If you’ve ever felt like your mood shifts unpredictably, your anxiety spikes for no reason, or your energy disappears overnight, you’re not imagining it, your hormones might be playing a bigger role than you think.
At Well Dawn Integrative Health, PLLC, we see this all the time: women who feel exhausted, anxious, irritable, or emotionally drained but have been told, “Your labs are normal” or “It’s just stress.” But here’s the truth: hormones and mental health are deeply connected, and when they’re out of balance, your mood, energy, and overall well-being can take a hit.
So, let’s talk about how hormones impact your mental health and what you can do to feel more balanced and in control.
How Hormones Affect Your Mental Health
Women’s hormones don’t just control periods and pregnancy, they influence brain function, mood, sleep, and stress response. Here’s a breakdown of their role:
Estrogen: The Mood Booster
Estrogen is more than just a reproductive hormone—it’s essential for mental well-being. It helps regulate serotonin and dopamine, the neurotransmitters responsible for happiness, motivation, and emotional stability (Studd & Panay, 2004).
- Too little estrogen? You may experience low mood, anxiety, brain fog, or depressive symptoms. This often happens during perimenopause, menopause, or postpartum, when estrogen levels drop (Weber et al., 2022).
- Too much estrogen? You might feel irritable, anxious, or emotionally overwhelmed. This can occur in estrogen dominance, when estrogen levels are too high relative to progesterone (Gillies & McArthur, 2010).
Progesterone: The Calming Hormone
Progesterone acts as the body’s natural anti-anxiety hormone, helping with relaxation and sleep (Schule et al., 2014).
- Low progesterone levels are often linked to anxiety, irritability, and insomnia, which is why many women feel more restless before their period.
- Signs of imbalance: Feeling on edge, difficulty unwinding, or trouble sleeping may indicate low progesterone levels.
Cortisol: The Stress Hormone That Won’t Quit
Cortisol is your fight-or-flight hormone, helping your body respond to stress. However, when cortisol levels remain too high for too long, it can lead to:
- Anxiety and feeling on edge
- Fatigue and burnout
- Irritability and mood swings
- Poor sleep and brain fog
Chronic stress, poor sleep, and blood sugar imbalances can keep cortisol levels elevated, leaving you feeling exhausted yet wired (Russell & Lightman, 2019).
Thyroid Hormones: The Energy Regulators
Your thyroid plays a major role in metabolism, mood, and energy levels (Samuels, 2014). When thyroid function is off, mental health often suffers:
- Hypothyroidism (low thyroid): Fatigue, depression, brain fog, and low motivation.
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid): Anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and racing thoughts.
If you’ve been feeling mentally drained with no clear reason, checking your thyroid levels is essential.
Common Hormonal Imbalances That Impact Mental Health
Many women struggle with hormone-related mental health symptoms without realizing it. Some common conditions include:
- PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder): Severe mood swings, anxiety, and depression before your period (Eisenlohr-Moul et al., 2017).
- Postpartum Mood Disorders: Depression or anxiety triggered by hormonal fluctuations after childbirth.
- Perimenopause & Menopause: Mood swings, brain fog, irritability, and sleep disturbances as estrogen and progesterone decline.
- PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome): Anxiety, depression, and mood instability due to insulin resistance and hormone imbalances (Harris et al., 2019).
If your mental health symptoms seem to come in cycles, worsen before your period, or started after pregnancy or in your 40s, hormones could be the cause.
How to Balance Hormones for Better Mental Health
The good news? You don’t have to live with hormonal imbalances controlling your mood. Here are some ways to support your mental health naturally:
1. Nutrition for Hormone Balance
What you eat plays a huge role in keeping hormones balanced. Focus on:
- Protein & healthy fats – Stabilizes blood sugar and supports neurotransmitter production.
- Leafy greens & fiber – Helps the body detox excess hormones.
- Magnesium & B vitamins – Supports mood and reduces stress.
- Limit sugar & processed foods – Helps regulate cortisol and insulin levels (Jacka et al., 2017).
2. Prioritize Sleep & Stress Reduction
- Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep, your hormones will thank you.
- Try meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to lower cortisol.
- Set healthy boundaries and avoid overcommitting.
3. Move Your Body (But Don’t Overdo It)
- Gentle movement like walking, yoga, or Pilates can help regulate stress hormones.
- Avoid excessive high-intensity workouts if you’re already burned out, as they can spike cortisol.
4. Consider Supplements (With guidance from your provider)
Some evidence-based supplements that support hormones and mental health include:
- Magnesium – Calms the nervous system and eases anxiety.
- Omega-3s – Supports brain function and reduces inflammation.
- Ashwagandha – Helps lower cortisol and balance stress hormones.
- B Vitamins – Essential for neurotransmitter production and mood regulation.
5. Work with an Integrative Provider
If your mental health symptoms feel hormone-related, working with a provider who understands the hormone-mental health connection is key. At Well Dawn Integrative Health, we take a whole-person approach, looking at your mood, hormones, lifestyle, and overall well-being to create a treatment plan that actually works for you.
The Takeaway
If you’ve been struggling with anxiety, mood swings, or unexplained fatigue, and no one has looked at your hormones, it’s time to start asking questions. You don’t have to accept feeling “off” as your normal.
At Well Dawn Integrative Health, PLLC, we help women understand their hormones, balance their mood, and feel like themselves again. If you’re tired of feeling stuck, let’s work together to get to the root cause and find a plan that truly supports your mental health.
References
- Eisenlohr-Moul, T. A., et al. (2017). The role of hormone fluctuations in premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Current Psychiatry Reports, 19(10), 73.
- Gillies, G. E., & McArthur, S. (2010). Estrogen actions in the brain and the basis for differential sex susceptibility to psychiatric diseases. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 88(11), 2616–2624.
- Harris, H. R., et al. (2019). PCOS and mental health: Understanding the link. Human Reproduction Update, 25(3), 368-389.
- Jacka, F. N., et al. (2017). Nutritional psychiatry: The role of diet in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders. The Lancet Psychiatry, 4(3), 271-281.
- Russell, G., & Lightman, S. (2019). The human stress response. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 15(9), 525-534.
- Studd, J., & Panay, N. (2004). Hormones and depression in women. Maturitas, 49(S1), S25-S34.
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