Want to really understand an issue about your health? Pick up a book to take a deep dive and learn what you need to feel and be better. Believe it or not, books that give women straightforward information about their own bodies have been a huge part of moving women’s health forward. Ever heard of Our Bodies, Ourselves? It was the first landmark book published in the U.S. about women’s health, and it was published by a non-profit in 1970. (Not that long ago!) Not only did it give women frank information about their bodies and sexual health—with no taboos, stigmas, or wives’ tales—it also helped push the Women’s Health Movement of the 60s and 70s forward. Books are still a great way to get a lot of information about a health issue. You won’t be rushed through your questions by a doc who's on an insurance company’s time table, and you can learn without having to muster up the courage to ask questions that feel embarrassing. You’ll likely feel expert when you're finished reading. And, today, even though women’s health issues still face challenges, there’s so much cutting edge information we can benefit from. For Women’s History Month, we asked Found team members to put together a list of the books about womens’ wellbeing they recommend. The list is grouped in categories that include biology, nutrition, movement, sleep, emotional health and stress, and social support. 

We hope these books shed some light so that you can continue shining yours.

As women, we are already aware of the biological system we have to navigate and the emotional rollercoaster this system may cause. But you may not know how much of an effect hormones can have on women's health. What if you could learn about how hormones work in each phase of a woman's life and how to take advantage of your biology to experience optimal health and wellness? Here is a list of educational, science-based books written by women for women, so you can better understand the way your body works. 

The Women's Brain Book: The Neuroscience of Health, Hormones, and Happiness by Dr. Sarah Mckay Explains what happens in the brains and bodies of women as they go through each life phase bringing clarity to the effects of female biology and hormones. As female biology and hormones are often misunderstood, Dr. Sarah Mckay makes it understandable and applicable to every woman. All stages of life are addressed as the woman's brain develops: in utero, childhood, puberty, the menstrual cycle, the teenage brain, depression and anxiety, pregnancy and motherhood, menopause, and the aging brain. 

Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler Offering women a guide to take charge of their fertility journey whether they want to become pregnant or avoid pregnancy. This book educates women on tracking and understanding fertility through the fertility awareness method to allow women to feel in control of their sexual health.  

Period Power by Maisie Hill An easy-to-read, understandable explanation on what happens to women's hormones during their cycles and how to make the most of each cycle to help women perform at their best. Maise Hill addresses what goes on in the body each month and shares how to prepare for fatigue and heightened emotions. She gives accessible and practical solutions to improve symptoms, including Eastern and Western medical approaches and aligning the menstrual cycle with daily life. 

If this isn't what you are looking for, she also wrote Perimenopause Power: Navigating Your Hormones on the Journey to Menopause for those curious about understanding menopause and dealing with symptoms while making it a positive experience. 

Hormone Intelligence by Aviva Romm Written by a Yale-trained women's expert that uses a holistic dietary and lifestyle approach. Take your body back by learning about hormones and following a 6-week program on achieving optimal hormone health. The program includes:

Readers will also be educated about symptoms and the root causes, as well as meals you can follow (including vegan options). 

Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life: Achieving Optimal Health & Wellness through Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, and Western Science by Dr. Claudia Welch Guide to restore hormonal health written by a holistic medicine expert and doctor. This book addresses stress, food, sleep, and different phases of a woman's life while teaching how to balance hormones, body, and mind. 

Did you know that you can eat in tune with your hormones as a woman? This is one of the many topics this list of women's nutrition books addresses. If you are curious about nourishing your body as a woman to take control of your health, you are in the right place. Here is a list of women's nutrition books written by women who have all experienced their own journeys and struggles to navigate nutrition. Don't worry, no diets here! 

Super Nutrition for Women: The Award-Winning Guide No Woman Should Be Without, Revised and Updated by Ann Louise Gittleman Scientifically based that focuses on women's unique biology and dietary needs. Includes the most recent studies addressing the unique challenges women of all ages face with nutrition. Illness prevention, staying happy and healthy while losing weight, and easy recipes are just some of the topics included. 

