Hormones are chemical messengers in our bodies that are secreted by endocrine glands. They play a huge role in maintaining many essential bodily functions including controlling your appetite, mood and even sleep patterns. Imagine the consequences an imbalance in hormones can have on your health. Here are some signs that indicate you may be suffering from hormonal imbalance.

(Also read: 5 Types Of Food to Eat For Balanced Hormones)

Despite religiously going through your 10-step Korean skincare routine every day and night, sometimes you simply can’t keep the pimples away. That’s because your skin also reacts to what goes on within your body. Hormone imbalances during menstruation or menopause can cause severe breakouts or blackheads and whiteheads.

(Also read: 12 Best-selling Korean Beauty Products in Singapore)

Prior to menopause, women produce oestrogen to balance out the small amount of testosterone that is found in their bodies. As oestrogen level falls during menopause, testosterone levels increase and is converted to a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that inhibits hair growth, resulting in hair thinning and hair loss.

(Also read: What to Eat For Healthy Hair)

Fluctuating hormonal levels that typically occur during menstruation, pregnancy or menopause can give you severe headaches. Migraines are often linked to the oestrogen hormone as it plays a part in controlling the sensation of pain in your brain. A drop in oestrogen could potentially trigger serious headaches.

(Also read: How to Treat Headaches, According to TCM Experts)

If you often experience irregular periods or severe menstrual cramps, it is highly likely that you’re suffering from hormonal imbalance. When hormones like oestrogen are not in sync, you will face period problems. To deal with this, you may boost progesterone through foods that are rich in vitamin C and by incorporating exercise in your day-to-day routine.

(Also read: 5 Really Good Reasons to Exercise During Your Period)

We have all been there, experiencing a dramatic shift in mood for no apparent reason – where you’re happy one moment and snapping at everyone in your way the next moment. Oestrogen plays a big role in PMS-related mood swings. However, it can also occur when your thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones – a condition called hypothyroidism. If your mood swings are serious, check with your doctor to see if you require treatment.

(Also read: 10 Ways to Avoid Overeating During PMS)

It’s nothing unusual to feel a little burnt out sometimes. But if you’ve been getting sufficient sleep and still feel weary all the time, it could be due to your hormonal levels. In a study published in European Journal of Endocrinology, the most commonly reported symptom among 108 adults who suffer from hypothyroidism (a hormonal disorder) is fatigue.

Before you beat yourself up over the extra weight gained around your belly, take some time to reevaluate your lifestyle habits. If you have been keeping to a strict diet and lifestyle, your weight gain may be due to hormonal imbalances. Fluctuating hormone levels may be the culprit behind stubborn belly fat. Unfortunately, as you age, your body becomes more susceptible to weight gain due to hormonal changes. That’s why it’s common for women to experience drastic weight gain during menopause.

(Also read: 5 Lower Ab Exercises That Effectively Torch Belly Fat)

Tossing and turning in bed all night long? Persistent insomnia can be attributed to hormonal imbalance. Melatonin is the hormone that affects your sleep-wake cycle. If your other hormones are not in sync, you will have trouble catching some quality shut-eye.

(Also read: Doing These 5 Things Will Guarantee You Sleep)