Feeling Moody? It Might Be Hormones. Let’s Get Those Babies Under Control.

We all have good days and bad days. Sometimes, you just wake up in the morning ready for anything; other times, you wake up and just want to stay in bed. What’s the reason? Certain life situations may alter our general outlook on life, but sometimes there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason why we’re feeling moody.

The truth is, it might be hormones.

While we tend to experience the greatest hormonal imbalances during puberty, the end of our teen years doesn’t mark the end of those shifts. As adults, there are plenty of dirty little habits we can fall into, all of which can cause our hormones to get out of whack, causing that unwanted moodiness.

For example, foods with lots of added sugar, like oh, I don’t know, chocolate bars, not only help us put on a few pounds—but when eaten too often, they also increase our bodies’ resistance to insulin, make it harder for our cells to get enough energy, and put us at risk for type 2 diabetes.

Not giving yourself time to relax before bed can also cause hormonal imbalances. Levels of stress hormone cortisol naturally drop just before we get some shuteye, but working late at night increases stress—and cortisol levels. Cortisol also pushes our blood sugar levels up, making us crave more junk food. The overall result is that it becomes more difficult to sleep well and eat healthy, and our stress levels stay sky high.

Late afternoon coffee runs may sound like a great idea to get you through the day, but take a moment to consider whether or not you really need the boost. While caffeine gives us extra energy, it also boosts cortisol levels, making it (again) harder to sleep and inducing anxiety. Try to get your two cups in before 3 p.m. to avoid messing with your body’s natural cycle.

As tired as you may feel after a long day at work, chances are that if you start going to the gym regularly, you’ll have a lot more energy. Without regular exercise, our bodies don’t get critically important endorphins, those lovely mood-and-energy-boosting chemicals in the brain. Endorphins also help our immune systems stay strong.

In short, try and skimp on sugar, relax before bed, get enough sleep, don’t overdo it on the Starbucks, and get regular exercise! It’s simple enough, though that doesn’t mean it will be easy. But you’ll consistently feel better without hormones jumping all over the place.

Spotlight: Melatonin, the “Dracula of Hormones”

Can melatonin help cure insomnia?
Image: Shutterstock

About a year ago, a co-worker told me that when she had trouble sleeping, she just took a small dose of melatonin and that helped her sleep through the night and wake feeling well rested. I had been having trouble falling asleep at night, and I asked her to tell me more. She told me that melatonin was a natural hormone and was sold over the counter for a relatively inexpensive amount. It sparked my curiosity, but I was too overwhelmed with work at the time to research it further.

I have a good friend who suffers from insomnia. She sometimes goes days without getting more than a few hours of sleep—and not for lack of trying. She often “rests” on days like that, which means she often spends hours lying in bed, exhausted, trying to fall asleep. From time to time I have bouts of sleep trouble as well, tossing and turning for several hours before drifting off into an uncomfortable sleep, only to reawaken a few hours later. As I continued to hear stories from my friend about her inability to sleep, I kept asking myself about melatonin. Finally, I sat down to learn more. Here’s what I discovered:

Image from crystalinks.com

• Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pineal gland in our brains, which is a pea-shaped gland just above the center of our brains. It is produced to help control our sleep cycles, with larger quantities of it being produced starting around 9 PM and lasting until about 9 AM—our natural sleep hours.
• Melatonin is found in some foods naturally, which is why it is the only hormone that the FDA allows to be sold as a dietary supplement.
• Light directly affects how much melatonin our brains produce, which is part of what leads to symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
• Melatonin is generally produced in higher amounts in children and adolescents, with that amount naturally dropping off as we age. Some older adults only make small amounts or none at all.
• Not enough research has been done on melatonin, but scientists are looking into using it as a treatment for SAD, to help control sleep patterns, preventing/reducing sleeping problems after surgery, and reducing chronic clutter headaches.
• It’s possible that melatonin may help slow or even stop the spread of cancer, slow aging, and strengthen the immune system.
• Melatonin seems to help some people struggling with sleep problems, but during formal research it was shown to be ineffective as a sleeping pill. There is evidence, however, that it can help reset our internal clock—though whether it is more effective than light remains to be seen.
• Some research suggests melatonin may help people fall asleep faster. It could also help those working night shifts adjust their schedules. It may also be an effective treatment for jet lag. For the treatment of insomnia, the study results have thus far been inconclusive.

Image from gnc.com

In sum, melatonin may or may not be effective as a sleeping aid. The good news is that there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that use of it could be harmful, so it could be a good option to try if you’re wary of prescription sleeping pills (as I am). Dosage can vary from 0.2 mg to 20 mg, though, so if you’re considering giving it a go, you should discuss dosage with your doctor first.