The Happy Hormone Guide: A Plant-based Program to Balance Hormones, Increase Energy, & Reduce PMS Symptoms by Shannon Leparski  Written by a Certified Hormone Specialist, this guide offers women a plant-based lifestyle program to help balance hormones, alleviate PMS symptoms, and increase energy. The author takes a holistic approach to female hormones and the menstrual cycle, focusing on the specific phases to help women take control of their cycle. 

The Archetype Diet: Reclaim Your Self Worth and Change the Shape of Your Body by Dana James and Mark Hyman  Written by a functional nutritionist and medicine practitioner, this book addresses the hormones that store fat for women specifically and what to eat to change that using a holistic approach. The four archetypes of a woman are thoroughly explained, which include the nurturer, the wonder woman, the femme fatal, and the ethereal. The reader is guided in discovering which archetype they personify and learns how to become more in tune with themselves to meet their personal health needs. 

Women have different needs when it comes to sleep. Whether it's hormone fluctuations, being a mom, or dealing with a snoring partner, you may find it hard for a good night's rest. Here are some women's books about sleep written by women to improve your sleep.

A Woman's Guide to Sleep: Guaranteed Solutions for a Good Night's Rest by Joyce Walsleben and Rita Baron-Faust An evidence-based guide to improving sleep for women. Addresses factors that specifically affect women, focusing on hormone fluctuations, snoring partners, and children. This book also offers solutions to meet women's psychological and biological needs to experience a good night's rest. 

The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia: Get a Good Night's Sleep Without Relying on Medication by Shelby Harris  Did you know that women have a higher risk of developing sleep problems? This book addresses mild to severe nights of insomnia specifically tailored to women's needs. Offers various methods to improve sleep problems through a medical and non-medical lens addressing both women's bodies and minds. 

The Daring to Rest Yoga Nidra Meditation Program by Karen Brody  This book is all about reclaiming your rest through yoga Nidra for ultimate relaxation. It is written specifically for worn-out women who experience the social pressures of obligations, guilt, and having too much on their plate with not enough time. This book includes guided meditations, teachings, and practices.

Emotional well-being and stress management are non-negotiable when it comes to living a happy and healthy life. But with the many demands of daily life, society-driven gender roles, and social pressures, it is no wonder that women's emotional health and stress management can often feel hard to come by. Here are some great resources for helping you maintain balance, improve your happiness, and reduce stress.

Healing Mind, Healthy Woman by Alice D. Domar Ph.D. and Henry Dreher In this book, Dr. Domar provides relaxation methods designed to reduce stress and heal the body from the ground up. She applies these techniques to the seven health issues that most commonly affect women: PMS, infertility, complicated pregnancies, menopause, eating disorders, breast and gynecological cancers, and endometriosis/pelvic pain.

Rushing Woman's Syndrome by Dr. Libby Weaver Dr. Weaver explains how the never-ending pressure of the "to-do" list women carry can be a harmful cycle of constant activity and stress to your brain. This book highlights how the mental energy required to be a modern-day woman impacts our bodies on a physical level—and how to restore your health while still maintaining productivity.

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. and Amelia Nagoski, DMA This groundbreaking book explains how and why women experience burnout differently than men do. It provides a simple, yet science-based plan to help women reduce stress, manage emotions, and live a more joyful and meaningful life.

Drop the Ball: Achieving More By Doing Less by Tiffany Dufu In this book, Tiffany Dufu, a prominent voice in the women's leadership movement, demonstrates how to develop the single skill women really need to thrive: the ability to let go. Drop the Ball encourages women to embrace imperfection and to expect more from others and less of themselves. This book will show you how to focus on what you truly care about, devote the necessary energy to achieving real goals, and create the type of rich, rewarding life you desire.

