Our hormones are potent and they regulate almost all bodily processes. So, any dysregulation in them can seriously impact our mind and body.
In Part I, I discussed the stress hormone, cortisol. Although it is essential for optimal health, when it gets too high, it downregulates our other hormones, especially progesterone. This shift in physiology occurs because when we are threatened, or perceive ourselves to be, our body prioritizes its survival over reproduction and recovery.
Thankfully, we can optimize cortisol levels by implementing lifestyle practices, stress relief strategies, nutrition, aromatherapy, herbs, and supplements within a naturopathic and functional medicine protocol.
Another means to support our body’s ability to de-stress is through melatonin, the counterbalancing hormone to cortisol. The relationship between these two key chemical messengers is essential for harmonizing our wakefulness with our rest.
With approximately 1 in 5 (about 17%) of Americans on sleeping medications in 2020, it is essential to find some natural approaches to assist with our ability to dial down at night. This is especially true considering that hypnotics are meant to be used only short-term and have some scary side effects. When using techniques to support our melatonin levels, it appears not only can we help to promote our sleep, but obtain actual side benefits.
Besides melatonin’s role in helping us to fall asleep, it also adjusts various biochemical pathways that can be altered by stress. In fact, several human trials have shown it can aid everything from brain health, digestive wellness, cellular function, and mood.
In my latest post and video, I cover everything you ever wanted to know about cortisol’s sidekick, melatonin. *
Topics include:
- What melatonin is
- What melatonin does
- Clinical studies that support melatonin’s benefits
- What influences melatonin
- How melatonin is regulated
- What occurs when melatonin and cortisol are out of sync
- Functional medicine tests for assessing the melatonin-cortisol relationship
- How to balance melatonin naturally
- FAQs about supplementing with melatonin
Click here to read more about melatonin and discover how to optimize it using naturopathic and functional medicine.
*This post is based on one of my publication on Rupa Health with some additional information and my clinical experience.
Naturopathic Medicine and Holistic Resources for Hormonal, Mood, and Digestive Support
- Free resources and more education on essential oils and mind-body wellness are available to you here.
- Tools for coping with isolation and separation.
- An Integrative Mental Health and Stress Resource Guide.
- My free online essential oils database.
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Disclaimer: This material is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any illness. You should check with your doctor regarding implementing any new strategies into your wellness regime. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
This information is applicable ONLY for therapeutic quality essential oils. This information DOES NOT apply to essential oils that have not been tested for purity and standardized constituents. There is no quality control in the United States, and oils labeled as “100% pure” need only to contain 5% of the actual oil. The rest of the bottle can be filled with fillers and sometimes toxic ingredients that can irritate the skin. The studies are not based solely on a specific brand of an essential oil, unless stated. Please read the full study for more information.
