Increased Risk Of Sleep Apnea
The risk of obstructive sleep apnea increases in women during and after menopause. Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious condition that causes people to stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. OSA occurs when muscles in the throat relax and block the airway during sleep. People who have this type of sleep apnea often snore. Researchers who performed one study found that perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who had lower estrogen levels were more likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea than women who had higher estrogen levels. More studies are needed, but women who feel tired or who have unrefreshing sleep should see their doctors to assess hormone levels and discuss risk factors and testing for sleep apnea.
Biohack Your Way To Better Sleep
When life is busy, often the first thing we sacrifice is sleep. Sleep or rather inadequate sleep quickly throws our body off balance. This is why its one of the first things our doctors ask about when patients come in for their initial visit. In a small study testing the impact of prolonged sleep restriction, participants that slept only 4 hours versus 10 or 12 hours experienced an increase in ghrelin, a hormone responsible for appetite regulation, alongside a decrease in leptin, a hormone responsible for communicating satiation. For many of us, 10 or 12 hours might be hard to achieve. Thats why here at Parsley we recommend getting at least 8 hours of sleep per night. The benefits of adequate sleep will not only increase your glucose metabolism and leptin concentrations but increase your bodys secretion of growth hormones responsible for cell reproduction and regeneration, which all take place during periods of rest.
Healthy Ways To Balance Hormones Naturally
While often associated with puberty, reproduction, or menopause, hormones influence how our body functions throughout the lifecycle. Produced by endocrine glands, hormones are chemical messengers involved in numerous bodily functions, such as growth and development, sexual function and reproduction, metabolism, and mood.
Sometimes hormone levels can shift out of balance, resulting in noticeable signs and symptoms, such as fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, and sexual dysfunction. Continue reading to learn about the signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalances and what you can do to support hormonal health.
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To Decoding Your Hormones: How Long Should Your Period Be
Since we only have our own period to compare to, it can be hard to know whether what we experience is normal. Lets run through some normal cycle parameters so that you can determine where you fall:
The length of your periodrefers to the number of days from the first day of your bleed to the last day before your next bleed. A healthy range for your cycle length is anywhere between 21 and 35 days, with the average being around 29 days.
Many of my clients tell me their period is always late because it comes on day 30 . This is a huge misconception: that if your period isnt 28 days, you arent normal. If your period consistently arrives around the same day of your cycle, and it falls within the healthy range of 21 to 35 days, this is your normal, healthy cycle length.
Whether or not you fit this textbook 28 day cycle , the most important factor to consider is whether your normal has changed or not.
Our menstrual cycles are very responsive to stress in our lives and demonstrate this most clearly in the length of our cycles. Stress is not always psychological , but may be physical .
When we are more stressed, our body does not deem our environment to be a safe place to bring a baby in to the world, and can shut down ovulation all together, or delay it until it deems we are safe. The end result of this change in ovulation is a missing period altogether, or longer cycles than your normal. Think this might explain your menstrual cycle problems?
Hormonal Imbalance And Fatigue
Fatigue is a common symptom that may have many potential underlying causes. Just as too little progesterone can make it hard to sleep, too much progesterone can make you more tired. Another common hormonal imbalance that causes fatigue is low thyroid hormone levels . This condition is easily diagnosed with a blood test. If your levels are low, you can take prescription medication to bring your levels back up to normal. Regardless of any hormone imbalance that may exist, practice good sleep hygiene to optimize your sleep. This involves going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on the weekends. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and exercise from the late afternoon on to avoid interfering with sleep. Establish a relaxing nighttime routine to give your body the message that it’s time for sleep. Take a warm bath, sip a cup of chamomile tea, or listen to relaxing music.
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Hormonal Imbalance : How To Heal Yourself Naturally
Hormonal imbalances are so prevalent today, its almost guaranteed that you or someone you know is experiencing some degree of hormonal turbulence. While its always comforting to know were not alone in our struggles, anyone whos suffering knows first hand how much more challenging life can be when something is out of balance.
And Im not just talking conscious stress either, but stress on the body through irregular eating routines, lack of sleep, too much mental stress, and over-exercising or not exercising in a way that allows your body to strengthen and rejuvenate.
Female hormones are delicate, and much more sensitive than male hormones. Physically, women are built much differently than men. Were designed to perform tasks that promote lots of love and happy hormones, and provide a sense of comfort. Think gatherer.
In tribal times, women would tend to the children, take care of the family, gather fruits and berries to provide a food source, and maintain the community.
Men are designed to exert more physical energy, endure more stress and encounter more injury. Think hunter.
Now, this isnt a conversation about feminism or what women are capable of. Clearly women are capable and powerful members of society. I have my own opinions of what true feminine power truly is, though Ill save the empowerment speech for another day.
Natural Ways To Balance Your Hormones
Hormones have profound effects on your mental, physical and emotional health.
These chemical messengers play a major role in controlling your appetite, weight and mood, among other things.
Normally, your endocrine glands produce the precise amount of each hormone needed for various processes in your body.
