Menopause Mood Swings: What Are the Best Coping Strategies?

What Causes Menopause Mood Swings?

Fluctuations in key hormones in the body can impact mental health and mood, and this is very relevant during menopause. Low levels of thyroid hormones have been linked to an increased risk of depression, and an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone can negatively impact the synthesis of brain neurotransmitters involved in mood.

During menopause levels of both estrogen and progesterone decline. Low estrogen is linked to a decrease in the neurotransmitter serotonin, which can negatively impact mood and sleep quality. A decline in progesterone can deplete levels of GABA, a brain chemical strongly linked to anxiety, and the decrease may cause higher stress, agitation, and insomnia.

Low serotonin levels are also sometimes associated with increased anger and irritability, which may occur during menopause and could contribute to depression. A 10-year study of women published in Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America by Joyce T. Bromberger and Howard M Kravitz concluded that there is a greater risk of depressive disorders during menopausal transmission.

What Are the Symptoms of Menopause Mood Swings?

Mood swings are sudden shifts in emotional state, often with little provocation and no clear cause. Many menopausal women describe experiencing sudden emotional ups and downs which can be disruptive to mental and physical health. While some fluctuations in mood throughout the day are normal, menopause mood swings differ from regular emotional shifts in terms of their frequency and intensity.

General practitioner and menopause specialist Dr. Louise Newson explains:

“We know that anxiety and memory problems, low mood, and reduced motivation are very common in menopause. Whether it’s the actual level of hormones or fluctuations of hormones – anything that’s changing in the brain has a knock-on effect.”

These are the most common accompanying emotional and physical symptoms that you may experience with menopause mood swings:

• Sadness, low mood, or depression
• Higher levels of stress and anxiety
• Decreased motivation and productivity
• Fatigue or exhaustion
• Poor mental focus, concentration, and ‘brain fog’
• Anger, irritability, and bouts of rage
• Changes in appetite, either an increase or decrease
• Poor sleep or insomnia
• Low self-esteem and decreased confidence

What Helps With Menopause Mood Swings?

What Helps With Menopause Mood Swings

Making healthy lifestyle modifications may significantly help manage emotional shifts and support overall health and well-being. Consider some of these positive changes to support your physical and emotional health and help balance your mood.

Follow a Healthy, Nutrient-rich Diet

• Follow a diet rich in nutrients and antioxidants, including plenty of fruits and vegetables containing essential nutrients to support overall health and well-being.
• Incorporate foods with plant-based phytoestrogens into your diet to naturally increase estrogen levels and help alleviate mood symptoms, including chickpeas, soy, flaxseed, berries, barley, and grapes.
• Include foods rich in vitamins for menopause mood swings, including B vitamins, Vitamins D and E, calcium, and magnesium which have some research support for their mental health benefits to women.
• Consume foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish, chia seeds, and walnuts to support mood and help ease joint and muscle pain.
• Avoid excess alcohol, coffee, or spicy foods, as they could generally exacerbate menopause symptoms.

Exercise Regularly

• Research supports the benefits of regular exercise in helping to improve physical and emotional well-being in menopausal women and reduce stress, and it also supports weight management, heart heart, bone density, and immune strength.
• Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity for menopausal women for optimal health and mood benefits.
• To help manage stress, include stretches pre- and post-exercise and incorporate deep breathing and relaxation techniques into your physical activity routine.

Manage Your Stress

• Incorporate techniques into your lifestyle to help manage stress levels and mood, such as yoga, relaxation breathing, and mindfulness meditation to help you focus on the present moment.
• Make sure your schedule includes a balance of work and activities you enjoy, with more than enough downtime to de-stress and spend time relaxing.
• Social support is essential to our overall health and well-being, so make reaching out to friends and family and spending time together a priority.

Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

• Improving your sleep hygiene may help significantly in enhancing sleep quality during menopause, including following a regular sleep routine and a schedule with set sleep and wake times.
• Avoid caffeine and large meals in the evening, as they may disrupt sleep.
• Stop using electronics at least an hour before you go to sleep.
• Keep your room at the temperature that is most comfortable for you.

Natural Remedies for Menopause Mood Swings

Natural remedies for menopause mood swings abound, including multiple natural supplements that promise to help balance hormone levels and ease symptoms.

There are some ingredients with research support for their ability to help enhance well-being, lower anxiety, and alleviate other issues like hot flashes. These are some of the best supplements and herbs for menopause mood swings:

• Black Cohosh - This popular ingredient has plant-based estrogens that may balance levels to help ease symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. Evidence shows that it may boost serotonin levels, which could help improve mood in menopausal women.
• St. John’s Wort - Some evidence suggests that this plant increases levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine to help ease depression.

  A 12-week study of menopausal women in Advances in Therapy by B Grube, et al concluded that supplementing with St. Joh’s Wort helped reduce psychological and psychosomatic symptoms.

• Ashwagandha - One of the best herbs for menopause mood swings, ashwagandha helps increase the synthesis of serotonin and lower cortisol, for a potential decrease in stress and anxiety.

In addition, it elevates dopamine and GABA for added mood and stress relief benefits, and it helps balance estrogen levels to ease symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and low libido.

• Evening Primrose Oil - This plant oil has phytoestrogens which help balance hormone levels, helping to ease vasomotor and psychological menopause symptoms. Research indicates that it may help boost mood, lower stress and anxiety, and decrease post-menopause psychological symptoms.
• B Vitamins - Among the best vitamins for menopause mood swings, the B class helps regulate dopamine and serotonin levels, and research indicates that supplementation may decrease depression, anxiety, and stress. In addition, B vitamins support healthy energy levels to help reduce menopause fatigue.
• Magnesium - Supplementing with magnesium may offer several benefits to women’s health, including supporting the heart, balancing blood sugar, and boosting energy levels. It also lowers cortisol and balances neurotransmitter activity to help improve mood, lower stress, and enhance sleep quality.

Medical Treatments for Menopausal Mood Swings

Menopause Mood Swings Treatment

Along with following a healthy lifestyle, many women also seek out hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This involves taking an oral medication to balance estrogen and progesterone levels and help alleviate symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, low libido, and others.

Other options for menopause mood swings treatment include low-dose birth control pills for hormonal management, or SSRi anti-depressant medications like escitalopram, venlafaxine, fluoxetine, and others according to the assessment of your physician.

These also help lower anxiety, but some physicians may also prescribe an anti-anxiety drug like clonazepam to ease stress and improve sleep quality.

When to See a Doctor About Mood Swings

How do you know when to seek out a healthcare provider for an assessment and possibly medication to manage your mood swings? These are some of the key indicators that you should seek professional menopause mood swings treatment:

• You have a history of mental health issues like anxiety and depression, and your symptoms worsen during menopause.
• Your symptoms interfere with your daily life, motivation, productivity, and functioning.
• The fluctuations in moods you are experiencing feel out of your control.
• Mood swings are harming your relationships.

Final Thoughts

Fluctuations in levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone during menopause may impact the synthesis of brain chemicals like serotonin and GABA, causing mood swings. Many women experience anxiety, agitation, brain fog, sadness, and even depression, compounded by additional symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.

What helps with menopause mood swings? Lifestyle modifications like following a healthy, phytoestrogen and nutrient-rich diet, exercising regularly, and managing stress levels can have a significant impact, and you may also supplement with herbs for menopause mood swings with medical approval.

If your symptoms are severe, or you have a history of mental health issues, seek out a physician to consider different treatment options like medication, therapy, or a combination of both. With support from loved ones and medical care, it is possible to manage menopausal mood swings and restore your quality of life.