Girl To Girl: Vol. 2

Mood Swings and Your Cycle

We've all experienced it - a sudden angry outburst at our other half's poor attempt at the dishwasher or ugly crying over a friend's innocent remark. Or sometimes, there doesn't even need to be a trigger at all.

Yep, we're talking about mood swings - that completely normal, but not always welcome, part of our menstrual cycles. They're one of the most common features of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) - the physical and emotional symptoms that pop up before your period. Feeling depressed, irritable, bad tempered, upset, anxious, and emotional are just some of the moods you might experience.

So is my mood PMS?

Here are a few easy ways to tell your mood swings are probably linked to your cycle:

- It's the same kind of emotional rollercoaster each month — PMS symptoms tend to follow a pattern over time, and they can affect your normal life.

- Mood swings begin within the two-week window before your period starts. This is the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle (post-ovulation, but pre-period).

- Mood swings last from a few days to two weeks and peak about two days before your period starts.

- They ease up once your period starts or before it's over.

-Anger and irritability are the biggest offenders and might start slightly earlier than other symptoms.

- You're getting other PMS-related symptoms, such as tiredness or trouble sleeping, headaches, changes in appetite, food cravings, feeling clumsy, bloating, sore or tender breasts, skin problems, and stomach pain.

We don't know exactly why PMS occurs, but it might be due to changing hormone levels during your cycle, and some people are more sensitive to these changes than others.

Managing Mood Swings

The good news is there are steps you can take to help you deal with these ups and downs.

Diet: There's evidence that certain vitamins and minerals may be mood boosters. Vitamin B6 supplements might help relieve PMS-related depression, irritability, and tiredness. Chicken, turkey, oats, bananas, and oat milk are all good sources. Calcium can also benefit your mood, and you can find it in dairy products like milk and cheese, as well as leafy green vegetables, soy drinks with added calcium, and fish with edible bones, like sardines. Magnesium may also help with mood swings and constipation before a period. Find it in nuts, spinach, and whole-grain bread. (or you can take daily supplements that are a combined magnesium, calcium, zinc and b12 tablet).

Exercise: Don't skip the gym when you're feeling low because regular aerobic exercise may lessen feelings of depression during your PMS window. Other options you could try are brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, or dancing.
(when my tummy hurts due to cramping and bloating, i go to the gym and walk the treadmill for 30 minutes and within the first 10 im already feeling better! then i go spend 30 minutes on the stairs, usually 680 steps and 2 miles on the treadmill trust me, it works!)

Relaxation Techniques: Carving out time to relax could benefit your mood. Yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation may all help.

Sleep: Try to get enough z's and keep a regular sleep routine by going to bed and getting up at around the same time every day - even on weekends.
(2am-10am or 10pm-6am is what i try to aim for, depending on if i wake up early the next day or not. if so, i will sleep at 9:45/10 and wake at 5. if im allowed to sleep in until 10am, then i stay up until after 2am. my body runs real well on 6.5-7 hours but i find that if i force myself to sleep a solid 8, i don't feel sluggish halfway through the day. so make sure you get yourself into a sleep rhythm that you know for sure you can stick to! when i was in high school, i'd force myself to sleep at 7pm and wake at 3am. that gave me plenty of alone time with myself in the morning, i was more than awake by the time i got to school, it seemed to help with mental clarity)

Non-hormonal medication: Two types of
antidepressants -- selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) — have been found to alleviate mood-related PMS symptoms.

Hormonal options: For some people, using combined oral contraceptive pills or estrogen hormone patches or gels help ease the psychological symptoms of PMS.

When is it more serious?

A small number of people get a more severe form of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The symptoms feel more intense and can have a major impact on daily activities, relationships, and quality of life. Emotional symptoms can include feeling very anxious, angry, depressed, or, in some cases, suicidal.

If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, ask for an urgent appointment with your health care provider for advice. If you feel you may be about to harm yourself, contact emergency services.