Hormonal Honey? How heatwaves affect your hormones
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As a heatwave from France is slowly starting to make its way to the UK, with this weekend seeing highs of 31° in the capital, you may notice a few changes in your body as result of the rise in temperatures. Mike Kocsis, hormone expert from Balance My Hormones explains how hot weather results in hormone changes and offers advice on how to combat symptoms for a more comfortable summer.
Mike Kocsis, hormone expert from Balance My Hormones
Heat can worsen menopause symptoms
Hot temperatures can exacerbate existing menopause symptoms. Considering one of the most common symptoms of menopause are hot flushes (also known as hot flashes), the sudden feeling of intense heat across the upper body, especially across your face and chest, making you feel dizzy and disorientated.
When exposed to higher external temperatures, your body’s own internal temperature regulation is triggered, resulting in even more uncomfortable hot flushes. To cope, it is recommended to maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise routine. It is also recommended to try relaxing, low impact movements such as yoga, tai chi or meditation, plus try “weight-bearing” activities where your feet and legs support your weight, such as walking or dancing.
Heat can affect menstrual cycle
It has been scientifically proven that higher temperatures can both worsen the physical symptoms of your period and even either shorten or lengthen the cycle altogether. This is because your internal temperature natural increases during menstruation, due to the increase of progesterone. Combining your higher internal temperature with the high temperatures outside means you’ll feel even more hot and uncomfortable.
Not only that but extreme heat can imbalance reproductive hormones such as progesterone and oestrogen, leading to irregular periods, prolonged cycles and worsened pain. To combat these symptoms in the summer, stay in the shade wherever possible and try to keep cool by wearing light-coloured and airy fabrics such as linen.
Otherwise, maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise is important to keeping on top of symptoms. If you find yourself constantly struggling with symptoms then you must visit your doctor, as this could be a sign of an underlying issue, like endometriosis.
Heat affects cortisol production
Ever noticed that during the summer you feel more anxious, worried or irritable but you’re not sure why? A 2018 study conducted that the summer is when “people are most likely to have higher levels of stress hormones” circulating, which is caused by extra production of cortisol.
Also known as the “stress hormone”, cortisol plays a key role in the brain’s stress response, helping to control blood pressure and reduce inflammation. Everyone needs some levels of cortisol although too much can result in long-term health conditions such as anxiety, high blood pressure and even depression.
Studies have shown that your body will produce cortisol faster in hot weather, alongside other hormones such as prolactin for brain development and cytokines for immune system development.
There are ways to help maintain your cortisol production, such as meditation, regular low-impact exercise and getting a good night’s sleep. This is especially key if you have a lot of stress in your life, say in your work life.
