During menopause, many women experience mood swings, which can negatively impact their lives. The stress of mood swings can cause women to direct their anger or frustration toward loved ones. Fortunately, there are different ways menopausal women can curb mood swings. Learn more about the causes of mood swings and what can be done to manage them.
Understanding Mood Swings during Menopause
Mood swings episodes are when a person's temperament changes radically for no apparent reason. For many women, this is a common symptom of menopause. They may be perfectly content and happy, and then suddenly, find themselves angry or upset, for no apparent cause.
Mood swings can be very difficult to live with and can harm relationships with loved ones. To understand how to manage mood swings, first learn about what they are and what causes them.
Why Do Mood Swings Occur during Menopause?
Mood swings during menopause are usually due to hormone fluctuations. Mood is controlled by endorphins and serotonins, which act as chemical messengers. When reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone fluctuate, so do the levels of serotonin and endorphins. If women are experiencing hormonal imbalance due to menopause, they can easily experience shifts in their endorphin and serotonin levels, which results in mood swings. This is why it is so important that when women are looking to manage mood swings that managing hormone levels is the first step in treatment.
How to Naturally Manage Mood Swings Episodes
The treatment that women choose to manage mood swings should be dependent on the severity of their mood swings. For example if women only have mild mood swings they should consider making healthy lifestyle changes and taking natural supplements first. If they are experiencing severe mood swings episodes, they should consult their doctors before choosing any treatment. There are a number of different healthy lifestyle modifications women can make to manage mood swings. These include:
- Exercise for thirty minutes, five times a week
- Eat a healthy and varied diet filled with different fresh fruits and vegetables
- Sleep for seven to eight hours a night
- Drink at least eight glasses of water a day
- Limit alcohol intake
- Give up smoking
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Sources
- Amin, Zenab, Turhan Cnali, and C. Neill Epperson. "Effects of Estrogen-Serotonin Interactions on Mood and Cognition." Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev 2005; 4; 43.
- Dr. Love, Susan, and Karen Lindsey. Dr. Susan Love's Menopause and Hormone Book. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2003.
- The Health Center.(n.d)."Adult Mood Swings."Retrieved from www.thehealthcenter.info.
- Molecular Psychiatry. (n.d."Estrogen Promotes Gender Difference in Brain's Response to Stress." Retrieved from www.psycheducation.org.