Why do I have mood swings during my period? What are the symptoms before menstruation?

The woman is mysterious. It is so difficult to unravel that many men spend their entire lives trying to figure it out. It can be changeable in mood and unpredictable in everyday life, but when it comes to hormonal changes in the body, this becomes even more noticeable. Unraveling the woman, scientists connected all this with each other and found out that the relationship that exists between psychological state and PMS, are explained in different ways. If irritability during pregnancy is explained by the emotional state of the woman, then the cause in this case may be not only the mental state, but also physiology and even toxic substances accumulated in the body. To find out for sure, a clinical study of the symptoms and causes of such irritability during menstruation will be required.

Why are women so irritable during PMS?

A week and a half before the next one menstrual cycle changes in the woman’s behavior are observed. Olympic calm can be replaced by violent anger, charming appearance on a romantic evening it can be replaced in the morning by malaise, swollen eyelids and a disgusting mood. All these are symptoms of upcoming menstruation, which are visible to the naked eye. If PMS is calmer in young people, then after 34-37 years you can expect anything from a woman.

What scientists say

Many researchers argue that such mood swings are a consequence of an imbalance of progesterone and estrogen in the body. If more estrogen is released, then aggression appears, and progesterone is characterized by fatigue and depression. During this period, there is stagnation of blood in blood vessels, weight gain, chest pain. Hence the rise in temperature, bad dream, irritability.

Other versions of the appearance of PMS

Vitamin deficiency and impaired water-salt metabolism can lead to intoxication of the body. Now, in addition to discomfort and physical pain, a whole complex of psycho-emotional symptoms is added, which are even more important.

Mistakes women make with PMS that increase irritability

On the eve of the menstrual cycle, the entire female body is relaxed, and you can support it with products containing high calorie content. Many people think so. Of course, this is a misconception. Feel sorry for yourself, and even more so, eat your own Bad mood unacceptable, because new problems with appearance and body weight will begin to appear. If you want to forget about everything and plunge into the world of pleasant taste sensations, you need to understand that high-calorie foods will not help satisfy all your needs for vitamins and minerals, but will only bring problems. Only balanced diet will provide correct work metabolism.

Another mistake is limiting yourself to sports. For some reason, there is an opinion that this causes the body to experience a certain amount of stress. Of course, this is not true either. You need to move even more, aerobics, brisk walking, and sports exercises are especially useful, which will not only relieve stress, but also activate all the body’s forces, bringing hormones into balance. If a woman plays sports, her back, pelvic and abdominal muscles are strong, which means that difficult days will be less painful and irritability will not even arise during menstruation.

Fighting weight is another mistake. During the premenstrual period, weight fluctuates, it’s true. But you can't fight him. No diet can change nature, and if kilograms still appear, then it is better to pacify your appetite and try to eat foods with less calories.

How do you cope with PMS?

Naturally, everyone's reaction to the upcoming monthly cycle is different. It all depends on age, character, and even external circumstances. Therefore, to understand whether you are experiencing premenstrual syndrome, you can look at the symptoms you have. So, think about how deep the depressive state is, is tension clearly expressed? How often does sadness occur during this period, does your mood change, or does apathy appear? Do you get irritated at every occasion or get into conflicts? Also during this period, absent-mindedness appears, interest in what was recently attractive decreases. Notice whether your appetite changes, does the desire to overeat appear, or self-control is lost? Many people quickly get tired, drowsiness or, conversely, insomnia appears. If you regretfully answer “Yes” to all questions, then this is PMS and you will have to put up with irritability. You just need to help yourself live with it correctly. In particularly severe cases, women experience symptoms these days.

How to get rid of irritability during PMS?

Many people believe that no treatment is required. But it is not so. A complex impact on PMS is a whole group of actions. The use of synthetic analogues of gestagen, the missing hormone. The emphasis in nutrition is on calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and E. If necessary, other elements are added. As for a special diet, it is not needed, but making sure that nothing unnecessary gets into the body and doing physical exercise is certainly necessary. Swim, walk, dance - it never hurt anyone. Add fiber to your diet, minimize proteins, which will only increase the need for mineral salts, thereby disrupting water-salt metabolism. Drinks containing a high caffeine content are extremely undesirable. These are the basics. But you can take a number of other actions, even if there is no doctor nearby.

A week before your period, you can reduce salt in your diet, leaving no more than 3 grams. Remember that it causes fluid retention, which accumulates in the brain tissue, adds an extra 2-3 kilograms during this time, and increases breast sensitivity. And all these points affect irritability before and after menstruation.

If you are not feeling very well, rest. You can lie down with a book and find a pleasant activity. Don't limit yourself, satisfy your little weaknesses and whims.

