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Do you find yourself feeling anxious on a nearly daily basis? Life’s stressful — and we get that. When you have to juggle work, family matters and chores, it’s almost a given that you’ll feel a little tense every now and again. But did you know there’s a link between high estrogen and anxiety?
If you feel anxious more than usual and begin to experience panic without a real cause, who — or what— can you blame? Recent research studies show that your estrogen levels may just be the culprit.
Hormones can cause those late-night episodes of racing thoughts that prevent you from resting when it’s time to relax. They can also provoke unwarranted feelings of panic in your everyday life, too. For women with estrogen dominance, they side effects of high estrogen and anxiety are all too familiar.
But what does it even mean to have high estrogen levels and how can you effectively reduce the unwanted feelings that manifest from this condition? Below, we’ll outline what you need to know about estrogen dominance and anxiety — and what you can do to remain calm despite your body’s attempts to keep you in a state of panic.
What does a hormone have to do with anxiety? This is one of the many questions patients have when learning about the connection between high estrogen and anxiety. But while you might find yourself puzzled over this link, there’s a neuroscientific explanation that can help break it down.
Women are twice as likely as men to experience a mental health disorder, and it isn’t just a coincidence, either. Since women undergo greater degrees of hormonal changes and variations, it’s not unlikely that hormones may be to blame for your anxious moods, too.
Hormones such as estrogen play a vital role in mood regulation and stability. Estrogen, in particular, is responsible for increasing serotine levels and helping the body produce “feel-good” chemicals that promote healthy moods.
Any fluctuation in these hormones outside of normal levels can potentially compromise neuron functioning, interfering with the body’s ability to produce and regulate nerve cells and networks accountable for normal mood responses.
When you have too little estrogen, you may feel depression. Too much of this hormone, however, can leave you feeling on edge and anxious. That’s why the key to feeling your best is often maintaining a healthy estrogen level.
Sometimes, anxiety is a side effect of another condition or illness stimulated by estrogen dominance. For instance, hypothyroidism and other thyroid diseases are prevalent in women because they often manifest from excessive or imbalanced estrogen production.
When women develop this disease, they’re at a heightened risk for experiencing mood effects, including anxiety, too.
Aside from the link between high estrogen and anxiety, too much of this hormone is also known to produce unwanted side effects, including weight gain, headaches, fatigue, and PMS, too.
Keeping your body’s hormone balanced isn’t just crucial to your physical health, but it’s vital for the maintenance of your mental health, too. If you think high estrogen levels are causing your stress, be sure to connect with a medical professional who can provide you with the assistance you need.
If imbalanced estrogen levels are the reason for your excessive anxiety, you’ll want to make a few changes in your lifestyle that can help ensure that your body’s hormones remain in balance. Whether your blood tests showed high levels of estrogen or you have a suspicion that this hormone is to blame for your negative feelings, it’s time to take action.
For some women, excessive estrogen arises from hormone therapy or treatment. If this is the case for you, discuss altering your treatment plan to reduce your unwanted symptoms. Alternatively, you may naturally produce this hormone in excess. Women in this scenario can effectively manage estrogen production by enrolling in a medication plan that’ll help stabilize their hormones.
Or perhaps you’d prefer to go au natural in your medical journey and avoid any medications. If so, try reducing your production of this hormone by maintaining a healthy weight and eating estrogen-reducing foods instead.
High estrogen and anxiety might currently keep you from enjoying optimal health. But, that doesn’t mean they have to continue interfering with your daily life for long. Once you realize the source of your panic and anxiety, you’re in a better position to treat it. Connect with a physician who can help you manage your hormones and experience the relief you need.
