Much of the conversation about women’s natural life transition through perimenopause and menopause focuses on the physical symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances and more. While these physical symptoms are very disruptive, they are only part of the story. Natural hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause can affect mental health and emotional well-being as well.
One in five women report perimenopause and menopause has affected their mental health. Many women will experience mood swings, anxiety, irritability, depressed mood, brain fog, difficulty concentrating and/or impaired memory. Mental health is just as important as cardiovascular, pulmonary, etc health. It should be addressed and treated like any other organ system in the body.
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During perimenopause, unpredictable fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone contribute to mental health changes. These are two hormones that play an important role in regulating brain chemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine. Serotonin and dopamine are essential for sleep, motivation, mood, and emotional stability. As estrogen and progesterone rise and fall irregularly, serotonin, dopamine and other brain chemicals are impacted making women more vulnerable to mood swings, anxiety, irritability, depression, sleep disturbances, and more. The mental health symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause vary widely from woman to woman. Common symptoms include increased anxiety, depressed mood, irritability, mood swings, sensation of “brain fog,” difficulty concentrating, impaired memory, trouble with word recall and more. Changes to sleep patterns and poor sleep quality associated with estrogen and progesterone fluctuations can increase the intensity of these symptoms. These symptoms may be subtle for some women while others experience more disruptive shifts in mood and well-being. Factors that contribute to how these symptoms manifest include pre-existing mental health conditions, stress levels, diet, exercise, support systems and more.
Supporting mental health and emotional well-being during perimenopause and menopause may be simple or complex. It may include support groups, talk therapy, dietary changes, physical activity, sleep hygiene, supplements, hormone replacement, medications and/or more. Regular physical activity and balanced nutrition can help stabilize mood and stress. A consistent sleep routine and quality sleep will support brain health. Healthcare providers can assist patients with appropriate workups, recommending diet and lifestyle changes, supplements, prescribing hormones and/or other medications that may be best for the individual.
Reducing the stigma around mental health conditions, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, is an important step to providing support for women during this life transition. Awareness of the numerous changes and symptoms associated with hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause and menopause allows women to understand what they are experiencing better and enables them to proactively make changes and seek assistance to improve their mental well-being. Addressing and treating mental health conditions during this natural change will help make this transition more tolerable for women.
