Menopause is a transformational state that happens to every woman in her 40s and 50s. During this phase, many women notice irregular periods. Menstrual flow may be more or less than it was before. Estrogen and progesterone hormones play a vital role in the female reproductive system. Changes in these hormone levels prepare your body for menopause. When your estrogen level is low, simultaneously, your serotonin level will also be low. This hormonal imbalance is the key cause of mood swings.
During menopause, a declining estrogen level causes several changes throughout the body. Many of these changes have a close impact on menopausal mood swings.
The three stages of menopause:
- Peri-menopause: In this pre-menopause state, all symptoms will occur. Mood swings will be traveling from one end to another. Even tiny things irritate women in this phase and anger will not be in control.
- Menopause: Mental fogginess is obvious in the phase due to uncontrolled hormonal shifts.
- Post-menopause: Occurrence of higher level anxiety and depression in the phase due to the extreme down levels of estrogen.
During the menopause period, many women experience multiple symptoms as below:
- Decreased s-ex desire
- Hot flashes
- Mood swings
- Troubled sleep
- Vaginal dryness
- Anger and depression
This emotional roller coaster enters many women’s lives. Especially during this phase, mood swings are caused by erratic fluctuations in estrogen hormones. It combines with aggression, fatigue, irritability, and depression. Women can commonly experience depressed states, stress, anxiety, forgetfulness, an inability to concentrate, weeping, and other emotions during the phase.
How do you cope with mood swings during menopause?
Most women feel panicked about handling the hormonal imbalance state, but on the contrary, many of them easily handle it by making some simple yet effective lifestyle changes as below:
- Regular exercising
- Eating healthy foods
- Doing yoga, meditation
- Socializing with their communities, counseling
- Keeping engaged in activities
Mood swings can be causing discomfort in life and it is hence good to get gynecologist consultation. Gynecologist in Ahmedabad and across the country not only provide you medicinal help but also provide you the right guidance that can bring in positive change in lifestyle.
Sleep deprivation plays a major part in mood swings. Since insomnia is a common symptom of menopause, it is mostly treated. Besides having some prescribed pills, you will be advised to sleep early at night; avoid going to bed with a mobile phone or laptop as its flash light might disturb sleep; keep your room gloomy at night. Avoid big meals and caffeine in the evening to sleep better for at least 7 hours. So, having enough sleep will make you brisk and calm the next morning, so that depression, anger, and irritation can be easily avoided.
Many women report that taking different herbal supplements during menopause keeps them happy and healthy. Supplements like black cohosh contain estrogenic compounds that provide smoothing and relaxing effects for the whole day. But no scientific research insists on such a supplement. If you would like to try such supplements, better consult your doctor and verify for any unwanted side effects.
Ginseng is a popular medicinal and therapeutic herb that helps in treating menopausal symptoms such as depression, fatigue, vaginal dryness, cognitive defects, and stress. Being a normalizer and an energizer, it helps to improve mood and sleep. You can buy it in the forms of extract, tea, and powder.
If you are not able to stay normal even after all the said options, better discuss with your gynecologist about hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). It will not suit every woman, as it may have some abnormal side effects. Seeking your doctor’s intervention and advice is a must to follow the HRT.
Treating menopause anger and mood swings with four types of antidepressants may happen in rare cases. Tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are usually recommended to treat mood swings. These drugs help relieve vasomotor symptoms.
Avoid foods that can worsen menopause, such as packed and processed foods, added sugar, deep-fried foods, alcohol, cigarettes, meat, carbonated drinks, and refined oils.
Last but not least, eating healthy food will improve your mental health and reduce mood swings. Increasing the intake of vitamin B12 and magnesium in the form of medicines alleviates it. Eating eggs, leafy veggies, whole grains, and omega-3 rich foods will diminish mood swings. Menopausal mood swings are treatable. So, do not panic and enjoy your menopause state with all supportive measures.
Takeaway
During the perimenopause, many women start to realize that their periods are becoming more erratic. The length or shortness of the menstrual flow could differ from before during. It might also cause a change in the body weight. As the body prepares itself for menopause, there are variations in the levels of hormones estrogen and progesterone these can cause mood swings.
Once the body’s hormonal system has stabilized, menopause- and perimenopause-related mood fluctuations usually subside. This may require several months or even years. Developing a proactive plan that incorporates positive lifestyle decisions, healthy diet and regular exercises can frequently reduce mood swings. The best course of action may be medical intervention if you require further support.
Also read: How Early are the Signs of Pregnancy? What Happens First
