If you’ve been feeling fatigued and low on energy, it could be because your hormones are out of balance. Estrogen, progesterone, insulin, testosterone, and thyroid hormones all play a role in keeping us going — so when one (or more) of them is off, we can end up feeling tired and run down. The good news? There are ways to get your hormones back on track so you can feel like yourself again.
Are Your Hormones Holding Your Sleep for Ransom?
Have you ever been so exhausted that all you wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep for eternity — and yet, even when you go to bed early, you can’t get restful sleep?
That lack of sleep may be taking a toll on your hormones, but imbalanced hormones can also be the reason your sleep is poor in the first place. It can feel like once your hormones are out of balance there’s no turning back — but that’s not true. Here are some of the ways hormones can disrupt your sleep, and what to consider:
- Low estrogen — typically seen in menopausal women, low estrogen commonly contributes to insomnia. Estrogen helps move magnesium into your tissues, and magnesium is crucial for synthesizing important sleep neurotransmitters, including melatonin.
- Low progesterone — often affects women with severe PMS, who may also be in perimenopause or menopause. Think of progesterone as your “chill-out” hormone: when it’s low, crankiness and sleep issues follow. Progesterone supports sleep in several ways — it influences respiration, and it produces a by-product called allopregnanolone that interacts with GABA receptors in the brain. GABA is a calming neurotransmitter.
- High cortisol — too much stress drives cortisol up, and stimulants like coffee, toxins, and diet can ramp it up further. When cortisol runs too high, it can offset the sleep hormone melatonin, disrupting your circadian rhythm and causing sleep disturbances and afternoon energy crashes.
- Insulin resistance — when your body stops responding well to insulin, blood sugar levels rise. Too little sleep can worsen insulin resistance (so can diet), and the less sensitive your insulin response becomes, the worse you sleep. People with insulin resistance can have blood sugar crashes overnight, waking several times a night and even experiencing night sweats.
Could It Be Hypothyroidism?
Have you been feeling more exhausted than usual lately? It could be time to check whether your thyroid hormones are out of balance. Low thyroid function — also known as hypothyroidism — can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms, including fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, dry skin, anxiety, and a weakened immune system.
There are many reasons for impaired thyroid function, from nutrient deficiencies to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the autoimmune condition behind a large share of hypothyroidism cases. So why not take control of your health and see a thyroid expert who can evaluate your thyroid hormones with a complete thyroid panel — and put you back on the path to feeling like yourself again?
Could It Be Low Testosterone?
If you’re low on energy, low on mojo, and always tired no matter how much sleep you get, low testosterone could be the reason. Low T can cause all sorts of symptoms, such as fatigue, low libido, erectile dysfunction (ED), feeling uninterested in life, sleep disturbances, and even “bat wings” (frustrating fat accumulation in the underarm area) — especially for women, who often experience low T near or during menopause.
If you’re already experiencing insulin resistance, it could point to low testosterone too, since insulin resistance impacts the body’s testosterone production. So don’t just accept fatigue — have a chat with a hormone specialist about comprehensive testing and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).
Whether it’s lack of sleep, imbalanced estrogen and progesterone, insulin resistance, a thyroid hormone imbalance, or low testosterone — there is a solution. Lifestyle changes can help, but if you want to solve your energy issues more quickly, it’s smart to consult a hormone expert.
Hormone experts — often BHRT specialists and functional medicine doctors — are trained to understand the delicate balance of your hormones and to recognize symptoms that can be easy to miss in a standard primary care visit. Based on your testing, they can help you pinpoint which lifestyle changes, dietary tweaks, supplements, or therapies are right for you. So summon up enough energy to break away from fatigue and live life to its fullest.
Choosing a doctor for hormone-related fatigue
As licensed practitioners with deep expertise in hormone imbalances and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, our team will provide the appropriate guidance for your unique situation so you can determine whether you’re a candidate for BHRT. We also examine the lifestyle factors that could be unnecessarily draining your natural hormone levels, and offer guidance on natural ways to boost your resilience and longevity.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy may help relieve your symptoms — potentially with a lower risk of adverse side effects — and support a healthier, happier life. If you think this type of treatment might be right for you, sign up for a free Discovery Call or call us at (480) 442-8999 so we can answer any questions you may have. You can see us at either clinic — Arizona or Oregon.