Work can be a stressful place: you have deadlines to meet, things to finish, clients and coworkers to meet with. Adding menopausal mood swings to everyday stressors can make your mood decidedly unstable. Sudden emotional spikes can make you feel like lashing out at the next colleague that dares to walk past. While outbursts may feel warranted in the moment, it's important to keep your emotions under control. Keep reading to learn how to get your mood swings under control.
Mood Swings during Menopause
Hormones help with the regulation of your body; they are delicately balanced and work in combination to control functions like the menstrual cycle, fluid and sodium retention, and emotional stability. But sometimes, this delicate balance is disrupted and certain functions in your body stop working correctly.
This can happen during menopause when hormone levels fluctuate, which may lead to symptoms like mood swings. Of course, other factors can interfere with your mood, like stress caused by work or other menopause symptoms. Read on to learn how you can beat menopausal mood swings and keep calm at work.
Shouting Isn't the Answer
When dealing with menopausal mood swings, it can be hard to keep your temper under control. When a coworker does something to annoy you, it's easy to lose your cool and start shouting. This isn't the right way to react, as raising your voice only aggravates the situation. Taking ten seconds to inhale deeply and exhale fully can help diffuse the situation. After all, it's best not to make enemies out of people you have to continue working with.
Communicate with Your Colleagues
Your fellow employees may not seem like the people to discuss your menopause symptoms with, but you may find they are more understanding than you expect, especially other women who could be going through the same thing. If you're open and communicate freely, you might even make a few more friends at work during this time.
Improve Your Lifestyle and Mood
When you're trying to beat menopausal mood swings, it's important to reduce your stress levels. Decreasing caffeine and increasing water intake is one easy way to reduce stress. Instead of going to a busy restaurant for lunch, try going for a relaxing walk. Most importantly, enjoy your time away from work and make time for the things you love.
Click on the following link to learn more about causes of mood swings.
Sources
- Amin, Z. , Canli, T. & Epperson, C.N. (2005). Effects of Estrogen-Serotonin Interactions on Mood and Cognition. Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews, 4(1), 43-58. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15886402
- Love, S. & Lindsey, K. (2003). Dr. Susan Love's Menopause and Hormone Book. New York: Three Rivers Press.
- Shansky, R.M. et al. (2004). Estrogen mediates sex differences in stress-induced prefrontal cortex dysfunction. Molecular Psychiatry, 9, 531-538. Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/v9/n5/full/4001435a.html