Hormonal imbalances are common in some stages of life. This is more common in women than in men.

What can cause a hormonal imbalance?

Hormones play a very important role in a woman’s health and well-being. When hormone levels fluctuate, this can have an impact on mood, sexual desire, fertility and ovulation. Hormonal problems are common, so if you feel like you’re experiencing a hormonal imbalance, then you’re not alone.

There are certain causes that can alter your body’s natural chemistry, common culprits are menopause, pregnancy, the menstrual cycle, the birth control pill, and lifestyle factors such as inconsistent sleep patterns, stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise. Other causes may be thyroid problems or diabetes.

1.-Sleep disorders

Many women have difficulty falling asleep especially just before their period. This may be due to the sharp drop in the hormone progesterone just before menstruation. Progesterone levels also drop after giving birth. Progesterone has relaxing properties, so when levels drop, it can cause restlessness.

2.-Recurrent acne

Many women start with pimple outbreaks before their period due to hormonal changes. However, if you suffer from deep cystic acne all the time, then it could be androgens (male hormones like testosterone) that are to blame. Testosterone stimulates excess sebum (oil) production, which then gets trapped under the skin and fuses with acne-causing bacteria and dead skin cells. That leads to blackheads and pimples, and thus blemishes. The higher a woman’s testosterone level, the worse the pimple. However, it’s not always hormones that are to blame, it may be a bad diet,

3.-Constant appetite

It has been found that people who usually sleep too little sleep produce more of the hunger hormone, leptin. This hormone is what causes the feeling of constant hunger. This indicates why people who are chronically sleep deprived (getting less than seven hours per night) tend to be more overweight than those who get more hours of sleep.

4.-Brain fog

When you have a hormone imbalance, your body produces increased amounts of cortisol , which is known as the stress hormone. High levels of cortisol in the body can hinder the ability to learn and remember.

5.-Constant fatigue

Thyroid hormones control the body’s metabolism, and when hormone levels are low, all systems slow down, including heart rate, mental functioning, and digestion. Hence why hypothyroidism can make a person feel exhausted, mentally foggy, and even constipated.

6.-Digestive problems

Cortisol production is naturally high in the early morning to help you wake up. However, people who chronically stress their adrenal glands by overproducing cortisol, alter their cortisol concentrations so that cortisol is low in the morning when they wake up, rather than high. If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), then it could be due to abnormal serotonin levels. 90% of sufferers are women, some of whose IBS symptoms flare up around menstruation. Estrogen and progesterone flow may also play a role.

7.- Mood swings and depression

Most middle-aged women experience mood swings and feelings of anxiety in situations they used to handle calmly before. This is probably due to a hormonal imbalance, which could be related to menopause.

8.-Headaches

As women enter middle age, they often find that they suffer from frequent headaches and even migraines. This could be due to hormonal imbalances around certain times of the menstrual cycle.

9.-Weight gain

As women age, they tend to believe that being overweight is inevitable. But there may be an underlying problem to the weight gain. The problem could be the adrenal system is fatigued and therefore is sending signals to the thyroid that there is a problem. The thyroid then responds by decreasing its metabolism. Then, the pancreas also responds to the signal by thinking it needs to conserve fat, and concentrates on storing fat in the midsection, back, and other places that are not suitable for the particular body type.

10.-Breast Changes

As women age, high estrogen levels can cause breasts to feel tender and sore, which could lead to tumors, fibroids, and cysts. That’s why it’s important to have annual breast exams. Get to know your breasts better by getting into the habit of checking yourself for lumps or anything unusual.

11.-Loss of libido

Hormonal imbalances can cause women to experience low sex drive. This could be due to low estrogen levels.