How Hormones Can Impact Anxiety
Feeling more anxious than usual? Struggling with intrusive thoughts, restlessness, or feelings of overwhelm? For many women - especially mums navigating pregnancy, postpartum, PMS, or perimenopause - anxiety isn’t always just psychological. Hormones can play a powerful, and often overlooked, role.
Hormones act as chemical messengers, influencing mood, sleep, energy, blood sugar and emotional regulation. When they become imbalanced, the nervous system can become more reactive, making anxiety feel more intense and harder to control. Understanding this connection can help you respond with compassion and give you the power to make healthy changes that can influence your hormones and overall mental and physical wellbeing.
Here’s a closer look at the key hormones linked to anxiety and how imbalances can affect you.
Cortisol: The Stress Hormone
Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands and is released in response to stress to help give us energy and make us more alert. It is a hormone we need each morning to wake us up, however, too much can contribute to feelings of anxiety, especially when stress has been ongoing for a while.
How Imbalance Triggers Anxiety
Chronically elevated cortisol from ongoing stress, sleep deprivation, or blood sugar instability, keeps the nervous system in ‘fight-or-flight’ mode increasing:
Restlessness
Racing thoughts
Irritability
Elevated heart rate
Low cortisol, which is often seen in clients with burnout or chronic stress and fatigue, can lead to poor stress tolerance - even small stressors feel overwhelming.
Mums tend to be more vulnerable to ongoing cortisol imbalances due to:
Interrupted sleep
Emotional load of caring for a family
Constant multi-tasking
Postpartum stress
How to keep cortisol in balance: the main way to improve cortisol levels is to reduce stress. There are many ways to do that including exercising or moving your body any way you can, yoga, deep breathing exercises, journalling, meditation, getting out in nature, walking bare foot on the grass to help ground you etc. Try to organise your to-do list into most important first (what has to be done this minute, hour, day, week etc) to minimise your mental load. See my article on Calming Nutrients to Support you when Stressed or Anxious for what to eat to support cortisol levels.
Progesterone: The Calming Hormone
Progesterone is vital for healthy menstrual function and pregnancy, but it also has natural anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects - it is converted into a compound called allopregnanolone which helps promote GABA activity - a neurotransmitter responsible for slowing down overactive brain signals, promoting a sense of calm.
How Imbalance Triggers Anxiety
Low progesterone, especially relative to oestrogen, can cause feelings of increased worry, anxiety, panic-like sensations, poor sleep and increased emotional reactivity. Drops in progesterone are common in certain life phases:
Late luteal phase (PMS)
Postpartum (progesterone drops sharply after birth)
Perimenopause (ovulation becomes irregular)
How to keep progesterone in balance: Progesterone is made by the body when we ovulate. The corpus luteum that remains after a healthy egg is produced is what makes this magical hormone for around 10-14 days during the luteal phase of your cycle. Lactational amenorrhea (lack of periods while breastfeeding or in the initial months postpartum), menstrual cycle/ovulation issues and perimenopause can all cause progesterone levels to drop which may impact our mental wellbeing.
Eating to naturally boost progesterone levels (promote ovulation) can be a good first step, even if you think you might be in perimenopause (see my article on Eating for your Menstrual Cycle). You can learn how to track if you are ovulating and making progesterone or alternatively, see a health professional for further support/investigations if you are concerned.
Oestrogen: Mood-Regulating Hormone
Oestrogen isn’t just a reproductive hormone - it supports serotonin and dopamine levels (as well as other neurotransmitters), memory and learning, protects neurones from damage, promotes heart health and supports mitochondrial function, amongst many other things. Serotonin, dopamine and other neurotransmitters are essential for mood stability and emotional resilience, which is why you may notice your mood becoming more erratic at times when oestrogen might be lower, such as just after ovulation or during perimenopause.
