How To Manage Mood Swings During Periods

How To Stop Pms Mood Swings

Mood Swings During Period: Causes & Management | Period Mood Swings | MFine

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Dr Tariq Miskry, Consultant Gynaecologist & Obstetrician

Learning how to stop PMS mood swings is key to not letting your period get in the way of your life.

After all, getting into a row with your bestie or crying at every advert on TV because youâre dealing with PMS mood swings isnât exactly a bucket of fun. So, if youâre looking for help with PMS mood swings, read on!

What Are The Risk Factors For Pmdd

While any woman can develop PMDD, the following may be at increased risk:

  • Women with a family history of PMS or PMDD
  • Women with a personal or family history of depression, postpartum depression, or other mood disorders

Other possible risk factors include lower education and cigarette smoking

Talk with your healthcare provider for more information.

Can You Prevent It

Another reason to get up early is that youll have more time to exercise. In particular, you should get up early and exercise at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. This will help your sleep as well as increase your energy. There are also a number of things you can do to reduce your stress levels and maintain healthy sleeping and exercise habits. If you have trouble falling asleep, you can get up and do a simple exercise before bed. This can help you fall asleep more easily. For example, you can do a 5-minute brisk walk before bed, or you can do some yoga or sit-ups. If you feel sluggish during the day, it can be beneficial to do some sit-ups and other simple exercises. This can help you stay energized and mentally alert. Another way to reduce stress is to meditate or do relaxation exercises. Find a quiet place and just do these exercises for a few minutes. Relaxing is also a great way to relieve stress and ease anxiety. You can use mindfulness techniques like sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing. You can also try progressive muscle relaxation. This is where you take your mind back and count down from 10. For each time you breathe in, you count down to one. Then, you start again and count down from 10 to one. You can also use any other techniques to help you relax, such as listening to music or taking a bath. You can also try playing some slow, relaxing music as you

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What Are The Common Symptoms

According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common mood swings during periods occur around the time of ovulation. Symptoms include irritability, mood swings, depression and food cravings. But, not all mood swings are related to ovulation. If you feel like you have a constant emotional roller coaster in your life, it may be because you are experiencing a chemical imbalance during your period. A chemical imbalance can be caused by anything from stress and anxiety to hormone imbalances.

What Are The Causes Of Pmdd

How to Manage PMS Mood: Anger

The exact causes are still not fully understood but researchers believe that PMDD is caused by being very sensitive to changes in hormone levels. Recent research suggests that PMDD is associated with increased sensitivity to the normal hormonal changes that occur during your monthly menstrual cycle.

See the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders website for further information on hormones and PMDD.

There is research to suggest other possible causes for PMDD, as well as things that may make your PMDD worse. Some of these possible factors are:

  • Genetics. Some research suggests that increased sensitivity to changes in hormone levels may be caused by genetic variations.
  • Smoking. Some research suggests that smoking can have an impact on your hormone sensitivity.
  • Trauma and stress. Other research has shown that in some cases PMDD may be linked to stressful and traumatic past events, such as emotional or physical abuse. Stress may also make your PMDD symptoms worse.

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How To Manage Pms Mood Swings

This article was co-authored by Allison Broennimann, PhD. Dr. Allison Broennimann is a licensed Clinical Psychologist with a private practice based in the San Francisco Bay Area providing psychotherapy and neuropsychology services. With over a decade of experience, Dr. Broennimann specializes in in-depth psychotherapy to provide solution-focused treatments for anxiety, depression, relationship problems, grief, adjustment problems, traumatic stress, and phase-of-life transitions. And as part of her neuropsychology practice, she integrates depth psychotherapy and cognitive rehabilitation for those recovering after traumatic brain injury. Dr. Broennimann holds a BA in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and an MS and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University. She is licensed by the California Board of Psychology and is a member of the American Psychological Association.There are 18 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 25,270 times.

When Should You Seek Help For Pms Mood Swings

Society tends to speak about PMS in two very binary ways. First: Its a universal experience, one that everyone who has periods endures every cycle. Second: It isnt even a thing, just an excuse for our bad moods and irritability. The first normalizes pain and discomfort, suggesting its just a part of life we should simply put up with. The second trivializes the very real impact PMS has on some peoples lives.

While it is very common, and therefore normal, to experience mood swings as part of PMS, thats not to say you should always have to accept that its just a part of your life. For many, its just an inconvenience, but others experience more severe symptoms that require some help. Up to 8% of women of reproductive age have something called premenstrual dysphoric disorder . Often incorrectly referred to as just bad PMS, PMDD is actually a severe type of PMS that can totally affect someones ability to function during the luteal phase and a large part of that is related to mood. Commonly, its characterized by severe symptoms like a marked loss of energy, feeling out of control, feeling hopeless, or having suicidal thoughts.

If you are unable to function well at work or at home, if you have feelings of overwhelming sadness, or like you may want to hurt yourself or someone else, its time to get help, advises Dr. Levy.

