ADHD & Hormonal Imbalance: The Hidden Struggle in Women
Let's get into it, sis—hormones. They are the ones pulling the strings, and when they are out of whack? Whoa, it's a rollercoaster ride with no seatbelt.
What Is Hormonal Imbalance, Then?
Hormones are your body's chemical messengers, and when they are out of kilter, it's a domino effect in the form of symptoms.
The Endocrine Society reports that hormonal imbalance affects nearly 80% of women throughout their lifetime, and most of us don't know it.
The Signs That Your Hormones Might Be Off Balance
Mood swings like none other
Fatigue, which no nap can cure
Heavy or Irregular Periods
Weight gain (especially in the abdominal area)
Brain clouding and forgetfulness
Depression, anxiety, or irritability
Does it ring a bell for you?
It's not your imagination. It might be your hormones.
Regular Offenders of Imbalance in the
Chronic stress can disrupt cortisol levels and upset the estrogen-progesterone balance.
Poor Sleep: Your body regulates hormones while it sleeps. Without sleep, there's an imbalance of hormones.
Processed food and sugar: These can also trigger increased insulin resistance and inflammation.
Postpartum Changes: Giving birth puts hormones through the wringer.
Perimenopause: the gradual lead-up period towards menopause, most commonly in your 40's or 30's.
How to Know for Sure
You can ask your doctor for the following tests, which measure:
Levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
TSH, T3, and T4 are
Cortisol levels
Blood sugar level and insulin sensitivity
Pro tip: Speak up for yourself. If you're not feeling right, speak up for testing. You know your body best.
Treatment Options—Because You Deserve to Feel Good
Medical Therapies: hormone replacement therapy (HRT), thyroid medication, the pill (depending on the condition).
Lifestyle Change: Adopt sleep hygiene, healthy diet, and stress management as practiced by royalties
Supplements include magnesium, vitamin D, omega-3 fats, and adaptogens
Holistic Practices: Yoga, chiropractic, acupuncture, and mindfulness
Personal Note by Netta (aka Chatterbrain Mommy)
I didn't know my mood swings, insomnia, and anxiety were linked with hormonal shifts until the day I visited a functional medicine physician for the first time. It was a game-changer. Monitoring my period taught me my body's rhythm—and broke the habit of judging myself as "moody."
Managing Household Chaos: Tips for Moms with ADHD
Let’s be real: managing a household with ADHD is like trying to organize a rave in a wind tunnel. You’ve got kids yelling, dinner burning, and a calendar full of events you forgot to add reminders for. If this sounds like your daily life, welcome to the club. But don’t worry—chaos can be managed.
The ADHD Brain vs. Daily Routines: Moms with ADHD often struggle with executive dysfunction. Translation: starting tasks, prioritizing them, and actually finishing them can feel nearly impossible, especially when there are a million interruptions. According to ADDitude Magazine, routines are a lifeline, but only if they’re flexible, simple, and dopamine-friendly.
Strategy #1: Keep It Simple, Sis (K.I.S.S.) Don’t try to be a Pinterest-perfect planner mama. Use a dry-erase board or a visual daily flow chart for you and the kids. Break things down into mini routines—like a “morning flow” or “evening wind-down”—instead of a strict schedule. ADHD brains thrive with short sprints, not marathons.
Strategy #2: Use ADHD-Friendly Tools. Here’s what can help:
Time Timer: A visual timer that shows how much time is left.
Todoist or Trello: Task apps that let you brain-dump and organize your chaos into boards.
Alexa or Google Assistant: Set up recurring voice reminders and alarms (trust me, lifesaver).
Color-coded calendars: One color per family member = instant sanity.
Strategy #3: Create ADHD-Approved Zones. Think stations—not full-on room overhauls. A snack zone. A homework zone. A drop zone for keys, bags, and all the random stuff. Label everything. Bonus points if it's cute and makes you feel like a boss.
Strategy #4: Boundaries ARE Self-Care. You are not everyone's everything, every second. Set quiet hours, delegate chores (even if they do it “wrong”), and stop saying yes to every school volunteer role. ADHD burnout is real, and you deserve time to breathe.
Therapist Tip: ADHD expert Dr. Sharon Saline says, "Structure combined with empathy is key." That means building a system that works with your brain, not against it, while giving yourself grace.
Interview Spotlight: Netta from Chatterbrain Mommy Podcast “I learned that setting a timer for 15 minutes and blasting 90’s or good ole gospel music while cleaning helps me finish what I start. It’s weird, but it works. ADHD-friendly hacks are all about joy and movement.” — Netta
Need more hacks, humor, and realness? Grab my eBook Focus, Energize, and Thrive—your not-so-typical guide to managing motherhood, ADHD, and all the chaos that comes with it.
And check out my Amazon ADHD Mom Survival List: from digital planners to colorful dry-erase calendars.
Weekly Dry Erase Planner for Busy Moms
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely love and trust!
Being Everything, Everywhere, All At Once: ADHD and New Motherhood
You recognize that shot in all the motherhood montages of laundry scattered all over, the dinner burning on the stove, the phone constantly ringing, and the baby bawling? Picture that.
But your head is trying to open all the tabs at the same time—new motherhood with ADHD.
ADHD does not magically disappear when we have a baby.
In fact, it goes into hyperdrive.
The sudden removal of routine, the constant demands, the lack of sleep—it can all be fuel on an already burning five-way brain.
For many moms with ADHD, the postpartum experience is a whirlwind of overstimulation, guilt, and self-doubt.
You may catch yourself sobbing because you forgot the diaper bag for the umpteenth time, yelling at your partner because the pacifier was misplaced, or freezing in place because your mind just ceased functioning.
It's not laziness.
It's not incompetence.
It's executive dysfunction, sensory overload, and hormonal shifts hitting all at once.
And guess what? You're not alone.
Most mothers aren't aware they have ADHD until after their baby is born.
School and work tend to camouflage symptoms—but motherhood lays them bare.
It exposes your coping mechanisms, challenges your routines, and pushes you into survival mode.
So, how do you manage?
Here are a few truths from the trenches:
Routine is your ally. Even a loose rhythm can anchor your day.
Lower the bar. Done is better than perfect. Your baby doesn’t care if the bottles are color-coordinated.
Outsource and delegate. No shame in asking for help or using delivery services.
Use your tools. Timers, sticky notes, whiteboards—whatever helps offload mental clutter.
Honor your rest. Sleep deprivation magnifies ADHD symptoms. Nap when you can.
Mothering is tough.
ADHD does not make it any easier.
But you are doing something wonderful—and messy and beautiful.
You're raising an individual while wending your way through a neurodivergent brain.
Are you an ADHA mom?
What was your biggest challenge in the first few weeks?
How did you manage—or what would you have said to yourself sooner?