What You Don’t Know About Stress, Hormones, and Mood
Body-mind connection is a popular phrase, though rather nondescript in itself. We have so many therapy clients specifically reaching out for support with empowerment or work/life balance. I can’t tell you how many women have sat on my couch and said, “I don’t want a therapist who tells me to practice self-care” - to which I say, fair enough. In this post, I’m going to endeavour to share some things you may not know to support your therapy journey. You already know that feeling exhausted, irritable, or emotionally overwhelmed has both physical and psychological causes and impacts. Let’s explore specific examples and ground them in common experiences for women as caregivers, employees, partners as well as straight up being human.
Pain is More Painful When You’re Stressed or Have a Negative Outlook
Your experience (mood, how you feel in your body, energy) is shaped by both concrete biological mechanisms and more fluid, perception-based phenomena. Some processes, like hormone fluctuations and neurotransmitter activity, have clear, measurable biological markers. Others - like pain, fatigue, or energy levels - are undeniably biological, sure, but they are much less fixed - they are shaped by our nervous system, past experiences, and even psychological state. Pain, for example, is processed by the brain, meaning its intensity and persistence can be influenced by stress, memory, and emotional context.
Really think about that for a moment - you feel more pain when you have higher stress levels. So if you are worried or feeling insecure at work and you’re headed to a meeting you feel “bad” about, slamming your toe on the way is going to feel much more painful than if you were headed there because you’re excited and optimistic about what you’re going to share. Think of the implications for that - think of all the times women feel limited by physical pain and blame the pain, not realizing that how we perceive our world and selves dials the pain or up down. Think of all the times we’ve been stress-cases and our kids hurt themselves and have a “disproportionate” reaction, even though we know that how we are heavily dictates how our kids are. (Or vice versa!) Or how pain from menstrual cramps has many women curling up in bed feeling cruddy, because it’s following a week of PMS’ distorted thoughts of self-criticism.
Make it stand out
Stress Tanks the Processes that Help You Think and Feel Clearly
When your body-mind perceives stress - regardless of its source - a cascade of biological responses starts with a signal to increase stress hormone output to help you stay alert and responsive in the short term. Thus, chronic stress is the consistent and constant elevation of stress hormones, which interferes with your balance of other key hormones.
Research shows that when women experience prolonged stress…
Progesterone is suppressed: this hormone supports emotional resilience and calm and when levels drop, anxiety, irritability and sleep disturbances increase (this is also why your sleep falls apart during PMS because progesterone levels drop during this phase of your cycle)
Estrogen is suppressed: estrogen supports serotonin production (the "feel-good" neurotransmitter), as well as with stamina and cognitive function, reducing brain fog and fatigue. Again, part of why you likely do your best thinking and are the most creative in the early stages of your cycle post menstruation
Thyroid function is negatively impacted more so than men, including suppression of thyroid hormone production and conversion that’s required for clear thinking, motivation and proper metabolism (both cellular and the type influencing body composition)
Chronic Stress Sucks Your Skin and Hair Dry and Isn’t Sorry
Here is a fact that all humans, but especially women, need to know: under prolonged stress, the body will convert other hormones, such as progesterone and even DHEA (critical for mood, cognition and libido), into cortisol to maintain its heightened alert state. Your body steals “less useful” hormones (i.e. those that govern your sleep, digestion, reproductive processes, etc) and converts them into stress hormones - and it never pays them back. Over time, this shift can lead to irregular cycles, weight gain (especially around the midsection), increased inflammation, and reduced muscle mass. Many women will also experience skin issues, bloating, and decreased libido as a result of prolonged hormonal imbalance.
Additionally, high cortisol levels can interfere with insulin regulation, leading to blood sugar imbalances that further disrupt energy levels and mood stability, including the increased drive to seek out sugar comfort even when you’re full. This complex interplay means that stress doesn’t just make you feel emotionally drained - it physically alters your body’s ability to regulate itself, leading to long-term consequences if left unaddressed.
Therapy is Good For Your Skin, Libido, and Metabolism
There’s more I could share, but I think that particular fact about cortisol’s sneak-thievery should be compelling enough to make the connection between robust mental health, stress management and women’s physical health concrete. If you are looking for counselling or therapy services in west Ottawa or online, and you are interested in a connection with a therapist who considers your self-esteem and mental health with a holistic, body-mind lens, feel free to reach out or schedule a consultation.
