Why Do I Get Anxiety Before My Period

Ways To Combat The Anxiety

Luckily, there are a number of ways you can combat this anxiety when your period comes around. The most obvious way is to try and relax. Go for a walk, get some fresh air.

Try some yoga or meditation. Find ways to still the mind and release serotonin.

Something as simple as an adult coloring book or your favorite comfort TV show can also do wonders for settling the anxiety you feel.

Another big way to combat both anxiety and the woes of periods and their pains is exercise. Go for a jog, and incorporate walking and yoga into your exercise routine.

It is said that women who exercise regularly both before and during their period tend to have milder PMS symptoms, and this will definitely help to make your anxiety more manageable.

Making sure you get enough sleep is also a big contributing factor to how your anxiety and stress levels are going to be. It is important to go to bed on time as often as you can and get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep.

It could take a few tries before you feel better, but overall, getting the correct amount of sleep, not just during your period but for the rest of the month too, will make your overall mood much better.

Once you have a viable sleep routine, youll find you have way more energy to get through the day.

Like We Said Before Not Everyone Will Suffer From Pms Or Pms

Some of you may suffer from small bouts of anxiety leading up to your period, and some of you may suffer from intense periods of anxiety that can feel debilitating. Those who have more severe symptoms may have an underlying health condition.

• Drastic mood shifts
• Food craving including binge eating
• Feeling on edge
• Intense sadness
• Feeling like youre not in control

These psychological symptoms may take a physical toll on your body causing worsened bloating, cramping, or headaches . While researchers do not know the exact cause of PMDD, it is likely that those who have a family history of medically diagnosed depression or anxiety might be more at risk for developing PMDD. Or, you might have a personal or family history of medically diagnosed depression or anxiety. Since the symptoms of PMDD are more severe and stay around longer, it typically means that serotonin levels are not only disrupted in the days leading up to your period, but also throughout your cycle.

*Note: According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, the risk of females between the ages of 14-50 developing anxiety is twice as high as males. This is likely due to menstrual cycles that already predispose females to having periodic hormonal shifts.

Why Do You Feel Anxious During Your Cycle

Hormonal-induced anxiety is most common at the end of the cycle, a week or two before your period begins. Its often accompanied by other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or, in about 5% of women, premenstrual dysphoric disorder such as bloating, headaches, irritation, mood swings, insomnia, fatigue, tender breasts, constipation or diarrhoea. PMDD is more severe than PMS to the level it can impair your daily life.

Another condition is called premenstrual exacerbation . It is similar to PMDD, but it manifests in intensifying mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, emotional eating.

While the precise reason some women suffer from worsening mental conditions in the luteal phase is still unknown, its believed to have something to do with progesterone levels.

Progesterone is often called the pregnancy hormone because it becomes the dominant hormone once a woman conceives. However, its benefits go beyond ensuring a healthy pregnancy. Progesterone has a positive impact on neurological function and metabolic features. Unlike oestrogen, its much harder to get progesterone from external sourcesthe primary way we get it is to secrete it ourselves.

Even if you ovulate, your body may not be producing sufficient progesterone for the entire cycle. Hormone levels can be detected in blood , saliva, and urine . If you want to check your progesterone, the best time to do it is right after ovulation.

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Is Pmdd A Mental Health Problem

PMDD is commonly defined as an endocrine disorder, meaning that it is a hormone-related disorder. But as well as physical symptoms, people with PMDD also experience a range of different mental health symptoms such as depression, suicidal feelings and anxiety.

For these reasons, it is listed as a mental health problem in the DSM-5, one of the main manuals that doctors use to categorise and diagnose mental health problems.

Ultimately, it’s important to remember that how you understand your symptoms and experiences is up to you. The most important thing is that you get the support you need and deserve to help you manage the effects of PMDD on your life.

“Every month for 30 years I barely managed to come through each month intact. PMDD is not merely bad PMS. It is so much more serious than that, and is absolutely life changing.”

What Can I Do To Manage Cycle

#1: Breathe

Breathing exercises can really help with anxiety and your mental health because one of the physical symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder is increased heart rate or shortness of breath. Box breathing can regulate your heart rate. Sit upright and feel free to close your eyes or keep a soft gaze. Inhale for four breaths, then hold the breath at the top for four more. Exhale for four and hold the breath at the bottom for four. Repeat until you start to feel your heart rate slow down and anxiety symptoms fade.

#2: Decaffeinate

Yes, coffee is great for tired souls but high levels of caffeine can have the same psychological symptoms as stress or anxiety. This can include dizziness, increased heart rate and even gastrointestinal problems . Try swapping out coffee for herbal tea or chicory, which is rich in antioxidants, and thanks to its sedative quality has been known to reduce anxiety and stress.