How Imbalance Triggers Anxiety
Low oestrogen can reduce serotonin, leading to:
Low stress tolerance
Anxiety and irritability
Low mood
Poor sleep
High oestrogen, relative to progesterone, can make you feel more anxious, emotionally sensitive, or reactive. This is often related to the sudden drop from high to low oestrogen, rather than the high oestrogen itself. This change from high to low can make women more vulnerable to mood changes at certain times in life:
Postpartum: oestrogen (and progesterone) drops dramatically after birth and remains low for a number of months.
Perimenopause: oestrogen can fluctuate like it’s on a rollercoaster during this time as ovulation becomes more erratic and our ovaries don’t respond like they used to.
Around ovulation or in the late luteal phase: oestrogen peaks and drops just before ovulation and slightly less so later in the luteal phase.
Tips to improve oestrogen balance: oestrogen is removed from the body through our bowels, via the liver. To promote better balance and reduce the chances of a dramatic drop in oestrogen, try focussing on healthy digestive and liver function - regular bowel motions, eating enough fibre, drinking fluids, not overdoing it on alcohol or high-fat/sugar foods. If you are concerned about your oestrogen levels and if they are impacting your anxiety levels or mood, see your GP or natural healthcare practitioner for further investigations - it can be checked with a blood test on days 2-3 of your cycle and at 7 days past ovulation.
Thyroid Hormones: Energy, Metabolism and Nervous System Regulation
Your thyroid gland produces thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) which are crucial for healthy metabolism, energy, brain function and nervous system activity.
How Imbalance Triggers Anxiety
Hyperthyroidism (high thyroid hormones) can mimic anxiety through symptoms such as heart palpitations, restlessness, nervousness and sleep difficulties.
Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormones) can contribute to feelings of low mood, poor stress tolerance and brain fog, which can heighten anxious thoughts.
Tips to improve thyroid health: Thyroid hormone imbalances can mimic anxiety symptoms as well as symptoms of perimenopause, such as menstrual cycle changes, thinning hair and mood issues, so it is always worth getting your thyroid checked via a blood test if you are concerned. Ask your GP if they can test TSH, T3, T4 and thyroid antibodies for a thorough assessment. I always recommend getting your thyroid tested before prescribing supportive nutritional supplements, such as iodine, as this can unnecessarily worsen certain thyroid conditions and put your health at risk.
During postpartum, a condition called postpartum thyroiditis (which affects up to 10% of women) can present with anxiety symptoms. You are at higher risk of this if you have been diagnosed with a thyroid condition pre-pregnancy. As always, see your GP or natural healthcare practitioner if you are concerned.
Insulin & Blood Sugar Hormones
Blood sugar highs and lows can directly impact cortisol and adrenaline - both anxiety-triggering. Eating balanced meals with protein, healthy fats and fibre helps stabilise blood sugar and nervous system response. Insulin resistance can also play a role in mood and mental wellbeing.
How Imbalance Triggers Anxiety
Skipped meals, high-sugar foods, sugary drinks and simple carbohydrates can cause blood-sugar crashes leading to:
Shakiness
Racing heart
Irritability
Panic-like sensations
Why This Matters for Mums: erratic eating around work and kid schedules, stress (high cortisol) and sleep loss, all increase insulin resistance and blood sugar instability. This can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes a few years down the line, so is worth addressing now with a few simple dietary and lifestyle changes. See my article here for ideas on how to eat to help regulate blood sugar and insulin balance.
Melatonin: The Sleep and Calm Hormone
Melatonin tells your body that it’s time to sleep, helping maintain your circadian rhythm. Melatonin starts rising after the sun goes down, with levels peaking in the middle of the night and decreasing as it’s time to wake up. It supports restorative sleep, which is essential for regulating cortisol, brain function and managing stress and anxiety. Melatonin also has mild antioxidant properties that protect the brain from stress-related oxidative damage.
How Imbalance Triggers Anxiety
Low melatonin leads to poor sleep quality or insomnia, causing heightened cortisol levels and reduced stress tolerance.
