Do you feel happy this minute and angry the next minute? You could be having mood swings. Here are the causes and treatment options for mood swings in women.
Have your emotions been feeling all over the place recently? It might be mood swings.
A lot of us will experience sudden changes in mood in our lifetime – changing from happy to sad once in a blue moon isn’t much to worry about. But if you’ve been having mood swings more frequently you could find your emotions getting in the way of your life.
This is when it’s time to get to the bottom of the cause and help you feel more like yourself again. Once you know what’s causing your mood swings, you can help put a stop to them.
Take a look at our guide to the causes and treatments of mood swings in women and men.
What Are Mood Swings?
A lot of people describe mood swings as a roller coaster of emotion. One minute you’re happy and relaxed, the next you’re furious or sad. It’s usually intense fluctuations, moving quickly from one to the other, and can leave you feeling far from normal!
If you start having mood swings a lot, it can get in the way of your life. Whether yours are triggered or happen without a catalyst, the emotional fluctuations can be hard to live with.
Luckily there are lots of ways you can treat them. But first, you need to identify the causes of mood swings. Take a look at these to start feeling more like you again.
PMS Mood Swings in Women
If you’re noticing a lot of mood swings before your period, these could be down to PMS – also known as premenstrual syndrome. 90% of women experience some kind of PMS symptoms, and they show up around a week before your period starts.
There are plenty of ways to help ease PMS symptoms, including:
- Tracking your symptoms to show your doctor for better treatment
- Going on birth control
- Prescribed medication
- Eating a healthier diet that’s lower in fatty foods
- Getting enough sleep and exercise
Try living a healthier, stress-free lifestyle to reduce your PMS mood swings and speak to your doctor about treatment.
If you’re looking for how to control mood swings naturally, try taking Rhodiola Rosea. It’s a herbal medicine that’s been shown to be a natural nootropic and relieve mood swings.
PMDD Mood Swings
Your mood swings could also be caused by PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), which occurs in the same way as PMS but is much more severe. Only around 5% of women experience PMDD. If you have PMDD, the mood swings you experience are likely to be far more intense and are often related to pre-existing conditions, like anxiety or depression.
To treat PMDD, the first thing you should do is see a doctor. They can help guide you to the right treatments, which could include antidepressants, birth control, therapy, or alternative treatments.
Hormones and Aging
As we get older, our hormones become imbalanced for both men and women. For women, you’ll go through menopause and the body will start decreasing the amount of estrogen and progesterone. It’s completely natural but it does come with related symptoms, including mood swings.
Some men can experience hormonal changes as they age too – this is known as andropause. Around 20% of men over 60 will experience it, and between 30-50% of men over 80. It’s characterized by a drop in testosterone and can cause those pesky mood swings amongst other symptoms.
To reduce your symptoms, try Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. They use hormones that match those already in your body, making sure your treatment is safe and effective. Your body will get back to its normal levels of hormones and you’ll skip out on the side-effects.
Non-Hormone Related Mood Swings
If you don’t think hormones are behind your intense emotions, don’t worry! There are still other causes you can look at to learn how to control mood swings. Here are some of the main causes.
Stress
If you’re finding your life more stressful than usual, it could be causing your mood to dip and dive. Both physical and social stressors can severely impact your mood, causing anxiety, depression, and anger.
Luckily there are plenty of things you can do to help with mood swings if yours are stress-related. You should get more sleep, increase your exercise, and make sure you’re having time off from work. Check out more tips to control your stress and reduce mood swings.
Diet
Did you know your diet could be causing mood swings? Fluctuating blood sugar has been linked to mood swings and it’s more severe in people with diabetes. To keep your level, eat regularly, and avoid foods that are very high in sugar and will spike your levels.
Sleep
Your mood can be heavily affected by sleep. If you’re struggling to get enough rest or even have chronic insomnia, your chances of developing mood swings are much higher. If you want to sleep better, make sure you’re switching off electronic devices an hour before bed and having plenty of wind-down time.
For people with insomnia, we recommend seeing a doctor for proper treatment and help.
Start Treating Your Mood Swings Today
There are lots of causes for mood swings in women and men, but hopefully you’ve got a better understanding of what could be causing yours now. What’s you know the cause, it becomes far easier to keep those emotional highs and lows at bay and find yourself again.
For more helpful tips and advice, be sure to take a look at more of our articles!