Co-founder Liv really enjoys a custom Raspberry blend.

• 2 parts raspberry leaf

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Signs Of Severe Depression During Period

You may experience severe depression before and during periods due to premenstrual dysphoric disorder . PMDD is similar to PMS, but its severe and sometimes disabling. PMDD can cause extreme mood shifts, which can interfere with your daily life, relationships, and work. Symptoms usually start a week before menstruation and continue a few days after your period begins. Apart from severe depression before and during periods, other symptoms and signs of PMDD are:

• Tension or anxiety
• Feeling out of control or overwhelmed
• Extreme moodiness
• Hopelessness with extremely negative thoughts
• Trouble concentrating
• Binge eating or food cravings
• Lack of interest in relationships and daily activities
• Loss of interest in sex

You may manage depression during your period by making certain lifestyle changes and taking specific medications.

Is It Normal To Get Anxiety Before Your Period

According to the NHS, most women who have periods experience one or more of the symptoms of PMS at some point or other . What we dont know is how many women are affected by premenstrual anxiety, which is just one of around 150 physical, psychological and behavioural symptoms associated with PMS you can read more about these in our guide to premenstrual syndrome.Anxiety is an emotional symptoms of PMS, with others including:

• Concentration and memory problems

• Depression and low mood

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Why Does It Happen

Even in the 21st century, experts dont have a great understanding of premenstrual symptoms and conditions.

But most believe that PMS symptoms, including anxiety, arrive in response to changing levels of estrogen and progesterone. Levels of these reproductive hormones rise and fall dramatically during the luteal phase of menstruation.

Basically, your body prepares for pregnancy by increasing hormone production after ovulation. But if an egg doesnt implant, those hormone levels drop and you get your period.

This hormonal rollercoaster can affect neurotransmitters in your brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are associated with mood regulation.

This may partly explain the psychological symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and mood swings, that happen during PMS.

Its unclear why PMS hits some people harder than others. But some people may be

• eating disorders

The difference between PMDD and PME is that those with PME experience symptoms all month long, they just get worse in the weeks before their period.

Can Adrenal Issues Cause Anxiety

Ultimately, our adrenal health can determine our anxiety levels.

The adrenal glands are located right above the kidneys, and they are responsible for producing many of the hormones we need to function including cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. I call these the last two the freak-out hormones because when they hit your brain your body will go into panic mode.

While these stress hormones are critical to protecting us from danger, in modern times, we are often not really in danger on a regular basis.

Instead, vitamin deficiencies, over-exercising, under-eating, lack of social interaction and stress of any sort get demand a response from our adrenals. Maybe stress even tells your body to shut down ovulation or stop making progesterone in favor of producing cortisol and boom anxiety and panic attacks set in. Theres no GABA there to mitigate the panic fest.

If youve been feeling tired but unable to go to sleep at night, having difficulty waking up in the morning, and are completely relying on caffeine to make it through the day I would recommend checking out your cortisol levels and my Optimal Adrenal Kit.

And keep reading because I’ve got a whole lot more tips to ward of anxiety before your period.

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Progesterone: The Pms Culprit

Progesterone and estrogen, the primary female sex hormones, affect the parts of our brains which influence mood and behavior. So, as the progesterone in our body suddenly rises after ovulation, so do depressive feelings. One explanation for this could be that progesterone affects the amygdala . The amygdala is part of our fear-based response system, and since progesterone triggers the amygdala, we become hyper-reactive in the throes of PMS. Heightened amygdala reactivity also leads to increased anxiety, which can make us more depressed. If you experience severe cases of depression and hopelessness during this time, consider speaking to a doctor since you may be experiencing more extreme symptoms of PMS.

• Treatment Options

There are many reasons a womans period may be late or her cycle may go off schedule. An obvious one is pregnancy. Others include poor nutrition, excessive exercise, and long-term illness. A less obvious reason for amenorrhea or missing a period, however, is depression.

The link between mental health and reproductive health makes sense when you consider that nature does everything it can to create favorable conditions for reproduction.

If a woman is chronically stressed, anxious, sad, or upset, shes really not in a physical or emotional position to go through a pregnancy and then take care of and nurture a child. Under these less than ideal conditions, the female reproductive system can shut down.

Why Does Pms Cause Anxiety

The reason why women suffering from PMS become more prone to stress and anxiety is not clear. What we know is that the changing level of the female hormones responsible for PMS make women cope less well psychologically, leading to a variety of emotional symptoms.

In addition, the hormone cortisol which is linked to anxiety, increases rapidly in the days immediately before menstruation starts. This makes it more difficult for you to manage the stresses in your life, making you feel more anxious.