Delayed melatonin production can lead to difficulty falling asleep, which worsens mood and anxiety.
Sleep deprivation reduces GABA activity in the brain, making the nervous system more reactive – you may notice yourself snapping at your kids or partner more easily after a bad nights sleep.
A bad nights sleep can amplify cravings for simple carbs the next day, impacting blood sugar balance and further driving anxiety symptoms.
How to balance melatonin: support melatonin naturally through consistent sleep routines, limiting blue light before bed, and keeping your bedroom dark and cool. Find a relaxing, calming evening routine that works for you and your family. Prioritise early bedtime if possible and get outside in the sunlight first thing in the morning to promote a healthy circadian rhythm.
When you have young children, getting enough sleep can be a challenge in itself, even when you desperately want it! Nighttime feeds, constantly waking children, and irregular schedules can all disrupt melatonin production, amplifying anxiety. Be kind to yourself during these times and know it will not last forever. Do the best you can to get as much sleep as possible, even if it means going to bed at 8pm for a while if that is when your baby sleeps for the longest length of time.
Oxytocin: The Bonding Hormone
Oxytocin is a beautiful hormone that supports connection, trust and emotional regulation. We usually associate it with breastfeeding, when it promotes bonding and connection with the baby. However it can also be increased through feelings of connection with others, and be lowered if we feel socially isolated or chronically stressed.
How Low Levels Affect Anxiety
Low oxytocin - often due to isolation, stress, or lack of support - may:
Increase social anxiety
Heighten fear responses
Reduce stress resilience
Tips to increase oxytocin naturally: Through gentle physical touch - either giving yourself a hug or another close, trusted friend or family member; social support - connecting with friends or local community; and bonding with your children or partner – hugging, playing, talking – anything to strengthen the connection with them.
Why Knowing These Hormonal Shifts is Important for Mothers
Many life stages involve dramatic hormonal shifts that can mimic anxiety or cause mood imbalances:
Pregnancy: oestrogen and progesterone increase and can make us feel great.
Birth: rapid drops in progesterone and oestrogen can increase the risk of postpartum depression or anxiety.
Postpartum: sleep deprivation, stress, breastfeeding demands and nutritional depletion (nutritional deficiencies can also mimic anxiety symptoms, see my article on eating for anxiety) can all lead to mood and anxiety issues.
Weaning and return of menstruation postpartum: causes fluctuations in oestrogen, progesterone, prolactin and oxytocin, impacting mood.
Perimenopause: tends to create a rollercoaster of hormones, particular higher and then lower oestrogen, alongside a steady drop in progesterone.
Often being aware of when these changes are occurring can help you be kind to yourself and know that you likely won’t feel like you do forever. In the meantime, there are many dietary and lifestyle practices your can put in place to help reduce your risk of developing anxiety, or reducing your symptoms if anxiety is something you have experienced for many years - it is why I am so passionate about supporting clients in this space!
Key Takeaway
Hormones do not tend to cause anxiety in isolation, but imbalances can amplify stress responses, emotional sensitivity and nervous system reactivity, often mimicking feelings of anxiety. Life stages like postpartum and perimenopause, alongside chronic life stress, can make this feel even more pronounced.
The good news? Hormonal imbalances are modifiable. Nutrition, sleep, stress support, movement, and targeted support can significantly improve both hormone balance and anxiety.
If you would like personalised support with anxiety, stress or hormone imbalances, learn more about my 1:1 nutrition consultations here.
When to Seek Support
It is important to seek professional support if:
Anxiety is persistent or worsening.
Symptoms interfere with daily life.
You suspect thyroid or hormonal issues.
You are postpartum and feeling overwhelmed.
You have physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, weight changes, fatigue.
Alongside the support of health professionals such as a GP, Psychologist or Counsellor, a Clinical Nutritionist can help guide testing, nutrition, and lifestyle strategies to support your overall mental and physical wellbeing.
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