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How Exercise Helps In Controlling Pms

Exercise aids in improving symptoms. Doctors advise females to regular exercise. Apart from this, meditation and yoga also help in mood elevation. But unfortunately, one might need medication.

Bottom Line

It is prevalent have mood swings in females during periods. But one can avoid the pain by adopting a healthy lifestyle. In addition, doing daily exercises also help. To know more, watch the full video.

Thank you

But Why Do The Emotions Run Wild During The Menstrual Cycle

How to manage mood swings in women? – Dr. Sulata Shenoy

The fluctuations in your mood anger, sadness, anxiety, depression, irritation are a part of PMS symptoms that come before the onset of periods. Mood swings on period are common!

A lot of women admit they get unstable because of this rollercoaster of emotions during that time of the month.

Mood swings on period go like one minute you feel fantastic, happy, optimistic and the next minute, something disturbs you and you start being sad, angry and oversensitive.

This can happen in a combo too!

Other than these delightful combos of mood swings on period, some women endure depression or anxiety too.

All this is not fair, right?

Your mood is sensitive and can be affected by small things even the sandwich in breakfast or the flavour of ice cream.

Can you control the mood swings on period?

Lets dig deep into the causes and treatments of mood swings on period and know-how can one remain stable even during that time of the month.

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How Is Pmdd Treated

PMDD is a serious, chronic condition that does need treatment. Several of the following treatment approaches may help relieve or decrease the severity of PMDD symptoms:

  • Changes in diet to increase protein and carbohydrates and decrease sugar, salt, caffeine, and alcohol
  • Regular exercise
  • Vitamin supplements
  • Anti-inflammatory medicines
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
  • Birth control pills

For some women, the severity of symptoms increases over time and lasts until menopause. For this reason, a woman may need treatment for an extended time. Medicine dosage may change throughout the course of treatment.

How Can I Control Mood Swings

Many people suffer from periods where their moods change constantly. People may feel sad one minute and happy the next. This can cause them to feel constantly miserable, making it hard to get anything done. Fortunately, there are several ways to control mood swings during periods. First, you should try to eat well. It may seem like a hassle, but eating a balanced diet can actually help your mood and energy levels. When you eat poorly, your energy levels may feel low. The simple act of eating a good meal can give you a boost of energy. Many people find that food can be a mood lifter, so try to keep a few options on hand so you can eat whenever you feel yourself going down. Another way to control your mood swings is to get enough sleep. This may seem like an obvious suggestion, but many people find themselves lying awake at night worrying about the day. When you get enough sleep, youre more likely to feel rested, which can help boost your mood. Additionally, try to do some physical activity. Even a short walk can boost your mood, as well as help you sleep better at night. Other ways to control mood swings include getting a regular exercise routine, which will help keep you healthy. Finally, get some sunshine every day. Sunlight is a natural mood-boosting substance. Not only does it boost your mood, it also helps you sleep better at night.

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What Is The Difference Between Pms And Pmdd

To make it short, PMDD or Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a severe form of what we commonly know as PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome. Both can cause physical and emotional changes, but PMDD causes intense mood shifts that can affect work and relationships.

PMDD is more than just a mood swing, see the infographic below to understand more the difference between the two.

Tracking Your Pms Symptoms

Mood swings during period

Keeping tabs on your symptoms can help you determine your typical premenstrual experience. Use Clue to record your data for at least three cycles and you may start to see patterns in your PMS symptoms, triggers, and relief measures. The PMS symptom relief strategies we mentioned are best for mild to moderate symptoms. If your symptoms are moderate to severe, it may be time to talk to your healthcare provider about exploring some potential causes for your symptoms and some more options for symptom relief.

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The Hormonal Circuit And Pms

As AFS progresses, the Hormonal Circuit can become unbalanced, resulting in a combination of troubling symptoms. The Hormonal Circuit consists of the ovaries or testes, the adrenal glands, and the thyroid gland. These systems are strongly interlinked, so as AFS progresses they will each decline in health and functioning and cause declines in the others as well.

When you have adrenal fatigue, your bodys high, ongoing demand for cortisol can cause the adrenal glands to decline in health. They will struggle to produce the necessary levels of cortisol and become fatigued. In the later stages of AFS, they may even start to degrade. When your cortisol levels are high on an ongoing basis it can cause problems such as diabetes, weak muscles, weight problems, and high blood pressure and glucose levels. These issues will bring additional stress and further tax the adrenals.

As the adrenals decline in health, the ovaries or testes will follow. For many women, this means hormonal imbalances that will affect menstruation and PMS. The female reproductive system needs a careful balance of estrogen and progesterone to function correctly. This balance can easily be lost when you have AFS. This may bring on PMS when youve never had it before as well as other issues like mood swings with period problems.

