13 Causes of Hormonal Imbalance
The list below details some of the most common causes of hormonal imbalance, and how you can fix them.
1. Insufficient Sleep
Lack of sleep can wreak havoc on your hormones faster than almost anything else. Cortisol, one of the body’s stress hormones, plays a huge role in the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight). It’s also only able to reset while you’re sleeping (4).
Follow the following rules of thumb to take control of your sleep:
- establish a consistent bedtime
- get up at the same time every day
- stay active/exercise several days a week (preferably in the morning)
- avoid caffeine after lunch
- turn off/avoid electronic devices at least 30 minutes prior to bedtime (5)
2. Unhealthy Diet
The most common example here is insulin, a hormone excreted by the pancreas in reaction to carbohydrates. Carbs increase blood glucose levels, and insulin helps bring them back down and allows the glucose to be used for energy (6).
Eating too many carbohydrates over an extended period of time can lead to insulin resistance. This condition where your body doesn’t respond to insulin like it used to. This leaves your body in a state of hyperglycemia (7).
Short-term side effects include can include a headache, fatigue, hunger, and blurred vision. Long-term side effects can include organ and tissue damage, nerve damage, vision problems, and kidney damage.