Hormones might seem straight forward enough – sure, they’re related to our reproductive cycle – but women’s hormones actually play a larger part in your health and happiness than you might’ve guessed. In actual fact, there are many hormones in our bodies, and their impact spans many aspects of our wellbeing, from our weight to our skin.

While you might think that it’s just that time of the month that your hormones take hold, but women actually experience the effects of hormonal shifts daily, albeit at a far more intricate level. It can be a tricky topic to understand, so let’s unpack the complexities, take a look at how your hormones impact your everyday life, and how you can keep them in balance.

Understanding your hormones

The most commonly known hormones in your body, estrogen and progesterone, are the female sex hormones. They’re the ones responsible for most of the symptoms we experience in reproductive health and fertility, but they’re not the only ones – women also have other hormones, including testosterone and thyroid stimulating hormones, which impact your body in more subtle ways (unless they’re out of balance) but are no less important.

Estrogen is the hormone responsible for our periods each month, as levels increase during the first fortnight of your menstrual cycle to keep conditions ready for potential pregnancy (where progesterone is particularly imperative), and then sharply drop when an egg subsequently isn’t fertilised – resulting in the shedding of our uterine lining, AKA a period.

As we get older, our female hormones naturally begin to decline. When a woman stops ovulating, her estrogen and progesterone hormones also begin to wane, which can often cause the first symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes.

How your hormones impact your mind and body

Your hormones are circulated by your endocrine system, and they ebb and flow in different levels throughout the day. They tend to be regulated by your circadian rhythm, which is why sleep is particularly important when it comes to keeping them in balance.

Hormones help to control almost every function in a woman’s body, from your metabolism to your mindset, which is perhaps why it’s so noticeable to us when they’re in flux. You might notice heavier periods, sudden weight gain, experience rapid mood swings, or struggle to sleep, which can all be signs that your hormones are out of whack.

Cultivating healthy hormones

Although some elements of our hormonal health are out of our control, there are a number of simple changes that can be made in our lives to better our overall wellbeing. The first is ensuring that you’re getting enough sleep, as too little can confuse your system and cause it to under or over-produce hormones that your body doesn’t actually need. You can also try to better manage your stress levels, which can also heavily impact your hormones.

Do your best to create a healthy, reliable routine for your body, with lots of water, at least eight hours of shut-eye per evening, regular gentle exercise and lots of nourishing food that’s rich in healthy fats.

You can also give your body extra support by introducing one of WelleCo’s new womens’ health innovations, The PMS Elixir or The Goddess Elixir. Designed to bring harmony to your cycle, we’ve got your body covered at every stage of your cycle with powerful, intuitive capsules that give your feminine wisdom the space and support to thrive.