Female Hormones Programme

Hormones are chemical messengers that operate within the nervous system. Glands produce and monitor hormone levels, reacting to changes within the body and secreting hormones in response. These hormones signal to other organs and glands, and they respond with the aim of keeping the body in homeostasis – a condition where all things are balanced and functional.

 Women experience hormonal changes throughout their lives. From the onset of puberty, throughout the monthly menstrual cycle and the dramatic changes that take place during and after pregnancy. As women age, their levels of hormones change. These levels fluctuate during the perimenopausal years and change again after menopause. All of these hormonal changes have profound effects on how a woman feels, and how well her body functions.

Female hormones can have a major effect on sleep patterns. Spikes and dips in various hormones and the changes in the balance of hormones that these changes cause can cause sleep disturbances. These problems can range from mild insomnia, trouble falling asleep or waking early, to severe insomnia where the sufferer cannot sleep at all. Hormone fluctuations can also cause frequent nighttime waking. With reduced sleep or poor sleep quality, a vicious cycle of poor mood and poor sleep can occur. This in turn increases stress levels and this can have an impact on the balance of hormones.

Changes in hormones throughout the month cause a range of symptoms that we often associate with being the premenstrual phase. When levels of oestrogen and progesterone are out of balance, the result can be that women experience many similar symptoms. This can include mood swings, feelings of irritability, anxiety and depression. The effects can be quite profound, and this can be very distressing, affecting a woman’s daily life and relationships to the point of being damaging. Healthy rebalanced levels of hormones can ease these symptoms.