How do I know if my hormones are imbalanced?

Hormones influence almost everything you feel day to day. That is why “hormone imbalance” can look like many different things. The goal is not to chase perfect numbers. It is to notice patterns, rule out red flags, and use targeted testing so your next steps are based on information, not guesswork.

What to look for in your everyday pattern

Start with two or three cycles of simple tracking. Note day 1 of bleeding, overall cycle length, and a few symptoms you care about most, like energy, mood, cramps, sleep, headaches, skin, or breast tenderness. You are not trying to log everything. You are trying to see themes that repeat.

Common patterns that suggest hormones deserve a closer look

Cycles that are consistently shorter than 24 days or longer than 38 days, or that vary by more than a week from month to month.

Very heavy periods, large clots, or bleeding that lasts much longer than usual.

Missing periods for three months when not pregnant or breastfeeding.

Significant PMS or PMDD symptoms that disrupt work, relationships, or sleep.

Signs of higher androgens like new facial or body hair growth, acne along the jawline, or hair thinning on the scalp.

Hot flashes, night sweats, new sleep disruption, or cycle changes that may reflect perimenopause.

Low energy, cold or heat intolerance, heart palpitations, or unexplained weight shifts that may point to thyroid issues.

Blood sugar clues such as intense afternoon crashes, skin tags, or darkening of the skin in body folds that can track with insulin resistance.

Medications and life stages matter. Birth control can change bleeding patterns. Postpartum hormones are in flux. Perimenopause brings a gradual shift, not a single switch. Context helps you interpret what you are seeing.

When testing helps

Symptoms point you toward the right questions. Testing turns those questions into a plan. If your goal is to understand hormone balance with an eye on fertility and day to day wellbeing, a focused set of labs read together is more useful than isolated numbers.

What a practical baseline can include

Ovarian reserve and cycle signals such as AMH, FSH, estradiol, and LH.

Sex hormone context such as total and free testosterone with SHBG and albumin.

Progesterone as part of a broader panel to understand luteal support and symptoms in context.

Whole-health markers are also important. Thyroid function, vitamin D status, and markers related to insulin resistance can influence cycles, energy, mood, and how you feel day to day. They are not part of Strawberry’s panels, but your report makes it easy to discuss them with your clinician if your history or symptoms point that way.

Red flags to act on quickly

Check in with a clinician without delay if you have:

Three months without a period when not pregnant or breastfeeding.

Bleeding that soaks a pad or tampon every hour for two hours, or bleeding with dizziness or fainting.

Severe new pelvic pain, pain with fever, or pain that wakes you at night.

Milky nipple discharge when not postpartum, new severe headaches, or vision changes.

Depressive symptoms, anxiety, or insomnia that significantly affect daily life.

How Strawberry helps

If you want to begin at home, Strawberry makes testing straightforward. Collection is simple with our virtually painless upper-arm device, and every sample is processed by certified partner labs and reviewed by clinicians. Day 3 testing is especially easy since you collect at home without last-minute drives to a lab when you are tired and menstruating. After testing, every member receives a Personalized Fertility Timeline that brings your results together with your age and shows when it makes sense to recheck or speak with a specialist.

Choose the panel that fits your goal

Women’s Health Panel for the broadest look at hormones that influence cycles, energy, sleep, mood, training, and symptoms.

Fertility Blood Test for early-cycle context with AMH, FSH, and estradiol when you are planning to try or weighing preservation.

Ovarian Reserve Blood Test for a quick read on AMH when you want a fast check to support planning ahead or an egg-freezing consult.

Bottom line

You know your body best. If your cycle pattern or symptoms keep tapping you on the shoulder, that is your cue to get a baseline and turn uncertainty into a plan. Start with a couple of months of simple tracking, add a targeted panel that fits your goal, and use clear results to guide the next small step. With steady habits and data you trust, feeling better is very doable.