Mood Swings During Menopause

Mood swings are common during menopause, although those who have never experienced menopause may find the rapid shifts in mood difficult to understand. Doctors disagree about why these mood swings occur.

Common Symptoms

• Besides mood swings, other common symptoms of menopause include changes in menstruation, hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, fatigue and vaginal dryness. Some doctors believe these symptoms cause mood swings.

Hormones

• Other physicians theorize that fluctuating hormones are responsible for mood shifts during menopause. Changes in estrogen and progesterone affect serotonin levels in the brain, which alters mood.

Considerations

• According to the U.S. National Women's Health Information Center, women who have experienced mood swings associated with premenstrual syndrome or who have had postpartum depression often have more menopausal mood swings.

Depression

• Menopausal women who experience depression symptoms, except for relatively brief episodes of sadness or melancholy, should discuss this with a doctor.

Treatment

• Treatment for mood swings and other menopausal symptoms can include regular exercise, avoiding stress as much as possible, getting sufficient sleep, menopausal hormone therapy and alternative remedies (such as black cohosh).