatively impact your adrenal glands and endocrine system. Under chronic stress, elevated cortisol can lead to:

• Gaining weight, which may be most noticeable in your belly or face
• High blood sugar
• Unhealthy blood pressure
• Abnormal hair growth

Managing chronic stress is important, but not all coping mechanisms are supportive for your hormones. For instance, overusing alcohol or even exercising excessively can ultimately elevate feelings of stress, adversely impacting your hormonal health.

If you’re searching for effective, healthy ways to manage stress, you might try:

• Going for a brisk walk outside rather than heading to the gym
• Swapping your afternoon coffees for an herbal tea
• Stretching or doing yin yoga to unwind before bedtime
• Spending time with loved ones rather than scrolling through social media

Build a Pre-Sleep Unwind Routine

Consistently getting high-quality sleep isn’t easy, as everything from daily stressors to too much screen time can interfere with hours spent at rest.

Building a relaxing pre-bedtime ritual is an excellent way to support a more supportive rest cycle, and more balanced hormone production as a result. You might try:

• Aiming to work out in the daytime, rather than at night
• Setting a limit on your tech devices to discourage screen time before bed
• Stopping caffeine consumption at least a few hours before your bedtime
• Making your bedroom temperature cooler (cooler temperatures are associated with improved sleep)
• Trying an herbal sleep-supporting tea, like lemon balm or valerian root

Even making an effort to ease into the evening can communicate to your body that you’re prioritizing rest. By restoring more regular sleep cycles, you’ll support the vital work your hormones are performing around the clock for your body, mind and total well-being.

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Sources:

1. Healthline. Everything you need to know about hormonal imbalance
2. Cleveland Clinic. Irregular periods (abnormal menstruation): Causes & treatment
3. WebMD. Insulin resistance: Symptoms, causes, tests, treatment, and prevention
4. WebMD. Hormonal imbalance in women: Symptoms, tests, treatment
5. Mayo Clinic. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
6. WebMD. Hormonal imbalance in women: Symptoms, tests, treatment
7. Healthline. Your hormones may be the key to getting a solid night’s sleep. Here’s how.
8. Harvard Health. How much protein do you need every day?
9. Healthline. Are there risks associated with eating too much protein?
10. Cleveland Clinic. Omega-3 fatty acids & the important role they play
11. Cleveland Clinic. Cortisol: What it is, function, symptoms & levels
12. Verywell Health. Looking for a minimal stress workout? Try low-impact exercise.