Mood swings and menopause: what you need to know

Menopausal mood swings are caused by hormonal changes. The transition from menstruation to menopause is marked by a period in which your ovaries gradually produce less of the female sex hormone oestrogen. This can throw off the balance of hormones in your body. A hormonal imbalance can affect your brain chemistry. 

For example, oestrogen stimulates the production of the happiness hormone serotonin. Serotonin has a positive effect on mood and emotions, but also helps with digestion and sleep. When oestrogen levels drop, serotonin levels also fall, which contributes to increased irritability, anxiety and sadness. In short, it can make you overly emotional. 

Lack of sleep exasperates these feelings (less time for recovery = less tissue buildup and hormone production), just like stress and an unhealthy diet. 

Hormonal changes can also trigger a variety of menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, sleep problems and mood swings. 

Mood swings are sudden, dramatic changes (swings) in how you feel at a particular time (mood). In other words, when your mood does a 180 in a span of a few seconds, you’re experiencing a mood swing. Mood swings can make you feel like you're not in control of your emotions or can cause you to not feel like yourself. You can identify mood swings by: 

• Irritability: you get annoyed easily by small things 
• Rapid mood changes 
• Nervousness or restlessness 
• Crying spells for no apparent reason  
• Emotional outbursts: small things can make you overly emotional 
• Impatience 
• Feeling gloomy or depressed  

You may also feel jittery, restless or unhappy for longer periods of time. It’s also possible that, instead of mood swings, hormonal imbalances cause a constant low mood. 

Up to 40 percent of women have mood swings during perimenopause, but many don’t realise their symptoms are menopause related. In fact, it is not uncommon for doctors to misdiagnose this menopausal symptom. This is in part because you can start having mood swings before your menstrual pattern changes.  

If your doctor wants to prescribe antidepressants, rather than considering menopause as the culprit behind your moodiness, they should be challenged as to why. The closer to menopause you are, the more your oestrogen level will drop, and thus the less serotonin your brain produces. 

By the way, low oestrogen levels do not necessarily have to lead to mood swings. Every woman is different and every menopausal journey is unique. There are also numerous things you can do to control your mood throughout the day (besides slamming doors). 

Having to deal with mood swings can be draining for you and your loved ones. Temper tantrums, uncontrollable sadness... All these emotions can be overwhelming. Do you no longer recognise the person you've become? 

• Acknowledging and accepting your emotions is the first step. Realise that your hormones are causing you to feel this way. It can also be helpful to talk with a friend, your partner or other women with similar experiences. 
• Diet is also important. A lot of your body's serotonin is produced in the gut, so it makes sense to look at what you're eating. What you eat can definitely affect how you feel. Avoid refined carbohydrates and eat 500 grams of fruit and vegetables a day to stabilise your blood sugar. Stable blood sugar contributes to a stable mood. 
• Also, you should get at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. Exercise relaxes the mind and has a positive influence on mood. Taking long walks is also a good idea as walking improves sleep quality. 
• In addition, supplements, over-the-counter products and medication can provide support. We will soon update our website with products and symptoms they help most with. Always consult a doctor about what is best for you. (You can also book an online consultation on SeeMe-nopause.)