4 Warning Signs of Hormonal Imbalance You Should Never Ignore After 40

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4 Warning Signs of Hormonal Imbalance You Should Never Ignore After 40

If you’re over 40 and experiencing sleep difficulties, mood swings, and low energy, you’re not alone. Most people experience these signs due to a change in their hormones, which usually show up in perimenopause/menopause in women or due to age in men. Here are five signs to watch out for and take action to protect your overall emotional and physical well-being.

Your Sleep Falls Apart

If you have to wake up several times during the night, find yourself drenched in sweat, or just can’t calm your racing mind to go to sleep, your hormones could be to blame. Sleep problems are usually the most common symptoms of menopause, and they often present along with night sweats and hot flashes.

For most women, the onset of menopause can affect the way they control body temperature (goodbye, sleep), and the cumulative effect of disrupted sleep can cause cravings, mood swings, and brain fog. For men, a slow decline in testosterone can result in a number of issues, including increased sleepiness and lethargy. In order to deal with this situation, you must:

• Keep an eye on the pattern for a couple of weeks, focusing on bedtime, wake-ups, night sweats, caffeine, alcohol, and stress.
• Discuss relief options with a healthcare provider if hot flashes or night sweats are severe, as they can destroy your sleep quality.
• Get tested for sleep apnea if you snore loudly, don’t feel rested in the morning, or feel tired during the day.

If you’re undergoing these changes, and not experiencing any improvements with self-care measures, you may consider going for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Your doctor may use it as part of a broader overall approach if your hormonal changes are directly affecting your sleep quality. It usually happens when women are going through menopause or men witnessing a decline in testosterone. HRT can help correct those imbalances.

You Gain Weight in the Midsection

If you notice a sudden shift in your belly fat and muscle tone, it usually indicates a change in your body composition. Most women undergo these changes when they go through menopause, so again, there’s a hormonal imbalance at work here.

Your hormones are responsible for controlling fat storage in your body, muscle growth, appetite, and stress. It means a change in hormones affects all these aspects even if your habits stay the same. Similarly, men with low testosterone levels have high body fat content and reduced muscle size and strength.

In women, the slow decline in estrogen usually coincides with changes in metabolic health markers and overall body composition. In men, the decrease in testosterone changes the way your body processes food and handles exercise, which leads to more fat gain and weaker muscles. To deal with this situation, you should:

• Focus on strength training because maintaining muscle mass is vital to keeping your metabolism strong even when your body is undergoing hormonal changes.
• Develop good dietary habits with fiber, protein, and adequate fat because hormonal changes can affect your sleep and trigger cravings.
• Talk to your doctor if your weight gain is rapid, unexplained, or accompanied by fatigue and low moods, as it could also be due to thyroid-related issues.

Your Mood Gets Unpredictable

If you stay in an anxious mode all the time, feel irritated, or have racing thoughts, it could indicate a hormonal imbalance. Depression, mood swings, anxiety, and inability to focus are some of the most common menopause and perimenopause symptoms. During this phase, it’s also natural to develop sleep related issues, which also exacerbate anxiety and mood symptoms.

Most men think that low testosterone only results in low sex drive, but that’s not the case. In fact, it’s also responsible for other symptoms, such as concentration problems, memory loss, extreme tiredness, and mood fluctuations. For women, the hormone levels fluctuate during perimenopause, which can make moods and cognition feel more volatile. If sleep quality suffers, due to night sweats or stress, managing emotions and thinking can become even trickier.

You should see all these changes as a health issue, not a personal failing, especially if they’re new, persist, and are accompanied by other symptoms like hot flashes, sleep problems, and changes in sex drive. Don’t forget to discuss treatment with a health professional to alleviate symptoms.

Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Become Common

Hot flashes are like an internal heat wave. Your face turns red, you sweat profusely, and then you get chills like your body just can’t make up its mind which season it wants to be in. Hot flushes and night sweats are classic menopause and perimenopause symptoms, and the NHS has included them in the list of common physical symptoms women experience during this phase. 

Night sweats are unpleasant and can interfere with your sleep quality. When you can’t sleep well, you end up dealing with fatigue, mood swings, and stress during the day. Interestingly, hot flashes are typically associated with menopause in women, men may also experience the same. 

Hot flashes in men are caused by a reduction in testosterone levels, a condition referred to as hypogonadism. This can be a result of aging or androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. When those levels go down, the hypothalamus fails to regulate the body’s temperature, resulting in sweating and flushing. To deal with this situation, you should:

• Take your time and identify your triggers, such as spicy foods, alcoholic or caffeinated beverages, warm environments, and stress.
• Consider medical treatment if the problem is recurring or interferes with daily life.
• Consider hormonal therapy to treat your condition, but know that not everyone is a candidate for it and only a doctor can help decide based on your unique circumstances.
• See a doctor right away if the hot flashes are particularly severe or have other symptoms, such as chest pain, unexplained weight loss, or lightheadedness.

Endnote

Hormonal issues after the age of 40 tend to sneak up on you slowly. The symptoms aren’t severe at first, but you may still experience problems like stubborn belly fat, poor sleep, hot flashes, and a decrease in sex drive. It’s vital to not ignore these signs and carefully observe the patterns. Know that you can find ways to improve your condition and you don’t have to simply push through the phase. Getting more active will surely help, but don’t forget to speak to an expert if you’re unsure of where to start.