Women troubled by anxiety with PMS generally fall into two groups:

• Symptoms of anxiety may be obvious only in the few days before a menstrual period
• Women who are generally prone to feeling stressed find that PMS exacerbates symptoms of anxiety.

These can be made worse if:

• Physical symptoms of PMS such as period pains or bloating cause you to dread their onset each month
• Disturbed sleep causes you to feel tired and irritable, increasing anxiety levels.

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Getting Help For Your Anxiety During Your Menstrual Cycle

Are you experiencing PMS or PMDD? Nillni says you should ask yourself how distressing or impairing the symptoms are: Is it interfering with your ability to work or go to school, engage in your hobbies, interact with your family and friends, or socialize? Those are signs that something unusual is going on and you should seek help.

When To See A Doctor

As long as anxiety, depression, and irritability disappear once your period begins, these symptoms are all considered normal signs of PMS. However, “if these emotional changes continue beyond your period, this may suggest a more underlying medical concern of psychological dysfunction,” warns Dr. Ross. As she explains, premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a condition where emotional changessuch as anxiety, depression, and irritabilitybegin to disrupt your work and personal life. Medications that treat depression and anxiety are often prescribed to those with PMDD.

If anxiety begins to disrupt your life, consider seeking professional help.

Keep in mind, if none of the previously recommended treatments such as diet, exercise, or mindfulness help to ease feelings of anxiety, Dr. Ross suggests meeting with a healthcare professional to discuss treatment options.

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Pinpointing The Cause Of A Missed Period

Of course, the first thing you should do if your period is late is to take a pregnancy test, which can be accurate as early as the first day of your missed period. If its negative and you dont get your period in a few days or you completely skip it that cycle, or if youre having chronic problems with menstruation, make an appointment to see your gynecologist.

Shell likely do a repeat pregnancy test. If its negative, shell move on to some basic evaluations such as asking you about your medical history, doing a pelvic exam, and taking blood samples to check your hormone levels.

Depression During Period: Everything You Need To Know

Feeling depressed before and during a menstrual period is common. Experts believe that these emotional changes occur as a result of fluctuating hormone levels.

Most people who menstruate will experience some symptoms of premenstrual syndrome , including moodiness and headaches.

However, some individuals can develop more severe symptoms, such as depression and anger. Hormones can also cause people to feel nauseated during their period.

Severe PMS symptoms may indicate another condition, which is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder . Additionally, existing mental health conditions may temporarily worsen during a menstrual period.

In this article, we explore why some people feel depressed during a period. We also list home remedies and treatment options.

Hormonal changes during the second half of the menstrual cycle, called the luteal phase, may cause a low mood and irritability in some people.

After ovulation, which occurs midcycle, the levels of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to fall.

Rising and falling levels of these hormones can affect brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Examples of these neurotransmitters are serotonin and dopamine, which are both chemicals that influence mood, sleep, and motivation.

Low levels of serotonin and dopamine can cause:

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How To Improve Your Hormone Levels

One of the leading causes of hormonal imbalance followed by mental disorder is physical and psychological stress Today we have become attuned to noticing triggers and traumas that comprise psychological stress, but sometimes physical stress can be more difficult to spot.

Some people live for many years without noticing the effects of physical stress until they begin to experience hair loss, irregular or absent cycles, or rapid ageing, or they develop a mental disorder or an autoimmune disease. Women often suffer from anxiety due to physical stressors such as excessive exercising, strict dieting, poor sleep, and other restrictions. But there are ways to reduce your stress levels with a few easy lifestyle changes.

Home Remedies To Alleviate Feeling Anxious With Your Period

Laurie Steelsmith, ND, a naturopathic doctor, acupuncturist, and author of Natural Choices for Womens Health recommends the following self-care strategies.

• Exercise You dont have to go to the gym. Dance at home, go for a walk or run. Move in all directions, not just up and down. You increase your oxygen intake and circulation through movement, which increases blood flow to your liver. This helps your liver break down your hormones, says Dr. Steelsmith.
• Restorative yoga This practice puts you into a parasympathetic state. It takes you right out of that fight-or-flight anxious feeling, she says.
• Avoid caffeine This stimulant can cause your heart to race, which mimics a panic attack.
• Magnesium The crucial mineral can balance the neurotransmittersglutamate and GABA . The first is a stimulating neurotransmitter or brain chemical the second is a calming one. Consult your doctor before you add this or any supplement to your regular diet.
• Vitamin B6 According to the National Institutes of Health, there is some preliminary data showing that this B vitamin can help with PMS symptoms.
• L-theanine Found in green tea, this amino acid has been shown to relax the mind without making you sleepy, according to research published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

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