You can drink a complex of vitamins, minerals, and herbs that will alleviate ailments. At the same time, you should not drink alcohol or a lot of caffeine. They aggravate feelings and instill negative thoughts. Food should also be less spicy, fatty and overly sweet. Avoid large amounts of chocolate, because during PMS, many women want to eat it in excess. Most nutritionists say that caffeine and excess sugar very quickly destroy the body's B vitamins, which help the body resist fatigue.

Limiting fluids 5-10 days before your period starts will help reduce swelling. If necessary, take diuretics, the best of them are herbal teas or mineral waters.

In addition to all this, irritability during menstruation indicates that you have a generally high level of irritation or otherwise dissatisfaction with life. That's why good decision There will be work with a psychologist aimed at reducing general level irritation. Note that calm girls are also calm these days.

And try not to get irritated for no reason, so as not to show the whole world that your period is coming very soon. Give yourself a healthy sleep proper nutrition, walk in the air, relax.

Sudden mood swings, anger, dissatisfaction and the desire to demolish everything that comes to hand. Perhaps this emotional state is familiar to most representatives of the fair sex. And at a time when people joke about the symptoms of PMS, including them in the plots of jokes, this is a reason to visit a doctor.

Let's try to answer the question: why does mood change during menstruation, and is it possible to somehow influence this condition?

Why does your mood change before your period?

PMS is a period when not only deterioration in well-being appears, but also irritability, mood deteriorates, and sometimes even rage and aggression may appear. Moreover, sometimes a woman simply cannot cope with all these conditions. With age, PMS symptoms increase in intensity, which often provokes the development of various conflicts.

However, a bad mood before menstruation is just the result of physiological fluctuations in a woman’s hormonal levels.

Moreover, the period of these oscillations is completely different for everyone. For some, it occurs immediately after ovulation, while others experience it within a few days or directly on day X.

It is so intended by nature that in the middle of the female cycle the egg is released, along with which there is a sharp drop in the level of estrogen, luteinizing hormone and FSH in the blood. At the same time, there is an increase in progesterone, which prepares the female body for a possible future pregnancy.

The decrease in estrogen concentration in the blood occurs quite sharply, having a pronounced effect on the condition of the female body. As a result of such changes, a woman may experience decreased libido, decreased memory, performance, attention, and a significant deterioration in mood.

A sharp decrease in estrogen also provokes discomfort: headache, insomnia, fatigue, probably overexertion, aching and painful sensations in the legs, stomach and throughout the body.

At this time, the amount of fluid in the body increases, and the mood deteriorates. And menstruation is far from the most pleasant process in a woman’s life. It is all these factors in combination that provoke mood changes during menstruation.

PMS spoils your mood - what to do?

First of all, it is necessary to get rid not of the symptoms of this unpleasant condition, but of their cause. Severe premenstrual syndrome is a reason to consult a doctor, since severe discomfort, pain and terrible mood are most often provoked by various gynecological pathologies.

It is worth remembering that PMS is not a disease, but a certain condition that does not need treatment.

If, as a result of this period, your mood deteriorates, but to improve it you just need to sleep, be alone with yourself, watch your favorite movie, chat with a friend, or even eat a chocolate bar, then this is absolutely normal and you should not do anything about it.

When we're talking about about an aggressive state in which a woman throws herself at everyone, becomes hysterical and becomes depressed, then it is better to go to the doctor to find out the indirect cause.

So, when irritability, aggressiveness or depression appears, we can talk about a neuropsychic form of PMS. In such situations, it is even possible to develop hallucinations, memory problems, fears, panic attacks, and a state of hysteria.

As treatment, the doctor may prescribe sedatives or hormonal therapy. The need for the latter is determined according to the results laboratory research for various hormones, and is prescribed only by the attending physician.

Don't forget that menstruation, PMS and discomfort at this time are all natural and physiological. This is how nature intended. And sometimes you just need to take control of yourself and your mood in time!

Video “What happens to the female body during the menstrual cycle?”

An illustrative video with visual explanations of what happens in the female body during the menstrual cycle, and how these processes are related to mood.

Depression before menstruation is very familiar to many women. Most women do not know how to deal with this temporary emotional discomfort, and do not fully understand the reasons for this phenomenon, but it is on these days that greatest number women turning to doctors for help. Scientists explain this behavior by a loss of self-control and increased suspiciousness. Experts have noticed that it is on these days that women who are inclined to use alcohol and drugs take them more often and more than usual. In addition, women on critical days increase the likelihood of getting into an accident while driving a car.
The causes of depression before menstruation lie in changes in the hormonal levels of the fairer sex. The level of estrogen hormones in the blood drops sharply from the 21st to the 28th day of the menstrual cycle, and significant changes occur in the female body. The most surprising thing is that additional estrogen intake these days does not have any effect. Therefore, scientists attribute other factors to the causes of depression before menstruation. These could be seasonal, emotional disorders, worsening thyroid dysfunction, stress, etc. Also, most scientists believe that hysterical, neuropathic women with an unstable psyche are susceptible to a depressive state on critical days.

