Editor’s Note: In this fortnightly column, top doctors share how they deal with their own health challenges, offering readers expert insight grounded in experience. .
As a gynaecologist, people often assume I am always talking about hormones. In many ways, that’s true. Hormones sit at the centre of almost every important phase in a woman’s life.
They influence the menstrual cycle, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, mood, energy, sleep, weight, skin, and hair.
Over the years, both through clinical practice and personal experience, I have realised something very important: hormonal health is widely misunderstood.
Many women come to me hoping for a single solution, one test, one supplement, one medicine, one lifestyle hack that will “fix” everything. But the body does not work in shortcuts. Hormonal balance is not a switch you flip.
It is something you build quietly, through daily consistency.
And I say this not just as a doctor, but as a woman navigating a demanding professional life.
I CANNOT TEACH HEALTH WITHOUT PRACTISING IT
Working in a hospital means unpredictability. OPDs can stretch for hours. Surgeries can take longer than planned. Emergencies can completely change the day’s schedule within minutes.
There have been days when I realised I hadn’t had enough water.
Days when I ate in a rush between cases. Nights when sleep was cut short because of back-to-back responsibilities. Doctors are not immune to modern stress.
Over time, I understood a simple truth: I cannot treat health as something I only advise my patients about. I have to practise it myself. Not perfectly. Not rigidly. But practically and sustainably.
Hormonal health, for me, became less about dramatic changes and more about protecting small daily habits.
SLEEP: THE MOST UNDERRATED HORMONE REGULATOR
If there is one pillar of hormonal health I protect consciously, it is sleep.
When sleep is disturbed, stress hormones rise. Chronically elevated cortisol affects multiple hormonal pathways.
It can disturb thyroid function, worsen insulin resistance, increase cravings, disrupt appetite hormones, affect mood, and even disturb menstrual cycle regularity.
When women come to me with fatigue, weight changes, anxiety, irregular periods, or worsening PMS, one of the first questions I ask is about sleep. The connection is strong.
In my own routine, I try to:
- Keep dinner light
- Avoid stretching screen time too late
- Create a simple wind-down routine
- Allow myself a few quiet minutes before bed
Even small changes help the nervous system shift from stress mode to rest mode. Hormones respond deeply to that shift.
FOOD: STABILITY OVER EXTREMES
I do not believe in extreme diets to “fix” hormones. In fact, restrictive diets often worsen imbalance because the body begins functioning in survival mode.
What women need most is stability, especially stable blood sugar.
One pattern I frequently see is:
- Skipping meals
- Relying heavily on tea or coffee
- Eating a very heavy meal late at night
This creates repeated blood sugar spikes and crashes. Over time, it contributes to fatigue, cravings, acne, mood swings, weight gain, and worsening PCOS symptoms.
Personally, I focus on balance:
- Eating meals on time
- Including protein and fibre in each meal
- Avoiding long gaps without food
On long hospital days, I keep simple options nearby: nuts, fruits, and yoghurt. It is far better than letting the body crash and then overeating later. Hormones thrive on predictability.
MOVEMENT: FOR RESILIENCE, NOT AESTHETICS
Exercise is often viewed through the lens of weight loss or appearance. I see it differently. Movement builds hormonal resilience.
Regular activity:
- Supports insulin balance
- Improves metabolism
- Enhances mood
- Improves sleep quality
- Reduces stress hormones
The good news is that it does not have to be complicated.
Many women feel discouraged because they think only intense gym routines work. That is not true.
Walking, yoga, stretching, swimming, cycling, and light strength training are all highly effective.
I strongly recommend strength training for most women because it supports:
- Muscle health
- Bone density
- Metabolism
- Long-term hormonal balance
In my own life, I focus on consistency, not intensity. Some days it’s a structured workout. Other days, it’s just walking and stretching. But I try not to let movement disappear completely.
GUT HEALTH AND HORMONES: A QUIET CONNECTION
Many women do not immediately connect gut health with hormones. But the relationship is very real.
When digestion is poor, constipation, bloating, acidity, and inflammation, women often feel:
- More fatigue
- Heavier
- Irritable
- Uncomfortable in their bodies
These symptoms can indirectly worsen hormonal imbalances.
To support digestion, I try to:
- Prefer home-cooked meals
- Include adequate fibre
- Consume probiotics like curd
- Stay well hydrated
- Reduce packaged snacks
When the gut feels calmer, the body feels calmer. Hormones respond positively to that internal balance.
STRESS: THE SILENT HORMONE DISRUPTOR
Stress is not just emotional. The body processes stress hormonally.
Chronic stress can:
- Disrupt menstrual cycles
- Affect thyroid function
- Worsen PCOS
- Disturb sleep
- Contribute to weight gain
- Increase anxiety and mood swings
In medicine, we are trained to work under pressure. But nobody can stay in constant stress mode without consequences.
Over time, I have learnt that stress management does not require dramatic changes. It requires small, intentional pauses:
- Deep breathing between consultations
- A few minutes of silence
- Stepping away from constant phone exposure
- Setting boundaries
- Learning to say no without guilt
Sometimes, protecting your hormones starts with protecting your peace.
DO NOT NORMALISE SYMPTOMS
Women are perfect at tolerating discomfort.
They ignore:
- Painful periods
- Heavy bleeding
- Extreme fatigue
- Sleep disturbance
- Hair fall
- Mood swings
- Frequent headaches
- Sudden weight changes
Often for months or even years.
But many of these are signals. The body speaks before it breaks down.
I encourage women to seek help early rather than waiting for symptoms to become severe.
Regular health check-ups and screenings should not happen only when something feels urgent. Preventive care is a powerful form of hormonal care.
And I follow the same advice myself.
HORMONAL HEALTH IS BUILT DAILY
If there is one message I want every woman to remember, it is this:
Hormonal health is not built through perfection. It is built through everyday choices.
Start small:
- Sleep a little better
- Eat a little more regularly
- Move your body consistently
- Hydrate adequately
- Create small moments of calm
Over time, these small habits compound. The body responds slowly but surely.
When your hormones begin to feel balanced, you don’t just feel better medically. You feel emotionally steadier. Your energy improves. Your confidence rises. Your resilience grows.
And that is when you realise something powerful, hormonal health is not a quick fix. It is a lifestyle you live every single day.
(The author is Dr Shweta Mendiratta, Director and Unit Head, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yatharth Hospital, Faridabad.)
