HEALTH + WELLNESS
Menopause Mood Swings :
A SIMPLE SOLUTION
BY DR SHIRIN , ELITE AESTHETICS
MENOPAUSE MOOD SWINGS CAN NOT ONLY LEAVE YOU FEELING ANXIOUS , ANGRY AND DEPRESSED , BUT THEY CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIPS AND QUALITY OF LIFE TOO .
One minute you ’ re laughing , the next you ’ re sobbing , shouting or totally overwhelmed . The good news is that you ’ re not crazy . Your hormones are to blame . If you ’ ve noticed your emotions are unstable or out of control , don ’ t beat yourself up over it . It ’ s totally normal .
Much like in adolescence or pregnancy , the only other times in your life when you experience such a significant hormonal change , it ’ s very common for women to experience mood swings as you go through the change .
What Are Menopause Mood Swings ?
Menopause mood swings are the sudden , irrational and extreme mood swings that can occur due to hormonal changes during the menopause or perimenopause .
The symptoms of menopause mood swings can vary from woman to woman .
Some women may find they are sensitive , cry often and feel easily upset . Others find they suddenly have trouble with their temper , shouting at their loved ones over small problems . Some suffer from depression or anhedonia ( a complete loss of pleasure in all things ).
And some find they go through all the moods , swinging from one to another with no control and no understanding of why they feel what they feel from one minute to the next .
While all the symptoms of menopause can have a negative impact on your life , menopause mood swings seem to be the one most people find most disrupting .
This is partly because your emotions play such a huge role in your daily quality of life , but also because your mood swings can impact the people around you too – putting a strain on your relationships or interfering with your behaviour at work .
What Causes Menopause Mood Swings ?
For around 30-40 years , since you first hit puberty , your hormones have been playing a fine balancing act – each created in the perfect proportion to each other at the perfect time each month .
As you go through the menopause , your body starts to produce less oestrogen and your egg production stops .
This is a big change .
Your oestrogen levels fluctuate and your progesterone decreases . This instability causes a domino effect – with almost every part of your body having to adapt to the new normal .
Hot flushes , insomnia , dry skin , weight gain , increased ageing , low libido , lack of lubrication , and – of course – mood swings are all common symptoms of the menopause . For some women , they are minor inconveniences , but for others , they can have a seriously devastating impact on their lives .
And just to make things extra challenging , neurotransmitters , such as serotonin ( your moodregulating hormone ) reduce , leading to poor mood control and compounding your emotional problems .
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