Why do you feel depressed before your period? One of the versions of the onset of depression includes poor nutrition, so if you change your diet these days, the symptoms of this disease can be avoided.

Doctors identify the following symptoms before menstruation:

- tearfulness, touchiness, anxiety;

- sudden outbursts of anger;

- irritability, conflict;

- headaches, melancholy, mood swings;

- permanent nervous tension, absent-mindedness, weakness;

- increased fatigue, indecisiveness;

- feeling that everything is falling out of hand;

- exposure to everyday troubles (cuts, burns, etc.);

- poor reaction and inattention;

- forgetfulness, confusion in thoughts;

- insomnia or drowsiness;

- heightened perception of noise;

- increased appetite;

- uncontrollable craving for flour and sweets.

First of all, in women, the appearance of depressive symptoms is noticed by those closest to them; women themselves may not even notice the symptoms. The first signs are problems with sleep. Then behavioral disorders appear in the form of refusals to take actions that previously brought emotional satisfaction. Mental and motor retardation is noted, and the woman often refuses food. You can suspect a depressive state if a sociable and cheerful woman begins to avoid usual contacts, self-isolates and behaves withdrawn. Somatic manifestations are also noted: pain in the joints, muscles, and mammary glands. If all of the above symptoms occur, it would be better to seek help from a psychotherapist. Lack of qualified help can lead to suicide attempts.

How to avoid depression before menstruation?“I feel bad before my period, what should I do?” Often women do not know how to help themselves. Doctors advise drinking heavily diuretic infusions at this time and eating unsalted food. Include foods rich in vitamin B6 and potassium in your diet (fish, dairy products, eggs, bananas, dried apricots, apples, grapes, raisins, legumes, broccoli, bran bread, chocolate, cocoa, etc.) Drug therapy is prescribed by a psychotherapist individually and with urgent need. During this period, all women are recommended to take vitamins A and E, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B6, which prevent the accumulation of estrogens and activate their metabolism.

Playing sports will help you cope with the symptoms of depression faster, so you should not give up sports, but it is only recommended to reduce your load. Walking briskly, running, swimming, breathing exercises can lift your spirits.

If depression before menstruation still does not go away, then psychologists advise not to accumulate negativity, but to throw it out. For example, break a plate, do 20 intense squats, go to the park, or deserted place and scream, take a pillow and start beating it until all the negative emotions come out; if there is a need to cry, then it is better not to fight it, but to let the tears flow in a stream.

It’s better not to suffer alone, but to call a friend for help. A friend will definitely listen, especially since soon she will also need to be supported on difficult days. Having discussed the unenviable fate of women, psychologists advise going shopping together, since shopping is an excellent remedy against depression during menstruation. The main thing to remember is that the unpleasant condition lasts only a few days a month, and it will definitely end.

Because before menstruation, the content of progesterone in a woman’s blood sharply decreases.

In the middle of the menstrual cycle, the egg is released from the egg follicle (in the picture - “ovulation phase”). Inside the empty follicle, a corpus luteum develops (“luteal phase”, because “yellow” in Latin is “luteum”). The corpus luteum secretes the hormone progesterone, which prepares the lining of the uterus to receive a fertilized egg.

8 days after ovulation (on the 22nd day of the cycle), the fertilized egg is implanted into the uterus - or it becomes narrower that fertilization has not occurred and there is nothing to implant. In the latter case, the corpus luteum begins to degenerate, progesterone production decreases sharply, the uterine mucosa understands that no one needs it here and is removed.

Progesterone, in addition to affecting the uterus, also reduces anxiety. The amount of progesterone decreases - it turns out premenstrual syndrome (PMS): “Anxiety, depression, irritability, fatigue, indifference, apathy, a state of internal tension, obsessive desires, including the desire to control, insomnia, anger.”*

If fertilization of the egg does occur, then the production of progesterone, on the contrary, increases - throughout pregnancy it prevents the uterus from contracting and its mucous membrane from exfoliating. But all good things come to an end sooner or later: after childbirth or abortion, progesterone production drops sharply, and postpartum depression(and this is the end of the previous paragraph, multiplied by three).

