“Our body works like a clock. But in today’s fast-moving, technology-filled life, our natural body rhythms;the biological clock are often disturbed. Mobile phones, laptops, late-night work, and the never-ending race to get ahead, along with constant stress, affect three key hormones. These are not as commonly discussed as thyroid hormones, but they are just as important: serotonin, melatonin, and cortisol, which control our mood, sleep, and stress response respectively. So, it’s not only the thyroid hormone that needs to be balanced for good health; maintaining these other hormones in harmony is equally vital for overall well-being.”

 

Let us understand three of them one by one. Serotonin is known as the “happiness chemical.” It keeps us calm, positive, and focused in the long term. But when we spend most of our day indoors, scrolling on screens, and eating processed food, serotonin levels drop. This can cause irritability, low energy, sugar cravings, and stomach issues in short term. Melatonin is the “sleep hormone.” with same ryming words with serotonin in origin it's a brother of serotonin both serotonin and melatonin synthesised from the same aminoacid tryptophan. Normally, melatonin rises in the evening to prepare us for rest. But in today’s tech atmosphere, the blue light from mobiles and laptops tricks the brain into thinking it’s still daytime. As a result, melatonin secretion reduces, leading to poor sleep, tiredness during the day, and weaker immunity in short term.

 

Cortisol is the “stress hormone.” It should be high in the morning to wake us up and low at night to allow relaxation. It gives us energy and helps us respond to challenges. However, constant mobile notifications, work pressure, and caffeine keep cortisol levels high all day. This leads to anxiety, weight gain, high blood pressure, skin problems, and fatigue in short term. When all three are imbalanced for long term together, the results can be serious: disturbed sleep, mood swings, poor focus, weak immunity, and lifestyle diseases in short term can be converted into serious diseases like, Metabolic Syndrome; weight gain, diabetes, and high cholesterol due to high cortisol. Cardiovascular Diseases; high blood pressure and risk of heart attack with prolonged cortisol imbalance. Autoimmune Disorders; weak immunity can trigger thyroid issues, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.

 

Cognitive Decline;poor focus and memory issues may lead to dementia-like symptoms. Digestive Disorders like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), a common gut disorder where the large intestine doesn’t work properly. Symptoms include abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and sometimes ulcers or poor gut health. Our hormones are sensitive to how we live. To avoid major health related issue we can add small lifestyle modifications like sunlight, exercise, screen-free evenings, mindful relaxation, and proper sleep so can restore the natural rhythm of serotonin, melatonin, and cortisol, even in this busy digital age. “It’s not only about balancing thyroid hormones;maintaining the balance of serotonin, melatonin, and cortisol through healthy habits, quality sleep, and stress management is the true key to overall well-being.” (Author is a Professor in Netaji Shubha Chandra Bose Medical College and Hospital, Jabalpur)