Hormones and mental health

Did you know that your mood swings are influenced by hormones to some extent? In fact, there are hormones that help to control your mental health. Want to know which hormones help in mental health and how you can prevent mental health issues caused due to hormonal imbalances? 

Keep reading this article to find out. 

Hormones are chemical messengers that help to transfer messages to different parts and organs of the body to regulate many functions. Hormones are produced by different glands which are the parts of your endocrine system. 

Can hormones affect mental health? 

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate many functions of the body and influence mental health. If one of them gets imbalanced, it leads to mental illnesses such as stress, depression, anxiety, mania, headaches, etc. Even some hormones (like cortisol) help to regulate stress to keep mental health intact.  

So, it is important to know the hormones that influence mental health. These hormones include: 

1. Thyroid: 
   • The thyroid hormone is produced by the thyroid gland (found in the lower front region of the neck). It is available in two forms – thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These two forms work together to regulate metabolism and energy expenditure throughout your body. The other functions it performs are controlling body temperature and weight, muscle strength, and the nervous system. 
   • If thyroid hormones go into overdrive (Hyperthyroidism) or drop low (Hypothyroidism), it can cause  
     • erratic and unpredictable mental states,  
     • anxiety,  
     • brain fog,  
     • mania,  
     • lethargy,  
     • confusion,  
     • mood problems,  
     • poor motor coordination,  
     • depression, and 
     • loss of cognitive functions.  
   • You can treat these problems with medications, surgery, or radioactive iodine to restore the thyroid levels back to normal.  
2. Cortisol: 
   • This hormone is also called the stress hormone. It’s produced by adrenal glands (which are found on the top of the kidney). This hormone controls certain parts of the brain which include fear, mood, and motivation. When you are stressed out, this hormone leads to high blood sugar levels in the bloodstream, and adrenaline regulates the energy expenditure to the brain so that it takes action to reduce stress. Other cortisol functions are to manage carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in the body, regulate the sleep-wake cycle, control blood pressure, control inflammation, and help insulin to manage blood sugar levels. 
   • Cortisol imbalance can lead to:  
     • fatigue, muscle weakness, 
     • diabetes,  
     • rapid mood swings,  
     • dizziness, and  
     • dementia.  
   • You can treat these problems with medications, stress management techniques, natural remedies, and therapies.  
3. Serotonin: 
   • This hormone is a natural mood stabilizer. It’s produced by the pineal gland in the brain and is also found in your digestive system. It helps to control your mood, reduce depression, regulate anxiety, help in healing wounds, stimulates nausea, and help to maintain bone health, sleep, etc.  
   • If this hormone goes imbalanced, it can lead to 
     • Depression,  
     • Schizophrenia,  
     • Chronic Pain,  
     • Anxiety, etc. 
   • Treatment can be given through antidepressant medications or natural remedies or both.  
4. Estrogen: This hormone is produced by ovaries and plays a major role in the reproductive functions of women. Other functions of estrogen hormone are to maintain bone health, help in cardiovascular function, help in the onset of puberty (development of body parts such as breasts and public hair in females), regulate reproduction functions, menstruation, and control body temperature and anxiety. 
   • If this hormone is imbalanced, you might experience symptoms like  
     • depression,  
     • mood swings, 
     • anxiety,  
     • feeling exhausted most of the time,   
     • Compulsive eating habits leading to weight gain, etc.  
   • You can treat estrogen problems with the help of medications and supplements.  

How can you prevent mental health issues due to hormonal imbalances? 

There are some ways to prevent mental health issues due to hormonal imbalances, like: 

• Make a habit to exercise daily- Exercise has many benefits. It helps to improve your mood, balance your emotions, release stress, and give many other health benefits.  
• Practice mind relaxation exercises like meditation, deep breathing, yoga, mindfulness, etc.  
• Take therapies like talk therapy or group therapy that help to relax your mind and help to share the worries you have.  
• Make a routine to get sufficient sleep (around 7 to 8 hours a day).  
• Eat a healthy and balanced diet to maintain good health. 
• Quit smoking or drinking, if you do.  
• Manage your chronic disease conditions, if you have any.  
   

Hormonal imbalances happen when you fail to take care of your health.  

Want to know about the treatments for hormonal imbalances? At Doral Health and Wellness, we have doctors that can help you manage your condition. For more information, you can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11212, or call us on 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://doralhw.org or contact us at info@doralhw.org if you have any queries.