Filling Your Week With Stress

If you know your mood is likely to dip in the few days before your period and your cycle is fairly regular, try to plan for it by working with your PMS. Fill your premenstrual week with stress-busting activities, such as an exercise class, a massage, or a weekend of downtime, and surround yourself with things that make you feel great. That might be wearing your favorite PJs or booking a table at that restaurant youve been dying to try.

Also take into account the hardest days of the month, and if you have flexibility in your schedule, try to avoid any big work projects or stressful trips around the times youre likely to be a little more vulnerable.

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How Can Your Period Cause Mood Swings

It isnt exactly clear what causes mood swings around the time of you period, although it is widely accepted that hormones have an important part to play. However, which hormones are involved and what effects they are having on other hormones and systems, isnt well understood.

What we do know is that both oestrogen and progesterone hit rock bottom in the few days prior to each menstrual period. This is thought to be significant but theres more to it than that.

Oestrogen is prone to fluctuating around day 14 of the menstrual cycle oestrogen peaks in order to initiate ovulation. This is interesting in itself, as we believe this important hormone is somewhat responsible for regulating our mood, so it makes sense to have optimal amounts around the time of ovulation this is when we should be at our happiest and ensure relationships are going well if we want any chance of becoming pregnant!

However, after ovulation, oestrogen starts to decline. It isnt plain sailing though and over the next two weeks it fluctuates, until it eventually decreases enough to initiate menstruation. These fluctuations are thought to be critical not only are the levels of oestrogen important but also the ratio of oestrogen to progesterone at any one time. If this ratio changes, it can result in one hormone becoming dominant over the other.

Pms Remedy: Stress Relief

Stay Fit: How to Ease Cramps & Mood Swings During Menstruation? | CNBC TV18

Because PMS can cause tension, anxiety, and irritability, its important to find healthy ways to cope with stress. Different strategies work for different women. You may want to try yoga, meditation, massage, writing in a journal, or simply talking with friends. It also helps to make sure you get enough sleep.

The hallmark of the diagnosis of PMS is that symptom-free interval after the menstrual flow and prior to the next ovulation. If there is no such interval and the symptoms persist throughout the cycle, then PMS may not be the proper diagnosis. PMS can still be present and aggravate symptoms related to the other conditions, but it cannot be the sole cause of constant or non-cyclic symptoms. Blood or other tests may be ordered to help rule out other potential causes of symptoms.

Another way to help make the diagnosis of PMS is to prescribe drugs that stop all ovarian function. If these medications produce relief of the troublesome symptoms, then PMS is most likely the diagnosis.

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How Stress Contributes To Hormonal Imbalances

Stress doesnt cause PMS, but it can make the symptoms worse. This is particularly true when your stress levels are high enough to bring on adrenal fatigue and Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome . This disorder can occur when youre under high levels of stress over a long time. When this occurs, the NeuroEndoMetabolic stress response, which normally helps you cope with stress, becomes overused and starts to malfunction.

As the NEM stress response declines, the adrenal glands start to struggle to keep up with the high demand for cortisol. This is the hormone that causes the fight or flight response and its your bodys best solution for stress. When your bodys demand for cortisol is too high over a long period, it can cause imbalances in the NEM stress response and its associated circuits, including the Hormonal Circuit. This may be an unrecognized cause of mood swings with period problems.

Key Points About Pmdd

PMDD is a much more severe form of t premenstrual syndrome .

The exact cause of PMDD is not known.

  • The main symptoms that distinguish PMDD from other mood disorders or menstrual conditions is when symptoms start and how long they last.
  • Symptoms of PMDD are so severe that it affects your ability to function at home, work and in relationships.
  • Aside from a complete medical history and physical and pelvic exam, there are very few tests to diagnose the condition.
  • Over the course of a year, during most menstrual cycles, 5 or more of the following symptoms must be present:
  • Lack of interest in activities once enjoyed
  • Insomnia or feeling very sleepy
  • Feeling overwhelmed or out of control
  • PMDD is a serious, chronic condition that does need treatment that may include lifestyle changes and sometimes medicines.
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    What Questions Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider

    If you have PMDD, you may want to ask your healthcare provider:

    • Why did I get PMDD?
    • What is the best treatment for me?
    • What are the treatment side effects?
    • Should I change my birth control?
    • What lifestyle changes can I make to manage symptoms?
    • Am I at risk for major depression or suicide?
    • What should I do if I feel seriously depressed or suicidal?
    • Should I look out for signs of complications?

    A note from Cleveland Clinic

    PMDD is a serious disorder that can negatively affect your life, relationships and career. Women with PMDD may harm themselves or others. If you consistently experience severe depression and anxiety or other PMDD symptoms in the weeks leading up to your period, seek help from your healthcare provider. Medications can get hormone or serotonin levels in check so that you feel more like yourself. PMDD isnt a problem you have to live with. Dont put off getting the medical and mental health care you need.

    Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/23/2020.

    References

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