However, hormonal imbalances have become increasingly common with todays fast-paced modern lifestyle. In addition, certain hormones decline with age, and some people experience a more dramatic decrease than others.
Fortunately, a nutritious diet and other healthy lifestyle behaviors may help improve your hormonal health and allow you to feel and perform your best.
This article will show you 12 natural ways to balance your hormones.
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Symptoms And Signs Of Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal imbalances often present in numerous ways. Hormonal imbalance symptoms in men and women may include:
- Weight loss or gain
Additionally, some signs and symptoms are specific to men and women, such as erectile dysfunction in men and amenorrhea or menorrhagia in women.
If your practitioner suspects that you have a hormonal imbalance or a condition affecting your hormones, they may order a blood or urine test to examine your reproductive, thyroid, adrenal, and pituitary hormones.
Supplement With Vitamin D
A Vitamin D deficiency is more common than you may think, with over a billion people worldwide suffering from either a deficient or insufficient supply of this critical vitamin. Vitamin D plays an extremely important role in a number of bodily functions, such as immune function, cell differentiation, and inflammatory response. Low levels of Vitamin D have been associated with an increased risk in colon, prostate, and breast cancer, as well as tuberculosis, influenza, and heart disease. A relationship has also been found between hypothyroidism and a vitamin D deficiency.
Ideally, we would get our daily dose of Vitamin D from 10 to 30 minutes of uninterrupted sun exposure, but this is unrealistic for most. Thats why its important to take a Vitamin D3 supplement and eat foods rich in Vitamin D, such as pastured eggs and wild salmon. Its also important to note that as we age, our production of Vitamin D decreases, so make sure youre monitoring your levels and getting them checked by your primary care provider.
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The Spiritual Battle For Your Marriage
God designed marriage to reflect His love to the world and because of this, the enemy wants to destroy Gods beautiful design. Based on his book, Defending Your Marriage, Dr. Tim and Noreen Muehlhoff share about the reality of spiritual warfare against marriages, and how to combat the enemys lies with the truth of God. Couples will be encouraged that theyre not alone in the fight for a godly marriage and better equipped to be a shining example for the world around them.
What’s Normal And What’s Not
Like any other part of the body, things can go wrong with hormones. If your hormones are out of balance, you might notice different symptoms, depending on which hormone or hormones are affected, says Bhavini Bhavsar, MD, a PeaceHealth endocrinologist in Vancouver, Washington. Discuss this with your doctor so that the right testing can be done.
Its also important to remember that it will be normal for hormone levels to fluctuate at different times in your life, she notes.
While you can try to affect specific hormones with certain foods or activities, remember that hormones typically rely on and play off of each other. Rarely can you affect just one hormone without having an impact on others since they work in concert with each other. If you want to effect a positive change in your hormones, its best to choose actions that help them all.
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Fertility Problems Caused By Hormone Imbalances
Another common time women ask for a hormone checkup is when trying to conceive. Typically, 84% of women get pregnant after a year of unprotected sex. When conception doesnt happen, one reason could be a hormonal imbalance. To learn more, read our extensive article about fertility challenges here.
Again, its important to track your menstrual cycle, including the dates you have unprotected sex, to give your doctor a picture of what your reproductive cycle is doing. Keep in mind that your partner should also be tested for structural or hormonal issues if you have been trying to conceive for some time.
If youre having your period too often , then your uterus cant sustain a fertilized egg. If your periods are too far apart , your ovaries may not be releasing eggs often enough into your fallopian tubes.
Regulating Hormones Through Exercise
Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Studies have found that exercise altered energy-regulating hormones in a direction expected to stimulate energy intake, regardless of energy status,, which means that exercising can increase your energy levels due to its effects on your hormones. In addition, due to how exercise releases endorphins, and therefore its been proven that increased aerobic exercise or strength training has been shown to reduce depressive symptoms significantly,. Exercise is one of the best things you can do to improve your overall health, not only does it keep your metabolism in check while helping you have more energy throughout the day and help to keep you happy, it also has an effect on your ability to sleep. Its been shown that exercising regularly can improve your sleep time and sleep efficiency, reduce sleep onset latency, and improve your overall sleep quality, leading to a rested and healthy lifestyle .
While hormonal imbalance can cause uncomfortable symptoms and can lead to more serious health issues if left unmanaged for long periods, it can actually be managed by changing your diet by including more healthy fats and more protein, by using adaptogens, and by exercising regularly. Managing hormonal imbalance as it happens is the key to maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle. As always, if youre unsure as to whether youre experiencing hormonal imbalance and dont know where to start, consult your doctor.
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What Is A Hormone Imbalance
Hormones are the chemicals in the body that control major bodily functions ranging from digestion and hunger to reproduction and emotions. Hormones are created by different glands in the body and are responsible for normal body function.
Sometimes an imbalance occurs when one of the glands doesnt work properly. This can be due to a change in life, such as menopause or a medical condition like hypothyroidism. When a womans hormone levels are too high or too low, her body will not work properly and she will experience an array of symptoms.
