Have you been feeling uncharacteristically irritable, sleepy, cranky, or worried lately? While it’s normal to feel those things every once in a while, experiencing unpleasant emotions on a daily basis can signal that something is off.

If this sounds like you, your hormones might be to blame. In this blog, Kimberley Shine, MD, of Shine Health and Wellness in Pasadena, California, explains how hormones can lead to anger, depression, and other emotions.

Hormones and emotions

Hormones influence many of the emotions people feel on a daily basis. When hormone levels shift, fluctuate, or just go wacky, they can seriously mess with your emotions. Take a look at a few key emotions affected by hormones.

Stress

Hormones and stress represent a two-way street. Hormonal imbalances can lead to stress, and chronic stress can lead to hormonal imbalances, often by way of sleep deprivation, poor eating choices, and other stress-related happenings. The most common hormone linked to stress is cortisol, which is literally called the “stress hormone” due to its role in your body’s fight-or-flight response.

Anxiety

Many different hormone imbalances can cause anxiety and worry, but one of the most common causes is premenstrual syndrome in women. Before a woman’s period starts, estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate, which can lead to feelings of anxiety.

Anger and irritability

Are you snapping at the smallest things? Maybe you spilled some coffee and it felt like the end of the world, or perhaps your significant other’s tendency to leave socks on the floor makes you burst into flames. If this type of irritability is out of character for you, you may have a hormone imbalance.

Depression

Depression is a common symptom of hormone imbalances. In fact, experts think hormonal changes, such as those that occur during pregnancy or from medical conditions, can cause depression directly.

Lethargy

While lethargy isn’t exactly an emotion, it’s a state of being that many people experience every day. Feeling lethargic means you feel sluggish, tired, unenthusiastic, and generally without energy. Both an overactive and underactive thyroid can contribute to lethargy, as can problems with the pituitary gland.

How to treat hormone imbalances

Treating a hormone imbalance first requires figuring out what imbalance is present. Dr. Shine can uncover any hormone imbalances with a blood panel that checks the levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, and other important hormones.

If Dr. Shine determines you have a hormonal imbalance, she’ll work with you to develop a treatment plan customized to your needs and goals. Treatment may take the shape of lifestyle changes, such as:

• Altering your diet to include more essential nutrients
• Minimizing consumption of processed foods
• Increasing or decreasing physical activity
• Implementing stress-management techniques, such as meditation
• Prioritizing sleep

In some cases, in-office procedures, such as IV nutrient therapy or bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, may be necessary.

To learn more about hormone imbalances and the available treatment options, book an appointment online or over the phone with Shine Health and Wellness today.