The Connection Between Hormones and Mood

Have you noticed how your emotions seem to fluctuate? Your hormones are the reason why your feelings are out of sorts. 

Hormones are critical in regulating various bodily functions, and their impact extends to your mental and emotional well-being. Learning about the connection between hormones and your mood can offer insights. 

At our comfortable office in Salem, Oregon, the Salem Wellness Clinic experts can teach you about these connections and provide evidence-based hormone management services. Naturopath Laika Rodriguez, ND, specializes in bioidentical hormone replacement, nutritional counseling, and other natural services to restore a healthy hormone balance. 

The endocrine system and its influence on mental wellness

Your endocrine system includes a network of glands and ducts that produce and release hormones into the bloodstream. Hormones are chemical messengers that influence numerous processes inside your body, including metabolism, growth, and reproduction. Let’s review some of the hormones with the strongest influence over your emotions:

Serotonin and Dopamine

Serotonin and dopamine are neurotransmitters that influence your emotions positively. Serotonin is the "happy hormone" because it contributes to feelings of well-being and positivity. Furthermore, dopamine plays a crucial role in the brain's reward and pleasure centers. When these hormones are balanced, your moods are stable. 

Mood disorders, like depression and anxiety, often stem from imbalances in serotonin and dopamine. Researchers have found that low serotonin and dopamine can cause depression symptoms and affect your ability to process your emotions. 

Cortisol

Cortisol, also called the "stress hormone," is produced in the adrenal glands when you’re stressed or stimulated. In moderate amounts, cortisol helps us cope with challenging situations. However, chronic stress can lead to high cortisol levels, which may negatively impact your mood and mental health.

Prolonged exposure to high cortisol levels is associated with anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments. It can also affect your sleep, making it more challenging to manage stress.

Estrogen and Progesterone

Women commonly experience intense mood changes throughout their menstrual cycles due to the hormones estrogen and progesterone. You can thank fluctuating estrogen and progesterone for positive moods at certain points in your cycle and depression or anger during other phases. 

These hormonal shifts can contribute to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, such as irritability, mood swings, and anxiety. It’s also possible to experience a more severe form of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), where mood changes significantly impact your life.

Menopause can also create mood swings. Estrogen and progesterone fluctuate as you enter a phase called perimenopause before you reach menopause, which marks the end of your menstrual cycle. At menopause, your body reduces the production of estrogen and progesterone, which eventually levels your mood. 

Hormonal-emotional stress can also flare up during pregnancy. 

How you can take action

While hormonal fluctuations are a natural part of life, it's important to recognize when emotional disturbances are causing disruptions in your life. At Salem Wellness Clinic, Dr. Rodriguez can evaluate your hormones to ensure they’re within a typical range and can provide you with natural care to regulate them. Even a change as simple as adjusting your diet may help regulate your body’s hormone production so you can feel happier and calmer. 

To learn more about your hormones and the hormonal treatments we can offer, call Salem Wellness Clinic or schedule your next visit online today.