How Stress Can Impact Your Hormones & Daily Habits to Help Manage Stress⠀⠀

Hormones are complex so let's start with the basics: What exactly are hormones?

They are chemical messengers that are released into the body to send messages and coordinate processes such as metabolism, growth, sleep, mood, appetite, reproductive cycles, and so on. If they are out of balance you may experience a wide variety of symptoms from weight gain, acne, digestive issues, hair loss, PMS, low energy, irritability, sleep issues and so much more. ⠀⠀

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it is important to look at what the underlying cause might be. If there is too much or too little of a given hormone this is what leads to an imbalance and often times when one hormone is out of balance it can lead to a cascade effect, affecting other hormones in your body and causing more imbalances.

Alright now that we've got the basics covered let's look at how stress can impact your hormones. ⠀⠀⠀⠀

Stress is a common trigger for hormonal imbalances. We live in a fast-paced world where we are constantly on the move and have long to-do lists. But stress can also be perceived by the body in other ways such as:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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▪︎Not eating enough⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

▪︎Lack of sleep⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

▪︎Over exercising ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

▪︎Poor diet that is high in inflammatory foods ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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In all cases, our body's natural response is to produce cortisol which is our stress hormone. It’s released from the adrenal glands in response to perceived stress or need within our bodies. Cortisol affects so many functions from sleep, weight, mood, energy levels, blood sugar regulation, and our immune system. It's a crucial hormone and too much or too little can impact our health and wellbeing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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When our bodies are under chronic stress cortisol will continue to be produced and this may over time lead to an imbalance. So it's crucial to try and include practices into your daily routine that support you in managing stress. ⠀

Here Are A Few Daily Practices To Help Manage Stress: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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▪︎Light restorative exercises like yoga or pilates ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

▪︎Meditation ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

▪︎Start your mornings with mindfulness and intention ⠀⠀⠀⠀

▪︎Eat a whole foods diet ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

▪︎Get outside and soak in the sun and fresh air ⠀

Be sure to take some time for yourself this week and if you are looking for more tips and wellness info come follow along @lauramartire.hw

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