# Mood Changes in the Cycle and Menopause and How to Understand Them
Every woman knows it. One day she feels full of energy, optimistic and ready to handle anything. A few days later, irritability, fatigue or sadness she cannot rationally explain washes over her. And then comes that phrase – from a partner, colleague or sometimes even a doctor: "Maybe it's all in your head." But science says something entirely different.
Mood changes in women are real, measurable and have deep physiological roots. This is not a weakness of character, oversensitivity or an excuse. It is a complex interplay of hormones, neurotransmitters and biological rhythms that accompany the female body throughout life. Understanding these mechanisms is not merely interesting – it is essential for women to better care for their health and stop blaming themselves for something that is literally in their blood.
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Hormones as conductors of the emotional orchestra
The female hormonal cycle is one of the most complex biological systems in the human body. Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol – these are just some of the players who take turns on the metaphorical stage, significantly influencing how a woman feels, thinks and responds to the world around her. It is no coincidence that mood changes are so closely linked to the various phases of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, the postpartum period or menopause.
Estrogen, often referred to as the "female hormone," has a direct influence on the production of serotonin – the substance popularly known as the "happiness hormone." When estrogen levels drop, the availability of serotonin in the brain drops with them, and this manifests in exactly the way one would expect: irritability, sadness, impaired ability to concentrate or feelings of hopelessness. Scientists have described this mechanism repeatedly, including in extensive studies published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, which has long focused on the relationship between hormones and the brain.
Progesterone, the second key player, acts on the brain in a calming manner – it binds to the same receptors as certain anxiolytics. However, in the second half of the cycle, when its levels first rise and then drop sharply, this fluctuation can cause anxiety, insomnia or hypersensitivity to stress. And all of this even before the physical symptoms such as pain or bloating have arrived.
Why, then, has this remained so poorly understood for so long? Partly because medicine has historically been based predominantly on research conducted on men. This problem was also identified by the World Health Organization, which has repeatedly drawn attention to gaps in women's health research. Only in recent decades has the situation begun to change, with the scientific community approaching women's experiences with greater attention and respect.
A good example from everyday life is the situation of Markéta, a thirty-year-old teacher from Brno. Every month, about a week before her period, she would come to work feeling unable to cope with even routine tasks. She would easily burst into tears, argue with colleagues over trivial matters and be unable to fall asleep in the evening. For years she told herself she was simply "wired wrong." It was only when she began tracking her cycle and connected these episodes to a specific phase that she understood it was not a matter of character, but of chemistry. This realisation alone is often liberating for many women.
Premenstrual syndrome and its more serious sister, PMDD
Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is familiar to most women at least by name. It is estimated that as many as 80% of women of reproductive age experience various PMS symptoms, with a portion of them being so intense that they significantly disrupt daily functioning. Yet PMS continues to be underestimated or dismissed – and women who speak about it are met with a lack of understanding.
Even less is known about premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD. It affects approximately 3 to 8% of women and is a serious condition that the World Health Organization has included in the International Classification of Diseases. PMDD symptoms include extreme mood swings, severe anxiety, episodes of crying, feelings of loss of control or even thoughts of self-harm – all tied to a specific phase of the cycle. As psychiatrist and women's mental health expert Tory Eisenlohr-Moul puts it: "PMDD is not PMS on steroids. It is a distinct disorder with distinct biological mechanisms that deserves its own approach and treatment."
The key point is that women suffering from PMDD are not reacting to hormonal fluctuations in an "exaggerated" way – their brains are genuinely biologically more sensitive to these fluctuations. Research has shown that they experience a different response in brain receptors to progesterone and its metabolites. This is therefore a neurobiological difference, not a weakness of will.
Understanding this distinction has practical consequences. Women who know what they are experiencing can seek appropriate help – whether in the form of therapy, lifestyle adjustments or, in more serious cases, medication. And above all, they stop wasting energy blaming themselves.
A natural path to mood stability does not necessarily begin with a doctor. Research has repeatedly confirmed that regular exercise, adequate sleep, reducing sugar and alcohol intake, and increasing magnesium and vitamin B6 consumption can significantly alleviate symptoms of both PMS and PMDD. Nutrition and lifestyle are not a substitute for professional help, but a natural complement to it. Quality dietary supplements focused on women's health, such as products containing adaptogens or omega-3 fatty acids, are finding increasingly broad application in this context.
Menopause: a change that arrives on its own terms
While PMS and PMDD affect women of reproductive age, the transition – or more precisely, perimenopause and menopause – brings a different kind of hormonal drama. And again: emotional symptoms are typically the first to appear, and at the same time the most frequently overlooked or attributed to "stress" or "age."
During perimenopause, which can last up to ten years before menopause itself, estrogen levels fluctuate irregularly and unpredictably. This manifests not only as hot flashes or sleep disturbances, but also as pronounced mood swings, heightened anxiety, depressive episodes or a sense of loss of identity. Many women describe suddenly feeling like strangers to themselves.
Research published in the journal Menopause: The Journal of The Menopause Society has repeatedly confirmed that women in perimenopause have up to twice the risk of developing depression compared to women of reproductive age. Yet depression is diagnosed less frequently in this group, because symptoms are attributed to the "normal ageing process." This gap in care has real consequences for the quality of life of millions of women.
It is important to recognise that menopause is not a disease – it is a natural life phase. But natural does not mean one must suffer in silence. Just as no one would tell a woman with high blood pressure to simply "accept it," there is no reason to refuse help for significant emotional symptoms of the transition. Hormone replacement therapy, herbal preparations, mindfulness or regular physical activity – there are many options, and every woman deserves an individualised approach.
Interestingly, nutrition plays a role here as well. Phytoestrogens found in soy, flaxseed or red clover, for example, can mildly compensate for the decline in estrogen and contribute to mood stability. Their effectiveness varies between individuals and depends on the composition of the gut microbiome, but for some women they represent a valuable natural source of support.
What to do about it: a practical perspective without dramatisation
Recognising that mood changes have a physiological basis is the first and most essential step. The second step is to stop ignoring them. Women's health is complex and deserves a complex approach – one that takes into account both body and mind, hormones and lifestyle, professional care and everyday habits.
Tracking the menstrual cycle using apps or a simple diary can reveal patterns that would otherwise remain invisible. When a woman knows that she experiences mood fluctuations at the same point every month, she can better prepare for them – avoiding important decisions during that period, allowing herself more rest or reaching for supportive measures that have proven helpful.
Communication with a doctor or gynaecologist should be open and specific. Saying "I have mood swings" is not enough – it is useful to describe when they occur, how long they last and how intensely they affect daily life. The more precise the information a doctor receives, the better they can help.
And finally – community and the sharing of experiences have a far from negligible healing potential. Women who discover that others share their experiences stop feeling "strange" or "excessive." Online communities, support groups or simply an honest conversation with a friend can shift perspective in a way that no pill can achieve.
The female body is fascinating, complex and exquisitely designed. Its hormonal rhythms are not a flaw in the system – they are part of the system. And the mood changes that come with these rhythms deserve to be taken seriously: not to give women yet another reason for anxiety, but so that they may finally receive the care, support and understanding that has always been rightfully theirs.
