Tired and stressed? Here’s the hormone that’s going haywire

Science has long posited that stress causes hormonal imbalances. But what about the opposite: Do hormones ever cause stress?

Yes, says registered dietitian and hormone specialist Melissa Groves Azzaro. In her new book, A Balanced Approach to PCOS, she says that an imbalance in cortisol levels can make people routinely feel exhausted and overstressed.

What is cortisol?

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that has many functions beyond its most famous role — regulating stress.

It also contributes to the processing of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, as well as regulating blood pressure, keeping inflammation down, and regulating the sleep/wake cycle. It helps us make the most out of energy from the food we eat — so we can handle challenging situations.

Different types of hormone imbalances

Some women produce higher-than-normal amounts of male hormones. PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, is a common condition that causes this disorder, and it affects more than 200,000 people in the US every year.

Patients who overproduce cortisol may experience the following:

• Weight gain, especially in the abdominal area
• Anxiety and irritability
• Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep
• Nervousness 
• Shakiness
• High heart rate
• Blood sugar and blood pressure instability

Those who produce an insufficient amount of cortisol have frequently reported the following: S

• All-day low energy
• Feeling “wired but tired” 
• Severe fatigue and lack of focus
• Sugar and salt cravings
• Apathy
• Low libido 
• Memory problems 

“Generally a cortisol imbalance can come about due to extremely high stress or prolonged stress,” says Azzaro. “While there are clinical diagnoses of high (Cushing syndrome) and low (Addison’s disease), which require medical treatment, there is a large spectrum of ‘out of range’ cortisol levels or inappropriate cortisol patterns that can affect our day-to-day lives.”

Diet and lifestyle changes can re-balance hormones

There are different kinds of stress — and emotional stress and over-exertion carry comparable risks.

“While there is an immediate rise in cortisol with exercise, the overall impact is to improve mood and lower stress,” she explains. “But if we overexercise, the stress becomes detrimental.”

“If you are finding yourself getting sick more often or feeling depleted after a workout, rather than energized, you are probably working out too hard for your current cortisol levels,” she adds.

Nutrition is another major factor; sugar, caffeine, and alcohol can all trigger an imbalance.

If you’re wondering what to change in your daily routine, Azzaro identifies the most reliable contributors to hormone imbalances below:

• Your job 
• Relationship stress (significant other or family)
• Hustle culture/doing too much
• Lack of sleep 
• Too much of one type of exercise (probably HIIT) 
• Alcohol or caffeine consumption
• Lack of mindfulness or stress-management practices

See more about stress at work.