Can menopause cause severe mood swings?

Menopause can be a challenging time of life for some women. There are many symptoms that can begin to rear around their mid-forties that can cause problems day to day. Changes to your hormone levels can play an important role in your mental health as well as physical health.

Fortunately, we are now living in a time when discussing menopause is no longer taboo and there is much more help and advice available to women than at any other time and yet many women still find that they are at a loss when it comes to recognising and dealing with the symptoms of menopause.

One of the symptoms that doesn’t seem to get as much exposure is mood swings. Have you found that your mood seems to swing from one extreme to another? Are you looking for ways that you can deal with mood swings in a natural way?

During perimenopause and menopause, many women can experience mood swings, ranging from mild to very severe, which can cause a lot of stress, embarrassment and anxiety. They can be detrimental to your relationships, both at work and at home and can have a severe impact on your state of mind.

Many women are aware of menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, broken disturbed sleep, night sweats and poor memory but mood swings are common symptoms that can be treated easily with the right tools.

What do menopause mood swings feel like?

Every woman will experience menopause symptoms in a way that is unique to her. No two women are the same and no two women will experience all of the same symptoms in the same manner. Mood swings are no exception.

Some women can feel teary, overly emotional, and suffer from anxiety, depression and irritability. This can lead to moods swinging from happy and content to overwhelmed and depressed in a very short space of time.

Other women may feel worried, indecisive, confused and lack self-esteem. These feelings can swing back and forth with no seeming control as to how a woman is able to cope with them.

Mood swings during menopause are caused by fluctuating hormones. The hormone oestrogen plays a main role here. Oestrogen controls many brain functions and as levels drop during perimenopause it can cause many psychological issues. Another side effect of lowering oestrogen levels is sleep disruption. As oestrogen drops, women can experience hot flushes, and interrupted sleep. This lack of sleep can lead to mood swings.

Do menopause mood swings go away?

Although it may seem like mood swings will never leave, in time and by adopting some lifestyle changes, menopausal mood swings can be lessened and will eventually go.

There are many things that you can put in place and tweaks that you can make to your diet and lifestyle that can help to combat the psychological effects of menopause.

Being proactive and in control of all areas of your life will help you to address the issues of mood swings during menopause.

19 Natural Easy Ways

1. Use cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioural therapy(CBT) can be used to help with mood swings during menopause. CBT is a non-medical treatment that can be used for depression, stress, anxiety and cognitive distortions. It can also help to manage sleep patterns which can be disturbed during menopause and it can also aid fatigue, all symptoms which can trigger mood swings.

Cognitive strategies and behavioural strategies can be used to help you to think differently towards the symptoms that you are having, thus bringing about different feelings and results. CBT is a highly effective treatment that has been used for the treatment of low moods, lack of self-esteem and depression. If you find that you are experiencing many of these symptoms, then speaking to a coach about using CBT could be very useful for you.

2. Take regular exercise

Exercise is excellent for both physical and mental well-being. The feel-good hormones that are released during exercise can boost mental well-being.

As well as benefiting emotionally, exercise can help to control weight gain that can happen during perimenopause and menopause. Weight gain can have a severe negative impact on a woman's emotional well-being.

Excessive weight gain can lead to a lack of confidence and low self-esteem which can all exacerbate mood swings.

Finding an exercise programme that works for you is the key. If you don’t like running or high-intensity cardio, then do something that will suit you much better, walking, swimming or yoga for example. The key is to find an exercise plan that works for you and that you will stick to.

3. Keep a diary of your menopause symptoms

When you understand what you are dealing with it is always easier to make an action plan. Start keeping a diary of your menopause symptoms and when they occur. It will help you to form the best plan of action. Are there certain foods that you eat that are a trigger to mood swings? Are you drinking more alcohol? How much caffeine are you consuming? Do you drink enough water? What time do you go to bed and how much sleep do you get?

Knowing the answers to all of these questions can help you set the right response in place to help you to deal with your mood swings.

4. Reduce your consumption of alcohol

We are all aware that too much alcohol is detrimental to good overall health but it can be especially harmful to people who are suffering from psychological issues.

Alcohol harms regular sleep patterns, and it can act as a depressant. Many people can get over-emotional when they have consumed too much alcohol, something which can exacerbate menopausal mood swings.

