{"id":2755,"date":"2017-04-25T13:31:51","date_gmt":"2017-04-25T18:31:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/?p=2755"},"modified":"2017-04-25T13:31:51","modified_gmt":"2017-04-25T18:31:51","slug":"tackle-hormonal-mood-swings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/tackle-hormonal-mood-swings","title":{"rendered":"How to Tackle Hormonal Mood Swings"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

The word hormone comes from the Greek hormo<\/em>, meaning to move forward. That\u2019s appropriate because these powerful chemicals keep every part of the body working properly. Estrogen and progesterone, the primary female hormones, are essential for reproduction, growth, metabolism, and immune function. However, their constant fluctuation may also wreak havoc<\/a> on the way many women feel.<\/p>\n

In an analysis<\/a> of 41 published studies of women\u2019s daily moods, more than half found a link between bad moods and menstruation. Moreover, women in the Penn Ovarian Aging Study reported<\/a> an increase of depressive symptoms as they transitioned into menopause. If you feel like you\u2019re on a hormonal roller coaster, read on to learn what research suggests about hormonal mood swings, and discover natural ways to feel better no matter where you are in your cycle or life.<\/p>\n

Ebbs and Flows<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When it comes to women and mood, it\u2019s hard to separate biology from culture<\/a>. For a long time, menstruation-related research lagged behind due to stigma<\/a>. Fortunately, researchers take women\u2019s health more seriously now. However, the available research demonstrates just how little we understand and more studies are needed to better determine how the menstrual cycle impacts mood. Blaming bad moods on premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is so common it\u2019s become a joke. Strikingly, only 13.5 percent of studies in the above-mentioned analysis<\/a> identified bad moods as corresponding with the pre-menstrual phase.<\/p>\n

One thing is clear: Mood swings aren\u2019t usually related<\/a> to hormone imbalances. Women who report cyclical mood swings usually have normal<\/a> levels of hormones but seem to be more sensitive to hormonal fluctuations. A small study<\/a> of women diagnosed with premenstrual dysmorphic disorder (PMDD), a syndrome characterized by extreme mood symptoms, suggests these women\u2019s cells may react differently to hormones than cells of women without PMDD. Researchers are not sure why.<\/p>\n

Whatever the cause, it may be easier to ride hormonal ups and downs when you recognize them as predictable and temporary. According to Dr. Christiane Northrup, many women experience<\/a> similar, subtle shifts in mood during the four phases of the menstrual cycle, moving from optimism at the beginning to enthusiasm mid-cycle, then reflection and reactivity at the end of the cycle. Some research supports Northrup\u2019s observation; for instance, women are more reactive<\/a> to emotional stimuli in the luteal phase. Jing Jin, founder of CycleHarmony.com, relates<\/a> these subtle emotional shifts to seasonal cycles in the natural world.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

Balancing Act<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you feel like your hormones are holding you hostage, some relatively simple lifestyle changes may help.<\/p>\n

1. Pay attention<\/h4>\n

Keep a diary of your symptoms for a few months. All women are different, and the only way to understand your moods is to record them and analyze the data. It may bring relief to observe that cyclical annoyances don\u2019t usually last long.<\/p>\n

2. Eat up<\/h4>\n

Studies<\/a> suggest women with PMS may be deficient in calcium and magnesium. Foods rich in vitamin B6, omega 3 fatty acids, and zinc may also help prevent mood swings, according to some experts<\/a>. It can\u2019t hurt to eat a more nutrient-dense diet. Reach for vegetables, leafy greens, beans, seeds, nuts, legumes, whole grains, poultry, seafood and seaweed, and fish.<\/p>\n

3. Improve sleep habits<\/h4>\n

Some women report<\/a> insomnia before menstruation, which is when estrogen and progesterone levels plummet; 40 to 50 percent of women experience<\/a> insomnia during menopause. Women with sleep disturbances are more likely to feel stressed out, tense, anxious, or depressed. To improve your odds of a good night of sleep, make your room dark, quiet, and cool, and stick to routine<\/a> sleep and waking times.<\/p>\n

4. Move more<\/h4>\n

In one study<\/a>, eight weeks of aerobic training significantly reduced participants\u2019 premenstrual symptoms. Choose physical activities you enjoy<\/a> since the point<\/a> is to feel good.<\/p>\n

5. Manage stress<\/h4>\n

Women who experience stress early in a menstrual cycle are more likely to experience mood swings later in the cycle, according to a study<\/a>. Walking, mindfulness exercises, visiting nature, and hanging out with friends are proven ways<\/a> to reduce stress.<\/p>\n

6. Reduce caffeine and alcohol<\/h4>\n

In studies<\/a>, caffeine has been shown to decrease feelings of relaxation and increase ratings of anxiousness, tenseness, and nervousness. Alcohol may interfere with estrogen<\/a> detoxification<\/a> (which could be why it\u2019s associated with a higher risk of breast cancer). Reach for a drink, such as water or herbal tea, that helps you feel calm.<\/p>\n

If you experience mood swings that interfere with your daily life and these healthy makeovers don\u2019t help, it may be time to check in with your doctor or naturopath. Herbs<\/a>, such as chaste tree and red clover, vitamin supplements, or medical treatments may help<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hormonal cycles should not be used to discount or discriminate against women or medicalize normal life changes. However, it doesn\u2019t serve women to pretend our bodies and moods stay constant through the course of a lifetime. Whether the subject is menstruation, menopause, moods, or other topics, we should take women\u2019s health seriously. Recognizing and understanding hormonal fluctuations may help women move through their lives with more awareness<\/a> and ease.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The word hormone comes from the Greek hormo, meaning to move forward. That\u2019s appropriate because these powerful chemicals keep every part of the body working properly. Estrogen and progesterone, the primary female hormones, are essential for reproduction, growth, metabolism, and immune function. However, their constant fluctuation may also wreak havoc on the way many women […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":2758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,9],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nHow to Tackle Hormonal Mood Swings - Health Perch<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/tackle-hormonal-mood-swings\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Tackle Hormonal Mood Swings\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Recognizing and understanding hormonal fluctuations may help women move through their lives with more awareness and ease.\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/tackle-hormonal-mood-swings\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Health Perch\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/healthperch\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-04-25T18:31:51+00:00\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/mood-swings_open-graph.jpg\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"627\" \/>\r\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Abby Quillen\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to Tackle Hormonal Mood Swings\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Recognizing and understanding hormonal fluctuations may help women move through their lives with more awareness and ease.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/mood-swings_open-graph.jpg\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@healthperch\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@healthperch\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Abby Quillen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/tackle-hormonal-mood-swings\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/tackle-hormonal-mood-swings\",\"name\":\"How to Tackle Hormonal Mood Swings - 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