Menopausal mood swings can disrupt your everyday life. Find out why they occur and what you can do to help minimize them.
The shifting estrogen and progesterone hormone levels that characterize perimenopause can sometimes result in extreme mood swings and increased irritability. In your daily life, hormonal mood swings can manifest as overreactions to some small matter, or they may occur seemingly at random. Learn how menopause can affect your mood, and what you can do about it.
Estrogen helps regulate several hormones with mood-boosting properties, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. As your estrogen fluctuates, so do these chemicals, resulting in changes in your brain that affect your mood.
Estrogen also supports cognitive functions such as memory, and episodes of forgetfulness and fuzzy thinking can cause frustration. For some people, frustration can lead to embarrassment, annoyance, and a shorter temper.
Menopause-related physical challenges and discomfort can impact your mood, as well, such as:
Not all women experience mood swings during perimenopause, and it’s not always possible to predict who will, but certain factors increase your risk, including:
Sometimes, simple lifestyle tweaks can successfully manage mood swings. Here are just a few tips that have helped many before you, and may help you, as well.
Some women turn to acupuncture and/or short-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for help with hormone balance and symptom relief. HRT can be easily administered as a patch, cream, or pill. Be aware, however, that certain forms of HRT increase your risk of blood clots, breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Speak with your doctor about the potential benefits and risks.
Don’t wait to contact your doctor if your mood swings:
Prior to your appointment, it can be helpful to keep a record of your mood swings, including details concerning:
Your doctor will likely do a physical exam to rule out an underlying medical cause for your mood swings. They may also do a blood test to check your hormone levels and thyroid function.
Though the menopausal transition can take months or years, menopause-related mood swings generally stop on their own once your body’s hormonal system stabilizes.
*Whelan, C. (2017, Apr. 25). What You Should Know About Menopause and Mood Swings. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause-mood-swings
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