It's hard for men too

Progesterone does not reduce anxiety itself, but through an intermediary. In the brain, allopregnanolone is synthesized from progesterone, and it already activates gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, one of the most important inhibitory neurotransmitters. nervous system person. Activated receptors work more actively - they slow down the brain as much as possible, the person calms down.

Exactly the same mechanism calms a person. Therefore, anxiety-depression-irritability that occurs after stopping long-term alcohol intake is similar in origin to PMS. Or you can get even more involved: if you first drink for a very long time, and then stop very abruptly, then the brain, suddenly deprived of the inhibitory influence of alcohol, will begin to show the owner a movie.

The first mental symptoms of delirium tremens are inexplicable anxiety, a premonition of approaching trouble, and worsening sleep. Night sleep worsens, dreams become heavy and nightmarish, and visual hallucinations may occur before falling asleep. While awake, auditory and visual deceptions are possible: bells, steps, slamming doors, movement of shadows in the periphery of vision (“the cat slipped by”).

On the 3rd-4th night, insomnia begins, accompanied by strong and vivid visual hallucinations and illusions, in which small mammals and insects are often present, and, less often, fairy-tale creatures such as gnomes and elves; In general, the nature of hallucinations is quite individual. Tactile hallucinations are typical: the patient feels that insects are crawling over his body, and often tries to catch, crush, or drive them away. Often the patient “hears” voices, sometimes not concerning him, sometimes speaking to him and ordering him to do something, mocking him, calling him a drunkard, teasing him.

The patient becomes inadequate, he is completely captured by hallucinations, begins to “talk” with “voices”, tries to fight off imaginary monsters, run away from bandits, and catch insects. Delusions develop (for example, delusions of jealousy, mania of persecution) or, conversely, an excited state, a craving for “heroic” deeds, the patient tries to talk about his exploits, supposedly accomplished earlier. (Wikipedia)

An unstable emotional state is characteristic of many women as their critical days approach. Not every one of them understands why their mood changes during menstruation. Everything is explained quite simply. There is a close relationship between the changes occurring in the body and the state of the emotional background.

It has been noted that menstruation affects mood. This is due. There are two important hormones in a woman's body - progesterone and estrogen. The activity of the reproductive system, which ensures the formation of the egg, its maturation and fertilization, directly depends on them.

Increased estrogen concentrations are observed in the first half of the cycle. This hormone is primarily responsible for appearance: it gives beauty, energy and sexuality. It reaches its maximum at the time of ovulation.

During this period, hormonal changes occur in the body, and the concentration of progesterone begins to increase. The woman becomes calm, reasonable, and strives for peace. Thanks to this hormone, optimal conditions are provided for the placement of a fertilized egg. Closer to critical days, the amount of progesterone increases significantly - and mood swings in women are noted.

Tearfulness and aggression are observed, which replace each other with lightning speed. Excess progesterone leads to unpredictable mood before menstruation. The more pronounced the signs of PMS, the worse the emotional background.

During critical days, the concentration of hormones decreases, the woman is in a calm state. After menstruation, the amount of estrogen increases, vital energy appears, which reaches its peak at the time of ovulation.

Bad mood as a symptom of PMS

Before menstruation, a bad mood is observed due to PMS. A number of clinical manifestations characteristic of premenstrual syndrome affect the emotional background:

• pain in the lumbar region and lower abdomen;
• migraine;
• hyperthermia;
• sleep disturbance;
• painful sensations in the mammary glands;
• dizziness.

For this reason, irritability, fatigue, depression and even aggression appear before menstruation. As a rule, on the second day of menstruation, all PMS symptoms are less pronounced, and, accordingly, the emotional background returns to normal.

For some girls, you can read more about the reasons for this phenomenon in a separate article on our website.

How to get rid of mood swings

Menstruation is a natural phenomenon that you need to learn to adapt to. During this period, a woman’s emotional state deteriorates under the influence not of external factors, but of physiological processes that occur in her body.

Many experts recommend keeping a diary in which not only the days of your period will be noted, but also all changes in your emotional background. Thanks to this, it will be possible to obtain information about how hormones affect mood in different phases of the cycle. This will make it much easier to cope with emotions.

• give preference healthy eating. As the date of menstruation approaches, it is recommended to exclude fatty and spicy foods from the diet. They overload the liver, which is designed to utilize hormones;
• minimize the consumption of coffee, which has a stimulating effect on the nervous system;
• don't hold back your emotions. According to most psychologists, this makes the condition better;
• perform breathing exercises that help saturate all cells with oxygen and increase the level of endorphin in the blood;
• give a relaxing massage;
• walk outdoors more often.

Emotional changes before menstruation are typical for many women. They are caused by hormonal changes and premenstrual syndrome. As soon as critical days arrive, the emotional background begins to recover.