If you know you’re feeling ‘off’ somehow, but you’re not exactly unwell, it could be an issue with your hormone levels. Hormones can be thought of as messengers in your body. They regulate every system and every organ, and because they are everywhere essentially doing everything, they can easily be affected by a variety of different factors. When they are affected and either produce too much or too little, this feeling of fatigue, moodiness, and generally feeling not quite right can occur.
It makes sense then that you should understand what it is that could be influencing your hormone levels so you can do your best to ensure you keep things as steady as possible. In that way, you’ll feel much happier and more energized. Read on to find out more.
Not Enough Sleep
Sleep is when the body can reset itself through the production and use of many different hormones. However, we are all so busy these days that to get everything done; sleep is usually the first thing that is neglected. The problem is that this means far fewer hormones have a chance to be produced and do their work, and by the time you wake up, you’re not much better off than when you went to sleep. Studies have shown that people who sleep less than six hours each night have as much as 60 percent less testosterone than those who sleep more. If you’re concerned that this might be the case for you, it’s wise to get a test to check. You can then have low T treatment to improve things. In some cases, men with low testosterone may experience erectile dysfunction which can also affect the way they feel, causing other mental health and physical issues. To help in this area men may find it useful to look online at websites like Blink Health for assistance so they are not suffering in silence and can get the medication that they need.
Too Much Stress
When we’re stressed, the body releases the hormone cortisol. When there is too much of this hormone in the body, it can counteract other, more positive hormones, and it will leave you feeling down, even depressed.
If you can possibly reduce the amount of stress you’re feeling, you will also reduce the amount of cortisol in the body, and thus you will feel a lot better. You will sleep better (and as we’ve already seen, this is crucial for maintaining a good balance of hormones), and your mood will improve. You will also be more productive at work.
Although it’s not always easy to reduce stress, the best thing to do is try to relax more, and just 30 minutes a day can make a big difference. This could be listening to music, having a warm bath, watching your favorite TV program, having a massage, going for a run, and many more ideas too.
Eating Too Much Sugar
We all know that sugar isn’t a healthy option and that we should cut down how much we consume, but did you know that the reason for this isn’t just about our teeth or our weight; it’s about our hormone levels too.
When you eat a lot of sugar, the body has to produce a lot of insulin to keep the metabolism working in the way that it should. Too much insulin means that you can become unwell, and you might even develop diabetes. Cutting down the sugar – or ideally cutting it out completely – means you’ll be much healthier.