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Four Key Hormones for Healthy Aging
Your hormones control much more than you might think. While estrogen and testosterone get most of the attention, four other hormones work behind the scenes to keep your body running smoothly: growth hormone, thyroid, cortisol, and melatonin.
Four Key Hormones for Healthy Aging
Your hormones control much more than you might think. While estrogen and testosterone get most of the attention, four other hormones work behind the scenes to keep your body running smoothly: growth hormone, thyroid, cortisol, and melatonin.
The challenge? Like most body systems, these hormone levels decline as we age. The good news? Your daily choices around food, exercise, sleep, and stress management can make a real difference in keeping them balanced.
Growth Hormone: Build and Maintain Muscle
Growth hormone helps your body maintain lean muscle and healthy body composition. After age 30, it drops about 1% each year. You'll notice this in gradual muscle loss and increased body fat.
Skip the expensive supplements. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) gives growth hormone a natural boost. Deep sleep matters too, since that's when your body produces the most. Create a calming bedtime routine, dim the lights, and keep your bedroom cool and screen-free.
Melatonin: More Than Just Sleep
You probably know melatonin helps regulate sleep cycles. Recent research shows it does far more. Melatonin fights oxidative stress and inflammation throughout your body, protecting your heart, brain, and immune system.
Small habits protect your natural melatonin production: get morning sunlight, dim lights at night, stick to a regular sleep schedule, and use blue-light filters on screens. As you age and levels drop, consider taking a melatonin supplement.
Cortisol: The Double-Edged Energy Hormone
Cortisol gives you energy in the morning and helps you handle challenges during the day. But when stress keeps cortisol high all day and night, problems start. Chronic high cortisol breaks down muscle, promotes fat storage, and interferes with sleep.
Build your own stress toolkit. Try stretching slow breathing, walks in nature, or even three minutes of sunlight during a stressful day. These quick resets lower cortisol and train your nervous system to recover faster.
Thyroid: Your Metabolism Regulator
Your thyroid manages how fast your body burns calories for energy. Low thyroid function causes weight gain, fatigue, dry skin, and brain fog. It becomes more common with age, especially in women.
The solution is straightforward. Get a full thyroid panel (including free T3, free T4, and TSH). Many people need prescription thyroid hormone. Others improve with lifestyle changes and nutrients like B vitamins, selenium, and omega-3s.
Make Small Changes Today
Think of healthy habits as deposits in your hormonal bank account. Each serving of vegetables, hour of sleep, or walk after dinner adds up. Protect your hormones now, and you protect your future self.
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