Stress hormones interfere with the hormonal balance. Learn more what causes stress & how to defeat it effectively
Stress interferes with the hormonal communication between the brain, pituitary gland (which is the master gland that controls all the stress hormones in the body) and the ovaries (which produce your sex hormones).
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND EFFECTS OF STRESS?
When we experience physical, mental, or emotional factors that cause us to feel tense, the brain activates the so-called "stress response mechanism", releasing specific hormones which help us to regain our emotional, mental and body balance.
The hormones involved in our stress response are:
1) Prolactin. This stress hormone can greatly interfere with fertility as its increase may prevent ovulation, thus decreasing your chances of getting pregnant or causing your cycle to be irregular.
2) Adrenalin. The release of this stress hormone causes a decrease of progesterone sex hormone in the body. If progesterone is low, you may experience spotting pre & post cycle, and you may have more difficulty to get pregnant as the fertilised egg will struggle to implant in the uterus. Adrenalin increases when blood sugar levels drop, so it is important to try keeping Blood Sugar levels balanced.
3) Cortisol. High level of cortisol hormone is toxic for the brain and can affect the release of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), preventing an egg to mature and be released for fertilisation.
4) When stress levels are too high, the release of progesterone can stop. Progesterone is a female hormone that is essential for conception and key in balancing Oestrogen dominant conditions, such as PCOS, Endometriosis and Fibroids.
When progesterone levels are low, you may experience spotting pre & post cycle, and you may have more difficulty to get pregnant as the fertilised egg will struggle to implant in the uterus. Our specialised fertility reflexology treatment is extremely calming, thus it can effectively help you to relax restoring hormonal balance and stimulating eggs production.
When we are not stressed, sex is likely to be more enjoyable and women are more likely to retain sperm.
WHAT ARE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO DECREASE STRESS HORMONES AND IMPROVE YOUR STRESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGY?
CARDIO EXERCISE (such as jogging, cycling, HIIT). When you exercise vigorously, you use blood sugar, fatty deposits, thus decreasing cortisol hormone levels in the bloodstream.
Try YOGA or some gentle stretches
Have 'ME' TIME - nurture yourself mentally, emotionally and physically!
BREATHE DEEPLY. It activates the parasympathetic (calming) nervous system, slowing down the heartbeat, oxygenating and refreshing the blood travelling to vital organs, thus decreasing the circulation of stress hormones in the body. So make a conscious effort to breath more deeply to break any poor breathing habit pattern. Try to consider each breath as new life, vitality dissolving the symptoms of stress and anxiety.
MEDITATION. Sitting calmly and connecting with your inner self can be a great stress management tool which will also help you to develop your breathing skills and improve your stress. Try to listen to the guided meditations and see if they can help you to connect to your breathing, or read this 5 tips HOW TO START A MEDITATION PRACTICE.
Experiment the POWER OF THOUGHT and start noticing what positive/negative thought patterns bring about. A simple thought has a significant impact on your mind, body and emotions. What you choose to think about yourself and your life becomes truth to you, and you have unlimited choices about what you can think! Get inspired now!
Try AFFIRMATIONS, which are simply short statements helping you to create a positive mental attitude. You could try to write them down or even sing them :)
Try VISUALISATION to empower your mind and create positive thought patterns. As Albert Einstein used to say “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Use ESSENTIAL OILS such as:
Lavender
Bergamot
Myrrh
Frankincense
We hope you have now a clearer idea about what are the causes, symptoms and effects of stress.. and how to improve your stress management strategy for good :)