Alcohol can also make you put on weight which can have negative repercussions on your emotional well-being.

Try to limit the amount of alcohol that you drink or cut it out altogether.

5. Improve your sleep patterns

Sleep is one of the best ways you can look after yourself. Getting a good night’s sleep helps your mental and physical well-being. When you sleep, your body spends time repairing itself. Your brain is working whilst you sleep, helping you to remember and learn. The brain also removes toxins whilst you are asleep aiding the overall health of your body.

If you find that your sleep patterns are affected by menopause there are things that you can do to address it.

Make sure that you sleep in comfortable cotton clothing. Keep your bedroom at an ambient temperature.

Don’t have a heavy meal before bed, start eating earlier in the evening so your food has digested before you sleep. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before you retire.

Listen to relaxing music or a meditation app if you have trouble relaxing and have a warm bath before you settle down for the night. Leave your mobile phone in another room so you aren’t tempted to look at it if you wake up during the night.

Get into a good journaling habit so any worries are removed from your mind before you get into bed.

6. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

HRT is a treatment that replaces the hormones that the body loses during perimenopause and menopause. HRT replaces oestrogen and there are different doses and types that your doctor can recommend if it is something that you would like to look at. HRT is used to treat mood swings as well as other symptoms of menopause.

7. Identify the stress triggers

Look at stress triggers that can activate mood swings. It could be that you get anxious when you are running late or that driving in heavy traffic causes you to become annoyed. Identifying the triggers that can cause negative emotions means that you can try and avoid them in life.

Getting more organised in your day, or using public transport instead of driving for example can be ways to alleviate stressful situations from occurring thus helping to avoid mood swings.

8. Make sure your diet is balanced

Check your diet to see if there are any tweaks that you can make. By eliminating sugar and processed food as much as possible, you can stop the sugar high and low crashes that this type of diet causes.

This will help to control mood swings. Cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants can also help to regulate mood swings.

Try eating high-fibre foods and plenty of fruit and vegetables to make sure that you have a more balanced diet and also drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. A lack of fluids can make you feel tired and lethargic which can exacerbate mood swings.

9. Use a coach or counsellor

Coaching or counselling can help you to understand what is happening to you emotionally and physically and can give you guidance on the best way forward.

Many women struggle on alone with nobody to confide in or discuss issues with, this is where engaging a professional can be very helpful. They will be there to support you, with no judgement, just a desire to help you to get through this time and to work with you to bring about a positive change in your situation.

10. Look to your emotional support group

Many women find that having an emotional support group around them can be very beneficial during perimenopause and menopause.

Having a support network of people who understand what you are going through and who can offer emotional support or physical help can be a real lifeline for many women.

Whether it is friends, family or outside support groups, the help and support can help to move you through this period in your life.

11. Use the technique of Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a wonderful tool to help you relax in life. It is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety and to put issues that are bothering you into perspective. If you are suffering from severe mood swings, engaging in a mindfulness programme can help you to cope.

Mindfulness helps you to focus on the moment in time, not on situations in the past and future. By using mindfulness, you can learn to be fully in control of your thinking and the outcomes that you have in life.

12. Check out herbal supplements

There are many women who either can’t or would rather not take HRT to manage their menopause symptoms and so they instead turn to herbal supplements.

Valerian can be used as a tea or as a supplement to aid sleep. Lavender, again used as a dried herb, tea or oil is also beneficial for sleep and relaxation.

St John’s Wort can be taken as a tea or a supplement and is used as a mood enhancer for depression. As with all herbal medicines and supplements, you should consult your doctor before taking any, especially if you are on any other form of medication.

13. Practice Meditation to calm your mind

Meditation practice can help to still a busy and stressed mind, thus helping to alleviate mood swings. Meditation has long been used to bring about a state of calm and clarity to the mind. You don’t need to be a yogi or an expert to practice meditation or sit for an hour or so a day to get benefit from it.

Even spending just fifteen minutes a day is enough to start to quiet an over-anxious mind to start restoring a sense of calm and order to mood swings.

There are many meditation apps available now that make sitting and practising meditation a very easy and enjoyable experience and one that you can gain a lot of benefits.

