Between ages 45 and 55, women go through menopause, when their bodies stop producing eggs. As a result, menopausal women stop having their periods. Some women going through menopause experience mood swings, which cause them to become sad at one moment, then agitated at another. The mood swings, along with the other symptoms of menopause, can be disruptive to a woman's daily life.
Frequency
Not every woman going through menopause experiences mood swings. Epigee, a women's health website, explains that 15 percent of menopausal women have rapidly changing moods. Certain women have a higher risk of developing mood swings during menopause. The National Women's Health Information Center notes that women who have had premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, before their period or women who had postpartum depression after giving birth will likely have mood swings during menopause.
Causes
Certain factors during menopause can cause the mood swings. For example, Epigee notes that the fluctuating levels of hormones can influence mood. During menopause, a woman's levels of androgens, estrogen and progesterone go up and down, which in turn affect serotonin, a neurotransmitter related to mood. If the levels of serotonin in the brain increase, a woman experiences a happier mood. But if the levels of serotonin decrease, she may become depressed.
Symptoms
Other symptoms of menopause occur along with the mood swings. During menopause, women can have insomnia and night sweats, which result in fatigue. MedlinePlus explains that women can have skin flushing, hot flashes and a racing heart rate. These physical symptoms can contribute to emotional symptoms. For example, menopausal women may become irritable. Some women may develop anxiety, which causes them to worry more than normal.
Effects of Mood Swings on Menopause
Epigee points out that the mood swings can make women's lives more stressful during menopause, especially if they occur during life-changing situations. For example, menopause and mood swings can make events, like retirement, more difficult to deal with.
Treatment
Women can take actions to get the menopause-related mood swings under control. The National Women's Health Information Center notes that menopausal hormone therapy, which treats the physical symptoms of menopause, can help with the mood swings. For example, if a woman does not have the hot flashes or skin flushing, she may not become as depressed about the changes to her body. Menopausal women can make lifestyle changes as well. Epigee adds that exercising three times a week for at least 20 minutes a day can improve mood swings. Eating complex carbohydrates, like beans, and doing yoga and meditation can help. Some women may benefit from a support group where they can talk about the issues they are dealing with.
