Menopause and Mood

Written by Dr Laila Kaikavoosi

Most of us are familiar with a degree of mood swings during our menstrual cycles but the extreme fluctuations and eventual drop in estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels during the perimenopause and menopause can cause significant mood changes. These hormones affect the level of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine our brain makes. These chemicals help to make us feel happy so with a drop in their levels we start feeling down, anxious and irritable.

Women are offered antidepressants far too commonly when they complain of mood changes. Although, they have got a place in treatment of certain types of mood disorders but in a perimenopausal and menopausal women these medications do not address the root cause. Instead, they only mask the problem. What women need is hormonal balancing and replacement of those hormones they are missing.

Other factors which play a significant role in how we feel are how much sleep we’ve had and our energy levels. All of which can be negatively influenced by the lack of hormones.

If you feel down, anxious and overwhelmed, please discuss your symptoms with your doctor or a specialist who is willing to explore HRT and lifestyle modifications before prescribing antidepressants for you.

These are a few ways to improve our mental health and wellbeing:

🌸 Regular Exercise like walking and running

🌸 Mindfulness

🌸 Yoga

🌸 Sharing our feelings and thoughts with our close friends and family who understand us

🌸 Eating more plant-based diet

🌸 Taking time for self-care

I’d love to hear what has worked for you?

By sharing our experiences and knowledge we can help one another to feel better.