Mood Swings in Women: Common Causes and Tips to Manage Them

Mood swings are significant changes in a person’s emotional state. These changes can be sudden or severe. You can quickly switch from being happy and excited to feeling sad or angry. Changes in mood are normal and can happen to anyone. After all, no one can have the same mood all day long. When it comes to mood swings in women, there can be many reasons, including hormonal changes. That’s why women face more mood swings during periods or pregnancy. Read on to know about mood swings in women.

What are mood swings?

Mood swings is a term that refers to rapid changes in a person’s mood. It is a sudden or drastic change in a person’s emotional state, says clinical psychologist Dr Rituparna Ghosh. Mood changes are rapid and often unpredictable, ranging from extreme happiness or excitement to feeling extremely sad, irritable, or depressed.

While any individual may experience variations in mood due to a specific situation or circumstances, mood swings are more pronounced and often affect behavior. They can occur over days, hours, or minutes, with varying degrees of severity.

What Causes Mood Swings in Women?

Mood swings in women can have various causes, either one or a combination of them.

1. Changes in hormones

Hormonal changes contribute to mood swings. It usually happens during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy or menopause. There are times when a woman’s body goes through changes in hormone levels with large fluctuations, which lead to frequent changes in mood.

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To understand mood changes during pregnancy and postpartum, a study was conducted in 2012. published in this study Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Canada Perinatal women have been shown to have more emotional instability than their non-perinatal counterparts.

Mood swings are often more common in women because of the hormonal changes women experience at different stages of their lives, such as the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause, says Dr Ghosh. However, anyone can experience mood swings regardless of gender.

2. Mental health conditions

Bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety are common causes of changes in a person’s mood. A person with bipolar disorder can be very happy and full of energy at one point to suddenly feel very sad and low on the opposite side of the spectrum.

3. Lifestyle

Our modern lifestyle of work stress, poor sleep quality, not enough exercise and unhealthy diet are all factors that lead to mood swings. Add to this substance abuse, such as alcohol or drugs, which can worsen the condition, especially if a person is trying to stop using them, the expert says.

4. Health problems

Certain health problems related to the thyroid gland can lead to mood swings. The thyroid gland affects energy and mood, and any thyroid problem can cause mood swings. Other health problems, such as diabetes or heart disease, can also cause mood swings, especially if these conditions affect overall health and cause stress.

What are ways to manage mood swings?

First, find the root cause of mood swings and then look at ways to help manage mood swings.

1. Regular exercise

When you engage in physical activity, it releases chemicals in our brain called endorphins. They act as natural mood lifters, so exercise can help reduce stress and anxiety, leading to a more stable mood.

2. Healthy diet

Eating a balanced diet can help stabilize your mood. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, fruits, lean protein and vegetables are particularly beneficial.

3. Adequate and timely sleep

Lack of sleep can significantly affect your mood, so get some shut-eye. You should aim for at least seven hours each night. Experts say that sleeping on time, sleeping too much or sleeping too little can help modulate mood.

4. Stress reduction techniques

Practices like yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercises can take care of your stress problem. It helps manage mood swings.

5. Avoid harmful ingredients

Nicotine, alcohol and drugs can affect your mood and make mood swings worse. They can make you depend on them to feel good. But if these ingredients are not available you will be worse off. This, in turn, contributes to fluctuating moods. Avoiding them can help keep your mood more stable.

6. Limit caffeine

Too much caffeine can make you anxious and affect your sleep. It also aggravates menstrual syndrome and menopause symptoms, leading to mood swings. Try to limit or reduce your caffeine intake to avoid mood swings.

7. Set a routine

Having a daily routine gives you a sense of stability and predictability. Setting a routine can help manage mood swings, says an expert.

If mood swings are affecting your daily life, see a doctor to find out the cause and get the right treatment.