Mood swings during the menopause – a more relaxed approach

The key points

• Mood swings during the menopause are perfectly normal – up to 70% of women between the ages of 45 and 55 experience them.

• The main reason for these constant emotional outbursts is the drop in oestrogen and progesterone, hormones that have a profound influence on a woman’s overall mental health.

• With conscious self-care, a stable social environment and, if necessary, support from a therapist, emotional outbursts can be significantly reduced.

How mood swings manifest themselves during the menopause

Are you easily irritated, annoyed or suddenly sad for no apparent reason? Welcome to the menopause club! From the age of around 40, emotional fluctuations like this are a familiar, if often unpleasant, issue for many women. Common symptoms include:

• Irritability and inner restlessness

• Irrational sadness or crying for no reason

• Nervousness and feeling overwhelmed

• Sleep disturbances and intrusive thoughts at night

• Withdrawal and lack of motivation

• Split-second changes in mood

• Mild anxiety or concentration problems

In most women, these symptoms subside after a few years, usually as soon as their hormone levels stabilise again. What’s particularly interesting here is that, while some women don’t experience any psychological changes at all during their menopause, others struggle with severe mood swings, sometimes even hormone-related depression.

Depression or mood swings? When is professional help advisable?

The boundaries between mood swings, low mood and genuine depression are often blurred, but they’re nonetheless significant. Although mood swings can be very stressful, they’re usually only temporary. However, if the symptoms below persist or are so severe that they have a negative impact on your everyday life, seeking professional help is advisable:

• A feeling of listlessness, emptiness or worthlessness that lasts for weeks on end.

• Constant trouble sleeping, even though you’re tired.

• Inability to enjoy the things you used to enjoy.

• Social withdrawal and sinking into negative thoughts.

Just talking to your GP, a psychotherapist or a hormone specialist can shed some light on the situation and offer you new perspectives. The most important thing is not to be ashamed of your feelings and to talk about them. You’ll see that you’re not alone.

A drop in oestrogen and progesterone: the impact on mental health

Oestrogen isn’t only a fertility hormone, it also influences your levels of serotonin and dopamine, the brain’s happiness and reward chemicals. When oestrogen levels drop during the menopause, the body’s own production of these ‘happiness hormones’ also drops. The result is low mood, nervousness or sleep disorders, such as those you might have experienced before and during your period or during puberty.

Progesterone, which has a calming effect on the nervous system, also decreases. This leads to inner restlessness, anxiety, irritability and the typical mood swings during the three phases of menopause:

1. Perimenopause: hormonal changes begin and your cycle becomes irregular

2. Menopause: your last period

3. Postmenopause: your hormone levels stabilise over the long term

The first symptoms usually occur during the perimenopause – i.e. before you have your last period. The earlier the mood swings occur, the longer they often last.

Other causes of mood swings during the menopause

The fact that many women suffer from mood swings during the menopause isn’t only due to the neurological effects the drop in oestrogen and progesterone levels cause – the menopause is often a time of change in our relationships, our bodies and our goals in life.

Dissatisfaction with physical changes

As our hair thins, our skin sags and our metabolism slows, making it harder to maintain our weight during the menopause, our reflections change and, in turn, our self-image often wavers. This can be emotionally stressful and lead to a drop in our moods.

Farewell to fertility

For many women, the fact that they can no longer have children is an emotional turning point – especially if they’ve not yet been able to fulfil their desire to have children. But, even for women with older children, this period often marks the beginning of a new phase in their lives that can initially be disorientating.

A smaller social circle

Your kids have moved out, your parents have passed and many friendships have changed in recent years. Of course, all of this can have a significant psychological impact. During this time, many women feel socially isolated despite their being married or in a long-term relationship.

Navigating the menopause full of confidence and self-confidence

The good news is that there’s a lot you can do to make the phases before, during and after the menopause positive. With small changes to your lifestyle and mindset, as well as an extra dose of compassion towards yourself, you can regain your mental balance and, at best, see this phase as an opportunity for a fresh start.

Talk about your feelings – therapists and your friends are invaluable

Whether it’s on a walk with your best friend or a conversation with a professional, talking deeply, openly and honestly about your feelings can relieve a great deal of pressure. Not only will you let go of some emotional baggage, but you’ll also gain new perspectives and solutions and you’ll often notice that your emotions are by no means flaws, rather they’re completely natural.

A healthy lifestyle with exercise and a balanced diet

Regular exercise reduces stress hormones such as cortisol and provides the perfect balance to a demanding working day. If you combine exercise with a vitamin-rich, balanced diet, you’ll notice how your body and mind stay fit and how your mental health stabilises.

Regular self-care – from a sauna visit to a shopping spree

Scheduling time just for yourself – without any commitments or to-do lists – is particularly important in stressful periods and when you’re feeling down. Whether it’s relaxing in the sauna, a weekend at the lake or cuddling up in new sleepwear from CALIDA, self-esteem has nothing to do with vanity, rather with pure self-love and self-respect.

A pair of high-quality CALIDA pyjamas made from temperature-regulating organic cotton or silky-cool TENCEL™ offers just that and ensures you can have a well-deserved moment of self-care, even at night, for better sleep quality during hormone-induced hot flushes or restless nights.

Herbal mood enhancers, in consultation with your doctor

Herbal remedies such as St. John’s wort or monk’s pepper can help with mild hormone-related mood swings, but even though these are herbal remedies, potential interactions with other medication you may be taking should always be assessed and ruled out by a doctor. If you just want to relax a little more, you can try milder remedies such as lavender, rose root and passion flower.

Hormone replacement therapies (HRT) for depressive moods

If the tips mentioned above aren’t enough or if other symptoms such as sleeping disorders, hair loss or depression occur, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may help. It replaces missing oestrogen and, if necessary, progestagens to compensate for hormone loss during the menopause and alleviate symptoms.

HRT is not a cure-all, but it is an effective and popular tool for reducing mood swings and other symptoms women going through the menopause can experience. It’s important to seek medical advice and support in order to weigh up the individual benefits and potential risks and monitor your hormone levels closely.

Conclusion

Mood swings during the menopause are completely normal – but there are still things you can do to combat them. By talking openly about your feelings, taking good care of yourself and learning to consciously embrace and shape the next phase of life, you can slow the mental rollercoaster ride down. Whether it’s exercise, sauna visits, a new hobby or with carefully selected sleepwear, even small changes can promote well-being and make you feel more balanced, beautiful and powerful during the menopause. After all, menopause is not an end, rather it’s a new beginning – hormonally, physically and mentally.