My hormones and I are in a โsituationship.โ
Years ago, I became convinced I was getting less intelligent.
I would walk into a room and forget why. Lose all my trains of thought mid-sentence. Derailed. No coming back.
Iโd constantly search for words that had wandered off unsupervised. They would come back hours later, long after it was needed and with no apology whatsoever.
I blamed stress.
I blamed being busy.
I blamed getting older.
In reality, it was probably all of those things, mixed with hormonal changes I didnโt fully understand yet.
Female hormones are funny. Theyโre a bit like a Saskatchewan summer storm. One minute the sky is clear, the sun is shining, and life feels manageable. The next, the wind picks up, the clouds roll in, and youโre wondering if you should have brought a jacket, umbrella and storm cellar.
The weather didnโt become bad.
It changed.
Our hormones do too.
Female hormones are a bit like Saskatchewan weather. If you donโt like whatโs happening right now, wait ten minutes.
Most of us think of hormones as reproductive messengers, but they influence far more than our cycles. They affect sleep, memory, focus, mood, energy, and even how connected we feel to the people around us.
One of the most interesting ideas I encountered from a recent podcast interview with Dr. Anna Cabeca. While estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone get most of the attention, hormones like cortisol and oxytocin may have an even bigger impact on how we experience daily life.
Oxytocin is often called the love hormone. Itโs associated with connection, belonging, trust, laughter, affection, friendship, pets, nature, and community.
Likewise, oxytocin and cortisol tend to pull in opposite directions.
But the story doesnโt end there. The plot thickens.
As any prairie girl knows, sunshine and thunderstorms often share the same forecast.
When stress becomes chronic, such as in a body dealing with chronic pain, connection often suffers.
Many of us donโt just feel tired. We feel disconnected.
From ourselves.
From others.
From the things that once brought us joy.
Progesterone plays a role too. It supports sleep, cognition, brain health, and nervous system regulation.
Testosterone contributes to motivation, confidence, energy, and focus. Both naturally decline as we age, and both can be influenced by chronic stress.
Side note: I would like to point out that aging naturally isn’t nearly as freaky as whatever is happening with the people trying desperately to avoid it. Also, at what age do we start meeting for Bingo? Because I’m ready.
Progesterone naturally declines in women, typically beginning in the mid-thirties as ovarian function gradually changes.
My body got the memo that the warranty has expired. All systems started responding the way youโd expect at the end of a warranty. (despite the fact that I was built in the 70s and should have been made to last)
Looking back at my own health journey, I spent years trying to solve individual symptoms.
If I could just stop the migraines.
If I could just overcome the fatigue.
If I could just break the insomnia.
What I eventually learned is that the body doesnโt divide itself into neat little boxes the way we often do.
Sleep affects stress.
Stress affects hormones.
Hormones affect mood.
Mood affects relationships.
Relationships affect wellbeing.
Pull one thread and the whole thing unravels.
Thatโs why healing often requires support from multiple directions.
๐ Good food.
๐ Movement.
๐ Sleep.
๐ Stress management.
๐ Connection.
๐ Time outdoors.
The podcast also reinforced something Iโve known for years: nature has a remarkable way of helping us regulate.
Not because it magically solves our problems, but because it reminds our nervous systems what calm feels like.
Like sitting quietly in warm sunshine after a long winter.
Like hearing nothing but leaves rustle in the breeze.
The Practice
One simple forest therapy practice is this:
- Stop
- Notice 5 things moving around you (leaves, clouds, grass, insects, birds)
- Listen for 3 sounds
- Notice 2 scents
- Take one slow breath
Itโs amazing how quickly the nervous system responds when we give it the chance.
The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.
Ways To Support Oxytocin Naturally
The good news is that many of the things that support oxytocin are surprisingly simple.
- Hug someone you love.
- Spend time with a pet.
- Get outside.
- Sit around a table with friends.
- Laugh.
- Touch grass. Literally.
- Watch a sunrise.
- Watch a sunset.
- Practice gratitude.
- Connect with people who make you feel safe and seen.
None of these things are revolutionary.
But maybe thatโs the point.
Sometimes healing isnโt found in adding another supplement.
Sometimes itโs found in adding another conversation.
Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.
Your Most Important Appointment
One idea I loved from another podcast was the concept of holding regular wellness meetings with yourself.
Not a performance review. Not a guilt session.
A wellness meeting.
Three times a week, ask yourself this:
What do I need today?
Maybe itโs a walk.
Maybe itโs strength training.
Maybe itโs sitting outside with your morning tea and watching the sunrise.
The goal isnโt perfection.
The goal is paying attention before your body starts communicating through burnout, brain fog, anxiety, or exhaustion.
My ultimate goal isnโt to control every hormone. Itโs to stop being blindsided by them.
Because hormones may be fickle.
But theyโre also messengers.
And sometimes theyโre simply asking us to listen.
The greatest wealth is health.
This is the first post in a hormone series. Next week weโll look at hormone disruptors: where the biggest offenders are hiding, and what to use instead.
SUNBEAM ACRES 