How can periods affect your mood?

Understanding how periods affect mood can help teenagers manage PMS and PMDD symptoms with practical strategies like diet, exercise, and stress management.

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Understanding the Link Between Periods and Mood Swings

For many, the onset of a menstrual cycle can bring about more than just physical changes. The emotional rollercoaster that often accompanies periods is a real and significant aspect of menstrual health. Understanding why and how periods can affect your mood is crucial, particularly for teenagers who are still getting accustomed to these new monthly dynamics.

What Happens During a Menstrual Cycle?

The menstrual cycle is complex, involving a series of hormonal changes to prepare the body for pregnancy each month. Hormones like oestrogen and progesterone ebb and flow in different phases of the cycle. The first day of bleeding is considered day one of the cycle, which is also the start of the follicular phase. Hormone levels start low and increase as an egg is prepared for release. After the egg is released, during the ovulation phase, there is a surge in hormones, particularly progesterone, which can have a potent effect on your mood. If pregnancy does not occur, these hormone levels drop dramatically, leading to the start of menstruation and the onset of the next cycle.

This fluctuation of hormones is primarily responsible for mood changes before and during periods. These can range from irritability and sadness to anxiety and mood swings, often grouped under the umbrella of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or in more severe cases, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

How Hormonal Changes Affect Mood

Oestrogen and progesterone impact the brain's chemistry, particularly the neurotransmitters that influence mood, such as serotonin. A drop in oestrogen, for example, can lead to a drop in serotonin, which might cause feelings of sadness or irritability. These hormonal dips can also affect other areas of neurological function, which explains why some might experience fatigue, difficulty concentrating, or changes in their sleep patterns during their period.

Additionally, some individuals may be more sensitive to these hormonal changes, which can make their mood swings feel more intense or harder to manage.

Dealing with Mood Swings During Periods

Given how challenging these mood fluctuations can be, finding effective ways to manage them is essential for your mental and emotional health. Here are some practical strategies:

1. Track Your Cycle

How can periods affect your mood?
  • Begin by keeping a detailed log of your menstrual cycle, noting both physical and emotional symptoms. This can help you predict mood swings and prepare accordingly.

2. Maintain a Balanced Diet

  • Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid too much sugar, caffeine, and salt, particularly in the week before your period, as these can exacerbate mood swings and bloating.

3. Regular Exercise

  • Physical activity can boost endorphin levels, which naturally improve your mood. Even light activities such as walking or yoga can be beneficial.

4. Adequate Sleep

  • Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule. Sleep disturbances are common before and during a period, so practicing good sleep hygiene is critical.

5. Stress Management Techniques

  • Incorporate relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or mindfulness into your routine to help manage stress and stabilise mood swings.

6. Talk About It

  • Keep an open line of communication with friends, family, or a counsellor about how you're feeling. Sometimes, just talking about these changes can make them easier to handle.

7. Consider Supplements or Medication

  • In some cases, supplements like magnesium or Vitamin B6 may help. Always consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement or medication.

8. Recognise When It's More Than Just PMS

  • If your symptoms severely impact your daily life, it might be PMDD. This is a more severe form of PMS and might require medical treatment such as antidepressants or hormonal therapies.

Conclusion

Menstrual-related mood changes are a common part of many teenagers' lives, which can sometimes be overwhelming. By understanding the hormonal roots of these mood fluctuations and implementing practical strategies to manage them, you can better navigate through these monthly changes. Remember, you're not alone in this, and support is always available, whether through friends, family, or professionals.

How are you feeling?

It is really important that when we need help, we feel able to ask for it. This could be speaking to a parent, a close friend, a teacher or someone else you trust. Sometimes it can be really hard to share our feelings with other people but if we are feeling low or don't know where to turn, sharing with others is really important. Teachers will always take you seriously and listen to your problems in confidence if you approach them for help. Likewise, parents, siblings or friends will help you if you reach out to them.

If you feel like you can't speak to anyone you know, there are people and organisations that can help support you:

  • Childline - Call them on 0800 1111 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
  • NSPCC - Call them on 0808 800 5000 between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday or email them on help@NSPCC.org.uk
  • The Samaritans – Call them on 116 123 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
  • SANE – Call 0300 304 7000 for support (4:30pm - 10:30pm every day)
  • Mind – Call 0300 123 3393 (9:00am - 6:00pm Monday to Friday)

*Sometimes we will use real life examples in our articles to aid understanding. When we do, names and ages will be changed.