Have you ever noticed that you feel more anxious, irritable, or exhausted at certain points in your cycle—or that stress hits harder than it used to? That’s because your stress system and hormone system are deeply connected, and they talk to each other more than you might realize.
Let’s break it down simply.
When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, your main stress hormone. This is normal and even helpful in small bursts—it keeps you alert and ready to respond. But when stress becomes chronic, cortisol stays elevated, and that’s where things start to shift.
One of cortisol’s jobs is to steal resources from other hormone pathways to prioritize survival. Over time, high cortisol can lower progesterone (the hormone that helps you feel calm, sleep well, and regulate your cycle) and throw off the balance with estrogen. This can show up as worse PMS, irregular cycles, bloating, or feeling “wired but tired.”
At the same time, your hormones affect how sensitive you are to stress. Estrogen increases serotonin and dopamine, the brain’s feel-good chemicals, which helps buffer stress. But when estrogen dips (like before your period or in perimenopause), you might feel more anxious, moody, or emotionally sensitive—even to small triggers.
It’s a two-way street: stress affects hormones, and hormone changes affect your stress response.
The good news? There’s a lot you can do to support both systems at the same time.
Here are three simple strategies you can start with:
- Eat within an hour of waking: A balanced breakfast (with protein, healthy fat and fiber) helps stabilize blood sugar and signals safety to your stress system, lowering cortisol spikes.
- Practice deep belly breathing once a day: Even 5 minutes of slow, deep breaths can lower cortisol, support digestion, and calm the nervous system.
- Spend time outdoors: Natural light and fresh air support your circadian rhythm, helping to regulate cortisol and hormone cycles. Try a daily walk or even 10 minutes outside.
Feeling more grounded and hormonally balanced is possible.
If you’d like more specific guidance, we offer The Regulate Method—our 12-week program designed to help you feel calm, energized, and focused, all month long. We have two options:
You can do the program as a stand-alone, self-directed course online or work with Dr. Heather, ND in tandem with the program and claim it under insurance. You can book a Discovery Call with Dr. Heather for more information about both options.