What Travel Can Do to Your Hormones (And How to Support Your Body)

I’m currently sitting in a café in Vietnam after a long-haul flight and feeling that classic travel fog. It got me thinking about how flights, disrupted routines and time zone changes can impact our hormones, especially oestrogen, progesterone and thyroid function.

Okay… to be fair, my flight probably counts as medium-haul by international standards. There are people out there doing 30-hour treks across three continents. So I won’t claim the longest journey, but still, it was enough to feel the shift in my body.

If you’ve ever arrived somewhere new and felt flat, wired, anxious or just a bit off, there’s a physiological reason for it. Your body’s internal rhythms are tightly connected to your endocrine system, and travel can throw those rhythms out of whack. Here’s how it happens, and what you can do about it.

Your circadian rhythm regulates hormone production
When you change time zones quickly, your circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock) becomes misaligned with your environment. This affects your sleep-wake cycle, digestion, cortisol production and, importantly, your sex hormones.

Melatonin, cortisol, oestrogen and progesterone are all influenced by light exposure and your natural rhythm. A disrupted body clock can temporarily throw off ovulation, change the timing of your menstrual cycle, affect mood, and contribute to hormonal symptoms like breast tenderness, headaches or breakouts.

Thyroid function and travel stress don’t always mix
Your thyroid likes predictability like regular sleep, nourishing meals, movement, and adequate water intake. Travel introduces the opposite like stress from flying, altered sleep, airport food, a sudden change in pace, and dehydration. If you’re already managing a thyroid condition like hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s, you may notice an increase in fatigue, fluid retention, cravings, or brain fog after travel.

Nutrient absorption, digestion and hormone clearance can slow down
As mentioned, long-haul flights and travel days usually mean eating on-the-go, less movement, and dehydration. This combination can reduce digestive motility, which is an issue when it comes to hormone clearance. Oestrogen, for example, is metabolised in the liver and excreted through the gut. If your digestion is sluggish, those hormones can recirculate and contribute to symptoms like bloating, fluctuations in mood, and PMS severity.

How to support your hormones while travelling

If you’re heading off on a trip, or recently returned and feel like your body’s still catching up, here are a few ways to support your hormones:

• Try to adjust to local daylight hours as soon as you arrive
• Stay well hydrated and include electrolytes if needed
• Prioritise protein and wholefoods in the first few days post-flight
• Take magnesium as it helps with sleep, digestion, hormones and nervous system support (a true super nutrient!)
• Avoid relying on caffeine and alcohol while your body is adjusting
• If you take thyroid medication, speak to your practitioner about how to manage timing across time zones

The takeaway
Travel is a privilege but it’s also a temporary stressor on the body. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy it (you absolutely should), but it does mean you may need a little extra support before, during and after.

If you’re dealing with fatigue, hormonal shifts or feel like your thyroid is struggling to keep up, I’d love to help. I offer online consultations and work with clients all over Australia to support hormonal and thyroid health in a way that’s practical and personalised. You can book a consultation here.

Yours in health and happiness,

Ebony x