Hormonal Imbalance In Women
Hormones are chemical messengers that are produced by the endocrine glands in the human body and released into the bloodstream. They manage and regulate many of the bodys processes. These glands are: adrenal, gonad , pineal, pituitary, hypothalamus, thyroid, parathyroid, and pancreatic islets.
The hormones produced by these glands initiate, manage or regulate a wide range of body functions such as:
- body temperature
- reproductive cycles and sexual function
- sleep cycles
- mood and stress levels
A balanced production of these hormones is vital for overall health. Any imbalance in this can cause short-term or long-term consequences, so its important to be aware of them.
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Hormone Balancing Tip #: Support Hormone Detoxification
Our liver and gut are the two major organs responsible for breaking down and clearing hormones once they have been used in the body. It’s so important that these systems are working properly to prevent build-up of hormones which contributes to hormonal imbalances. Heres a brief overview of how to support these two systems of detoxification .
Breast Changes Might Be An Estrogen Imbalance
Estrogen that is too high or too low may lead to changes in breast tissues. High estrogen may cause lumpy or dense breast tissue, even cysts. Estrogen levels that are too low may cause decreased breast tissue density. In one study, postmenopausal women who took estrogen plus progesterone hormone replacement therapy experienced an increase in breast density compared to women who took a placebo. Xenoestrogens are compounds that mimic estrogen function in the body. They are naturally occurring in some plants and fungi but they are also found in some drugs, industrial by-products, and pesticides. Non-naturally occurring xenoestrogens may produce a number of harmful effects in the body, including effects on breast density and the risk of breast cancer. They may also disrupt the endocrine system. If you notice any breast changes or are concerned about your estrogen levels, see your doctor for an evaluation.
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Engage In Regular Exercise
Physical activity can strongly influence hormonal health. A major benefit of exercise is its ability to reduce insulin levels and increase insulin sensitivity.
Insulin is a hormone that has several functions. One is allowing cells to take up sugar and amino acids from the bloodstream, which are then used for energy and maintaining muscle.
However, a little insulin goes a long way. Too much can be downright dangerous.
High insulin levels have been linked to inflammation, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Whats more, they are connected to insulin resistance, a condition in which your cells dont respond properly to insulins signals .
Many types of physical activity have been found to increase insulin sensitivity and reduce insulin levels, including aerobic exercise, strength training and endurance exercise (
18 ).
For people who are unable to perform vigorous exercise, even regular walking may increase these hormone levels, potentially improving strength and quality of life .
Although a combination of resistance and aerobic training seems to provide the best results, engaging in any type of physical activity on a regular basis is beneficial.
Summary:
Performing strength training, aerobics, walking or other forms of physical activity can modify hormone levels in a way that reduces the risk of disease and protects muscle mass during the aging process.
What Is A Hormonal Imbalance
Produced by our endocrine glandsthe parts of the endocrine system including adrenals, thyroid, pancreas, and female or male reproductive system that communicate with our nervous systemhormones perform essential functions, relay important warnings, and communicate messages throughout the body. Everything from your appetite and metabolism to heart rate, sleep patterns, reproduction, and mood is dictated by your hormones. That means your hormones make sure everything is running smoothly and that your rhythms stay in sync.
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Treatments For Hormonal Imbalance
Hormone replacement therapy is used commonly to balance hormones in women after menopause. It is used for a certain period of time before being discontinued.
Bioidentical hormones are another way to balance out hormones. They are man made hormones similar to those in our bodies like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. They are advertised as being safer and more natural than conventional HRT.
At this time, medical societies and researchers state that the risks and benefits of conventional and bioidentical hormones should be considered equal. Talk with Mid-City OB-GYN about their use if you are having symptoms.
Contact Mid-City OB-GYN at for treatment and other options if you think you are suffering from a hormonal imbalance.
How To Manage Hormonal Imbalances When On Your Period
Hormones regulate several processes in the human body. For example, hormones affect actions like appetite, sleeping habits, weight, and acne. Hormonal imbalances occur when theres too much or too little of a hormone in the body. When this happens, it affects some body processes, and this causes immense effects.
Hormonal imbalance is caused by pregnancy, menopause, diabetes, thyroid problems, eating disorders, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, medications, and tumors.
Signs of Hormonal ImbalanceIf these symptoms are affecting you, it could be because of hormonal imbalances.
Weight GainMysterious weight gain in conjunction with other symptoms might indicate hormonal imbalance, and you might want to get checked by a doctor. For example, weight gain may be caused by a deficiency of thyroid hormones tasked with regulating metabolism. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome could also be another cause of sudden weight gain. In addition, women who are in their menopause are also likely to experience the same problem.
Heavy or Irregular PeriodsEstrogen and progesterone are the hormones that are responsible for monthly periods. Therefore, any fluctuations in their normal levels cause heavy, lighter and irregular periods.
Vaginal DrynessWhen estrogen levels fall, the vaginal walls thin, and the cells that produce moisture reduce. This is more prone in older women due to menopause.
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