5 Everyday Habits That Are Ruining Your Hormonal Health, According to a Doctor

Your hormones are in constant communication with your body but are you tuning in? After more than two decades of supporting people on their wellness journeys, I’ve seen how seemingly harmless daily habits can throw our hormonal balance off track.

Often, we zoom in on major lifestyle overhauls and miss the smaller, everyday choices that quietly shape how we feel. Here are five common habits that might be sabotaging your hormonal health and what you can do to support it instead.

1. Using Conventional Personal Care Products

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and it’s highly absorbent. Yet many of us apply personal care products every day that contain ingredients known to interfere with hormone regulation.

Take standard deodorants and antiperspirants. Many contain aluminium-based compounds that block sweat glands to reduce perspiration. But sweating is one way your body naturally eliminates toxins, including heavy metals and certain chemicals. While your liver and kidneys handle most of your detox work, constantly suppressing sweat especially in lymph-rich areas like your underarms—may increase your overall toxin load, potentially impacting oestrogen metabolism and hormone balance.

Synthetic fragrances are another red flag. These often contain phthalates, chemicals that mimic hormones in the body and may disrupt your natural equilibrium.

The solution? Choose products that work with your body not against it. Natural deodorant options like Totem Eco Natural Deodorant Sticks skip aluminium, synthetic fragrances and harsh bicarbonate in favour of skin-friendly magnesium. They’re proof you don’t have to sacrifice effectiveness to go clean.

2. Chronic Sleep Disruption

It’s easier said than done, especially when you’re juggling work, family and everything else life throws at you, but your hormones follow a 24-hour rhythm. When you regularly miss out on quality sleep, you’re interrupting that natural cycle.

Poor sleep doesn’t just leave you feeling tired. It affects key hormones like cortisol, insulin, melatonin, leptin and ghrelin. Just one night of disrupted rest can reduce insulin sensitivity, while ongoing sleep deprivation can keep cortisol levels elevated throughout the day.

Start small. Aim to head to bed just 15 minutes earlier this week. A simple wind-down routine—like switching off screens, dimming the lights or reading a few pages of a book—can help signal to your body that it’s time to rest.

3. Skipping Meals or Extreme Dieting

Metabolism isn’t just about burning calories. It’s about producing energy at a cellular level and your hormones play a leading role. When you skip meals or dramatically cut your calorie intake, you’re telling your thyroid to slow things down.

This survival response made sense in times of famine, but in today’s world it can backfire. The result? Fatigue, brain fog and stubborn weight that resists your best efforts. Your body needs regular, nourishing meals to support healthy hormone function.

Instead of restrictive eating, focus on consistent meals with protein, healthy fats and complex carbs. For women, eating a protein-rich breakfast before 10am can help balance hunger and reduce cravings throughout the day. Your hormones thrive on steady fuel.

4. Living in Constant Stress Mode

Being constantly busy has become normal, but your adrenal glands were never designed to stay in fight-or-flight mode long term. Chronic stress keeps cortisol levels high, which can interfere with thyroid function, insulin sensitivity and reproductive hormones.

And stress isn’t only emotional. Poor sleep, erratic blood sugar, inflammatory foods and exposure to chemicals can all act as stressors on the body.

Small daily rituals can make a big difference. Try deep breathing, a walk around the block, or stepping away from your screen for five minutes. These moments give your nervous system a much-needed reset.

5. Ignoring Your Body’s Natural Rhythms

Your hormones follow natural cycles—daily, monthly and seasonal. When we override these rhythms with late-night screen time, erratic meal schedules or pushing through fatigue, we work against our biology instead of with it.

Try to eat your meals around the same time each day, get outside for morning sunlight, and listen to your body when it’s asking for rest. Keeping a consistent sleep and wake routine also supports your circadian rhythm. These small shifts can have a big impact on how you feel.

The Path Forward: Small Changes That Add Up

The good news is that improving your hormonal health doesn’t have to mean a major lifestyle overhaul. Often, it’s the smallest changes that make the biggest difference. Start with one adjustment that feels doable, whether that’s switching to a natural deodorant or going to bed 15 minutes earlier.

Supporting your hormones is a journey, not a race. Be kind to yourself, stay consistent and focus on progress over perfection. Your body is resilient and responds well to positive change, sometimes faster than you’d expect.

Choose habits that feel sustainable for you. The goal isn’t to be perfect, it’s to feel better. And with each simple step, you’re giving your hormones the balance they need to support your energy, mood and long-term wellbeing.