Learn about the link between menopause and anxiety, explore why menopause can cause anxiety, and discover strategies to manage menopause mood swings.

Key takeaways

• Menopause can trigger anxiety and panic attacks in some women, primarily due to hormonal fluctuations.
• Oestrogen and progesterone, hormones that influence mood, decrease during menopause, increasing the risk of panic attacks.
• Implementing lifestyle changes such as regulated breathing, physical exercise, and healthy nutrition can help manage menopausal symptoms.
• Reducing caffeine and alcohol intake can help balance stress responses and improve mood stability.

Many women experience mood, anxiety and panic disorders for the first time during their menopausal years. These disorders can feel overwhelmingly debilitating, frequently manifesting as panic attacks. These sudden episodes of intense fear are all hallmarks of an activated fight-or-flight response, governed by the sympathetic nervous system.

Understanding the triggers and changes happening within the body during menopause can help reduce the stress linked to these discomforting physiological changes.

Understanding anxiety during menopause

Anxiety can present in various ways, and it's essential to note that not everyone will experience the same symptoms. The symptoms range from physical symptoms, cognitive and psychological symptoms.

Some of the common anxiety symptoms include:

• Increased heart rate or palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Nausea or abdominal distress
• Feeling dizzy or faint
• Feeling restless, irritable or on-edge
• Sleep disturbances
• Excessive worry or fear
• Catastrophic thinking
• Obsessive thoughts

It's important to speak to your doctor if you're experiencing these symptoms or are concerned.

Who is more at risk?

Certain factors can increase a woman's risk of experiencing anxiety during the menopause transition. Some of these include:

• Previous mental health issues like anxiety and depression
• Poor physical health
• Stressful life events
• Lifestyle factors such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking
• Family history of mental health disorders
• Trauma or abuse

It's important to note that while these factors may increase the risk, they do not guarantee that a woman will experience an anxiety disorder during menopause. Also, women who do not have any of these risk factors can still experience anxiety and panic attacks.

Hormonal fluctuations: the underlying cause of menopause mood swings

One of the key causes of heightened anxiety during the perimenopause and menopause period is the fluctuation and alteration in hormone signalling. The decline in hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone has a significant impact on mood and physical health.

Both the decline in oestrogen and progesterone can increase the risk of panic attacks. There are a few reasons as to why this happens.

Oestrogen has an inhibitory effect on cortisol, a stress hormone. As oestrogen levels drop, cortisol levels rise, impacting blood sugar levels, inflammatory response, insulin levels, and blood pressure. Moreover, oestrogen significantly influences the brain chemical serotonin, a mood stabiliser. As oestrogen decreases during menopause, so does serotonin, leading to less stable moods, and potentially causing anxiety, depression, and panic.

Progesterone typically has a calming and relaxing effect on the brain's circuitry. Its decline during menopause can contribute to heightened anxiety and mood swings.

Apart from these biochemical influences, social and environmental factors can also impact the risk and prevalence of panic disorder during menopause. This increases the importance of stress management during this life phase.

Navigating menopause mood changes

It's important to speak to your doctor about your own mental health needs leading up to menopause and during. There are many treatment options available.

Lifestyle changes are an important part of managing mood swings and anxiety during menopause. These may include:

• Minimise caffeine: caffeine, a stimulant, can increase cortisol response in the body, priming the sympathetic nervous system to respond to stress. Lowering caffeine intake can help manage menopause mood swings and reduce feelings of anxiety.
• Reduce alcohol: as a depressant, alcohol can negatively affect sleep and mood. Its metabolites can contribute to fatty liver, potentially leading to abdominal weight gain, insulin resistance, and unstable blood sugar levels.
• Optimise nutrition: excessive consumption of sugars can create a cycle of sugar cravings, unstable blood glucose levels, and fluctuating energy levels, further exacerbating stress responses. Incorporate high-quality protein, vegetables, nuts, berries, and seeds in your diet, along with good-quality fats such as olive oil, macadamia nut oil, avocados, and fish.

While menopause can indeed cause anxiety and mood swings, these changes are manageable with the right management. Through a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management techniques, and support from your healthcare team, you can navigate through menopause with more confidence and ease. Always remember, while menopause is a significant life transition, it's also a time for growth, transformation, and new beginnings.

The Vively app is an evidence-based tool that can provide guidance and support for women experiencing this significant life change. Vively can aid in improving glucose control, a key aspect of metabolic health that's often impacted during menopause. By closely monitoring your glucose levels and making necessary lifestyle and dietary adjustments, you can better manage menopause mood swings and anxiety.

Through Vively, you can receive personalised nutrition advice, monitor your metabolic health with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and track your progress, all in one place. This can significantly improve your health, reduce symptoms, and make the journey through menopause smoother and less stressful.