Is It Just Stress, or Are Your Hormones Making You Anxious?

You’re overwhelmed, your heart races at random times, and the worry feels impossible to shake. You tell yourself it’s just stress—but what if it’s more than that?

For so many women, anxiety isn’t just about a busy schedule or a tough season in life. It’s deeply connected to hormones. If you’ve ever felt like your mood swings and anxiety come out of nowhere, your hormones might be playing a bigger role than you realize.

The Hormone-Anxiety Connection

Hormones are powerful messengers in your body, and when they fluctuate, they can directly impact your mood. Here’s how:

✔ Cortisol Overload: Chronic stress keeps your cortisol levels high, leading to anxiety, poor sleep, and a constant sense of overwhelm.

✔ Estrogen & Progesterone Imbalance: These two hormones work together to keep you feeling calm and emotionally steady.

Estrogen helps boost serotonin (your happy brain chemical), so when levels drop—like before your period or during perimenopause—you might feel more anxious, irritable, or even depressed. I remember the days leading up to my period when I’d suddenly feel overwhelmed by things that wouldn’t normally bother me. It felt like my emotions weren’t my own. That’s estrogen at work.

On the flip side, progesterone is your body’s natural calming agent—it interacts with GABA receptors in your brain, which help you feel relaxed and grounded. But if progesterone is too low compared to estrogen, you might experience that wired-but-tired feeling, where your body is exhausted, but your mind won’t stop racing. This imbalance is common in women with PCOS, postpartum moms, and those going through perimenopause. If you’ve ever laid awake at night, exhausted but unable to shut your brain off, low progesterone might be playing a role.

✔ Blood Sugar Swings: Unstable blood sugar can send stress hormones into overdrive, making you feel jittery and on edge. Ever felt anxious after skipping a meal? That’s your body in panic mode from a blood sugar dip.

✔ Thyroid Issues: Your thyroid controls energy and mood. If it’s sluggish (hypothyroidism), it can lead to low energy and depression, but if it’s overactive (hyperthyroidism), it can trigger anxiety and restlessness.

How to Support Your Body Naturally

If your anxiety feels unpredictable or tied to your cycle, supporting your hormones can help. Here are some simple ways to bring balance back:

✅ Balance Your Blood Sugar: Eat protein and healthy fats with every meal to avoid crashes that spike stress hormones.

✅ Prioritize Restorative Sleep: Your hormones regulate while you sleep, so aim for 7-9 hours of quality rest. Good sleep also helps keep cortisol in check.

✅ Support Estrogen & Progesterone Balance: Eating cruciferous veggies (like broccoli and cauliflower) helps your body metabolize estrogen properly, while getting enough magnesium and vitamin B6 can support healthy progesterone levels. Seed cycling can also be a gentle way to support your hormones naturally.

✅ Use Adaptogens: Adaptogenic herbs help your body handle stress more effectively and support hormone balance. They can be a game-changer for managing cortisol, easing anxiety, and helping you feel more grounded.

One of my favorite ways to incorporate adaptogens into my daily routine is with Happy Start powder from Winged Wellness. It’s an easy, effective way to give your body the support it needs to manage stress and feel more balanced. You can check it out here: https://wingedwellness.pxf.io/eK9YRz.

You’re Not Alone in This

If you’ve been feeling like your anxiety is running the show, know that you’re not crazy—and you’re not stuck like this forever. Understanding how your hormones impact your mood is the first step to feeling like yourself again.

I’ve been there too, wondering if it was just “in my head” or if something deeper was going on. Learning how to work with my body instead of against it changed everything—and I want that for you too. Let’s support your body so it works with you, not against you. 💛

When I feel my anxiety creeping up, one of my go-to tools is a calming essential oil blend. It helps me ground myself in the moment and reset my nervous system. If you’re looking for a simple, natural way to ease anxious feelings, you can check out my favorite bundle here: https://doterra.me/rWL_Mv