How do hormones and anxiety interact specifically? The body’s various organs receive signals from hormones, which are chemical messengers. They are in charge of controlling a number of functions, including growth and development, metabolism, reproduction, sexual function, and mood. Anxiety is just one of the issues that can result from hormone imbalance, which can occur when levels are either too high or too low. Hormone imbalance can also affect how well your body functions.
While anxiety can have a variety of causes, hormonal imbalances may be to blame for symptoms that are unrelated to trauma, loss, a significant life event, or a mental health condition. As we explore the connection between hormones and anxiety and offer advice to help manage anxious feelings, continue reading or skip to our infographic.
Can a Hormone Imbalance Cause Anxiety?
Despite the fact that people with specific hormonal imbalances frequently experience anxiety, it can be challenging to determine which hormone imbalance first or whether it is a factor in the other. Hormonal imbalances can affect people of either gender. However, those who are AFAB (assigned female at birth) are more frequently impacted than those who are AMAB (assigned male at birth), making them more susceptible to anxiety caused by hormones.
Because of this, individuals with AFAB may be more susceptible to anxiety disorders during various life stages where hormones fluctuate greatly, such as puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and postmenopause.
Which Hormones Cause Anxiety?
Understanding which hormones can impact your mood and reaction to stress is a good first step to taking hormone-related anxiety to a minimum. These include oxytocin, thyroid hormones, stress hormones, and sex hormones. While each is crucial to the operation of the body’s processes, too much or too little of one or more of them can lead to problems.
Estrogen
The amount of anxiety you experience may be influenced by fluctuating levels of the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. Your mood may be impacted by changes in these hormone levels. This explains why anxiety can occasionally increase during times of hormonal change, such as puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.
Mood is impacted by estrogen. For people AFAB, estrogen levels are higher during the first two weeks of the menstrual cycle (follicular phase) and can induce higher levels of serotonin—which is your “happiness hormone.” However, if there is no pregnancy, estrogen levels drop significantly during the luteal phase (the final two weeks of a 28-day cycle).
This fluctuation is frequently accompanied by changes in mood or elevated anxiety. In fact, up to 80% of individuals of reproductive age who are AFAB report having at least one physical, emotional, or anxious symptom during this time of the month.
Testosterone
More anxiety is typically felt by AFAB people than AMAB people. One explanation puts forth the idea that higher anxiety is associated with lower testosterone levels.
People with AFAB do have testosterone, also known as the male hormone, but their levels are about ten times lower. There is clinical evidence that testosterone reduces anxiety and depression in both sexes. Its protective effects’ underlying mechanism, though, is still not fully understood.
The results of an at-home hormone level test can be shared with a healthcare provider in order to learn more about a person’s estrogen and testosterone levels.
Stress Hormones
When a person feels threatened or perceives danger, their bodies release the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, also known as the “fight-or-flight” hormones. To help the body deal with the threat and get ready to act, these stress hormones start the fight-or-flight response.
You won’t use or release those hormones during a fight-or-flight response if an experience or event causes your stress hormones to be released while you are not in danger, such as while reading a stressful work email. Your body might feel anxious as a result of the elevated levels of cortisol and adrenaline.
Additionally, a rise in stress hormones may prompt the body to release even more stress hormones as a reaction, which may make you feel anxious and stressed.
Thyroid Hormones
Your mood may be impacted by thyroid hormones, and an imbalance can have an effect on your physical and mental health. An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) frequently causes symptoms like anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and nervousness. On the other hand, an underactive thyroid can result in symptoms like fatigue and depressive feelings.
A recent study also suggests that the development of anxiety disorders may be significantly influenced by thyroid inflammation caused by an autoimmune disorder. According to the study, which looked at 76 patients with anxiety disorders, 71 of them had elevated blood flow to their thyroid glands, a sign of thyroid inflammation, which connected thyroid issues to their increased anxiety.
Consider having your thyroid hormone levels checked, then scheduling a consultation with a doctor to go over the results if you’re feeling anxious, nervous, or irritable. To lessen or eliminate your symptoms, they might suggest thyroid management drugs or other techniques.
How to Treat Anxiety Caused by Hormones?
Exercise and Move
Your body needs to move when you’re feeling anxious. To release stress, take a walk, jump, or lunge. Endorphins, the happy hormone, can be released through exercise or dancing. Establish a routine. Begin each day with a quick yoga session to help you focus and concentrate better throughout the day. A quick 5-minute meditation session is another option.
Focus
Exercise self-control. When you feel nervous or suspect you might panic, start by concentrating on your breathing. Instead of focusing on the issue, pay attention to the current situation and try to find a solution. The cortisol levels will remain stable as a result.
Avoid the Pill
The use of birth control pills frequently results in anxiety and depression. The pill affects the microbiome, disrupts inflammation, and depletes nutrients, which can cause anxiety by affecting the digestive system.
Gut Health
80% of serotonin is secreted in the gut and lack of serotonin can lead to anxiety. Hormones and the gut work together. Up your intake of flax seeds or omega-3 fatty acids. Include fermented vegetables in your diet, such as raw cultured carrot, sauerkraut, or beetroot. It’s a fantastic way to increase serotonin levels by introducing healthy bacteria to the gut.
Cut the Caffeine
Giving your body a caffeine dose when under stress is the last thing your body needs. Avoiding that morning cup of coffee may surprise you with how you feel. To calm the nerves, think about healthy alternatives like chamomile tea or caffeine-free green herbal tea.
So keep an eye on your hormones and avoid feeling anxious!
Summary
Consider getting your hormone levels checked if you think you might have an imbalance. This can make it clear for both you and your primary healthcare provider whether or not your anxiety is a sign of a hormonal imbalance. Seek advice from a mental health professional if you experience anxiety because it can be extremely crippling.
