If you’re a woman living with anxiety, the odds are that your hormones play a role. That’s because hormones can influence your mood and feelings of stress or worry. In this blog post, I’ll dive into the science behind why hormones may affect our experience(s) with anxiety and provide some practice tips for managing it. So if you’re looking to learn more about anxiety, build more resilience, or need ways to respond to hormonal shifts to manage your feelings, keep reading.
What are hormones, and how do they work in the body?
Hormones are chemical messengers that control and coordinate the activities of cells, tissues, and organs in the body. Hormones bind to specific receptors on target cells or tissues and trigger the production of proteins and molecules. These reactions initiate body functions like metabolism and response to stress.
Hormonal imbalances can contribute to health problems and conditions, such as migraine headaches, asthma, and anxiety.
What is the relationship between hormones and anxiety?
The relationship between hormones and anxiety is complex. In some cases, hormones play a role in someone developing anxiety. Specifically, low serotonin levels (a neurotransmitter that helps regulate moods and emotions) increase anxiety risks. And fluctuating hormone levels⎯during puberty, pregnancy, menopause, or other life transitions⎯may also contribute to developing or worsening anxiety.
In other cases, hormones may influence how someone responds to stress and manages emotions. After experiencing stressful situations, hormone levels can shift and lead to feelings of fear, worry, or panic. Certain hormones can make people more prone to feeling anxious.
Which hormones play a role in anxiety?
Anxiety is a complex problem with multiple factors influencing its development, expression, and severity. One of the most crucial factors is hormones.
Cortisol is the stress hormone that triggers our body’s fight-or-flight response during times of danger or stress. When cortisol levels are too high, the body stays in heightened states of alertness and anxiety, even if the threat is gone.
Adrenaline is another hormone that gets released when we feel threatened or stressed. It serves as an energy boost and helps us react quickly to threats. While adrenaline can be beneficial in short bursts, chronic surges of adrenaline can lead to feelings of anxiety and panic.
Oxytocin is a hormone associated with the release of endorphins that can help reduce stress and promote relaxation. However, low levels of oxytocin have been to higher levels of anxiety and depression.
Sex hormones may also impact mental health. Estrogen affects the body’s response to stress and can increase sensitivity to stressful situations. It can also lower serotonin levels, which increases one’s risk for anxiety disorders. Testosterone can also impact mental health. Lower testosterone levels are associated with higher rates of anxiety. And research suggests that people with lower testosterone levels are more likely to experience fear or panic when faced with stressful situations.
How can you regulate your emotions?
Understanding how hormones affect our emotions can help you develop better strategies for managing and reducing anxiety. First, our thoughts and beliefs contribute to our emotional state. Mindfulness is a practice that helps us identify patterns of thinking and behaviors that contribute to our distress so that we can interrupt and replace them with positive thoughts and behaviors.
When dealing with anxiety, it is also important to prioritize taking care of your physical health and practicing self-care. Making healthy dietary and exercise choices can help to reduce estrogen levels, while certain medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may help to balance hormone levels and decrease symptoms of anxiety. And getting enough sleep, and doing regular exercise can help reduce anxiety and stress levels. Yoga and meditation are two relaxation practices that can help reduce stress and keep your cortisol levels in check.
If you still struggle to manage your anxiety, it may help to talk to a mental health professional. A counselor or therapist can offer guidance and support as you explore and resolve underlying issues contributing to your emotional distress. They can also teach you valuable tools and strategies to help regulate your emotions and manage stress.
Good luck on your journey!
Hormones aren’t the only factor that influences anxiety. Other factors like genetic predisposition, personality, lifestyle habits, and environmental factors play a role in the development of anxiety disorders. The information in this article does not replace professional medical advice. If you are experiencing difficulty with anxiety or mental health issues, please seek help from a qualified healthcare provider.