14. Calm yourself with relaxing music

Music has the power to reduce stress and relax and calm the body. It has been proven to have therapeutic effects on physical and emotional health. You will no doubt be aware of how much better you feel when you hear a piece of music that you love, how something upbeat can bring a smile to your face and something melodic can help you to feel calm.

When you are experiencing mood swings playing relaxing music can reduce cortisol levels in the body, the hormone that induces feelings of stress and anxiety. It can also lower your heart rate, another physical sign of stress.

Music can also help to release endorphins into the body, lifting your mood and helping you to feel better. Next time you feel your mood beginning to change, reach for your headphones and put on some of your favourite tracks to lift your mood and help you to relax.

15. Reduce the amount of caffeine in your diet

Caffeine is a major stimulant in the body and too much can cause stress and anxiety. Reducing the amount of caffeine that you consume can help to lower stress levels.

Caffeine is present in many soft drinks and of course, tea and coffee so where ever possible, it is a good idea to either cut back or cut them out entirely.

Switching to decaffeinated tea and coffee is a great option, and eliminating coca cola from your diet as it is packed with caffeine. There are many herbal teas available that are tasty and are a great alternative.

16. Eat phytoestrogen-rich foods

If you are looking for an alternative to HRT when treating mood swings then look to eating phytoestrogen-rich foods. Phytoestrogens are compounds found in plants. They have a similar effect on the body as HRT as they have a similar chemical structure to human oestrogen.

By incorporating more phytoestrogen-rich food into your diet, you can help to replace oestrogen naturally. Try food such as;

• Cruciferous vegetables, especially cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower

• Seeds

• Bran

• Wholegrains

• Fruits and berries

• Vegetables

• Soya bean and soy products

• Beans and legumes.

17. Drink a healthy amount of water

Water as we all know is essential for good health. When you are dehydrated the body will start to have serious problems. Dehydration can cause stress on the nervous system as you will start to feel tired and lethargic. It can also produce stiff and painful joints, which can alter your mood. It can cause headaches and migraines which can also affect mood swings and it can alter sleeping patterns which can have a negative effect on emotional health.

Make sure that you drink plenty of water each day. Keep topped up by drinking small amounts at regular intervals, don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink as by this time the damage has been done to your body. Aim for 2 litres each day.

18. Eat less processed foods and sugar-rich foods

As lovely as they may taste you will be aware of the damage too much processed food and sugar-rich food can do.

As a whole, we all tend to consume too much which can have major health consequences. Apart from weight gain, eating these types of food can cause inflammation in the body which leads to heart problems and cancers. They also can cause hormone imbalance.

Sugar-rich foods can cause a sudden sugar rush leading to a crash, in fact, it takes just 30 minutes for this to happen. This can cause feelings of depression and continued sugar consumption can have a negative effect emotionally. Try eliminating sugar from your diet where ever possible, avoid adding it to your food and cut out sugary snacks and opt for healthier options instead.

19. Use hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a procedure that puts people into a trance-like state, which is used to help a person create focus in their life.

It can be used to aid mood swings by helping to reduce stress and anxiety and to get control of situations where stress can occur.

The idea is to bring a state of awareness to the individual so they can control their thoughts towards negative occurrences.

Hypnotherapy can also be used to help you gain control over negative behaviours that could be causing negative emotions such as over-eating or poor sleeping habits.

Hypnotherapy is usually carried out in hourly sessions. A trained hypnotherapist will use different relaxation techniques that will help to guide you into a relaxed state of being. You will still be aware of what is happening but you will be more responsive mentally to what the therapist is saying to you.

When you are in a relaxed state you will be able to discuss matters that may cause you stress and anxiety, without them affecting you and leading to treatment in a safer more controlled way.

Final Thoughts

There are many natural ways to deal with menopause mood swings.

Although this can be a tricky time of life for many women, there is much more help and guidance around now, and nobody needs to suffer in silence or alone.

Making simple changes to diet and exercise routines, and incorporating mindfulness and meditation practices into your daily routine can all be major benefits to overall physical and emotional health and well-being.

Taking control and being accountable for what is happening in your life is also a very powerful response which can have a very positive effect on mood swings.

Talking with family and friends about what you are going through can also help to defuse difficult situations and can bring more understanding and help to your situation.

Reaching out to trained professionals can have a profound impact as well so remember never suffer alone reach out to people to gain the help and understanding that you may need at this time, it will pass and you will get through it.

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