The Happiness Project by Gretchin Rubin Drawing from science, classical philosophy, and real-world applicability, Rubin shows you how to bring lasting, true happiness into your life. She provides a realistic, genuine, and practical lifelong approach to making the constant adjustments we know we need to feel truly fulfilled and to be our best selves.

Believe it or not, the right kind of movement for women often looks a lot different than it does for men. Whether it's finding the correct type of movement for you and your body, timing of your workouts, or getting motivated in a sustainable way, these books have got you covered!

The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal In this book, McGonigal introduces a surprising science-based insight that doesn't tell us why you should exercise but instead shows you how to fall in love with movement. Exercise is health-enhancing and life-extending, yet many of us find it a chore. But as Kelly McGonigal reveals, it doesn't have to be. Movement can (and should) be a source of joy!

Roar by Dr. Stacy Sims Most nutrition products and training plans are designed specifically for men—it's no wonder that so many female athletes struggle to reach their full fitness potential. Using comprehensive, physiology-based nutrition, Roar provides a training guide specifically designed for active women. Sims teaches you everything you need to know to adapt your training, hydration, and nutrition to your unique body composition so you can work with your female physiology rather than against it. Learn how to be your own biohacker to achieve optimum athletic performance!

No Sweat by Michelle Segar In this motivating read, Segar breaks down why you should forget about "willpower" and stop gritting your teeth through workouts you hate. She dives into how you can become empowered from the inside out, start to crave physical activity and embrace the active lifestyle you desire.

Social support, friendship, and human connection are essential for long-term health and well-being. These books explore the many aspects of friendship and community and how to find the ones who lift you up, hold you accountable for your goals, and who you can count on during challenging times. Teamwork makes the dream work!

Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown "True belonging doesn't require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are." In this book, Brené Brown, Ph.D., LMSW, sparks a much-needed conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives and how to cultivate true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture.

Belong: Find Your People, Create Community & Live a More Connected Life by Radha Agrawal In this digital age, it is easy to wonder whether or not you are truly connecting with others in a meaningful and realistic way. Agrawal gives you a two-step guide into understanding your own values when it comes to making lasting friendships and how to find the ones who align with those values.

Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life's Fundamental Bond by Lydia Denworth This book explores the importance of friendship on a biological, psychological, and evolutionary level. Denworth unveils that friendship even has the capability of strengthening our cardiovascular and immune systems, whereas loneliness proves to be detrimental to our health. Learn more about how social connection is finally being recognized as imperative to our physical and emotional well-being. 

The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again by Catherine Price Weaving together scientific research with personal experience, Price reveals the surprising mental, physical, and cognitive benefits of fun. She offers a practical, personalized plan for how we can achieve better screen/life balance and attract more "True Fun" (which she defines as the magical confluence of playfulness, connection, and flow) into our daily lives without feeling overwhelmed. 

Thankfully, there are women's books that give insights into all of the areas that influence women's health as a whole. Whether you are looking for natural remedies for healing or curious about all things women's health, these books are great options!

Healthy Woman, Healthy Life: A Woman's Book of Healing by Gary Null Ph.D. with Amy McDonald This book addresses the whole picture when it comes to women's health, including the most recent clinical experience and published research on issues women face at every age. The foundations of women's health included are holistic health, specific health concerns, and alternative health solutions. You can find simple healthy meals as well!

Herbal Healing for Women by Rosemary Gladstar Herbal Healing offers natural remedies that can be applied to any stage of a woman's life. Informative and easy to follow, it involves both modern and herbal medicine and how they can work synergistically. Covers all phases of a women's life from the early years through menopause, guiding women on working with herbs and nature.  Take some time to log your meals, movement, and other dailies in the app to track your progress. It gives you time to reflect, and science shows it supports your success.  Co-written by Coach Kaitlyn D. and Coach Caroline H. Links to books are provided as a courtesy—we currently do not earn a commission from book sales.