Anger, irritability, and rage are common symptoms associated with perimenopause for four reasons.
Reason 1: Perimenopausal hormones are changing, sometimes rapidly, and this can make people very emotional. Most of us will have experienced something like this before as PMS, but in perimenopause, irritability can strike more frequently.
Reason 2: Women are tired. They could be sleep deprived, and their bodies are working really hard, juggling the rollercoaster of internal changes. So, they can get cranky.
Reason 3: Wobbly hormone levels can really destabilise blood sugar levels and therefore mood, energy, and appetite. They call this feeling 'hangry', so angry and hungry.
Reason 4: Oxytocin levels, our love hormone, can drop during perimenopause and that can make it harder to be patient with other people. So, stuff you normally put up with, like someone breathing heavily, can just drive you crazy.
What can you do to help yourself?
Here are a few tips just to help you manage. I would focus on giving the body and the nervous system as much stability as possible. If you get angry easily, just pay attention to your blood sugar levels and your appetite. Are you missing meals? Do you do lots of snacking?
It can be a really difficult habit to change but there's loads of good free advice. I like the Glucose Goddess on Instagram for tips. And, try including a daily shot of something latco-fermented like Molkosan.
Make sleep and relaxation a priority. You need it to reduce the effects of stress and tiredness. Go to bed early, and aim for 7 to 9 hours of decent sleep a night.
Relaxation techniques that slow down breathing can really help reduce the effects of angry, distressing feelings. And herbal tonics that support relaxation like Passiflora Spray can be useful too.
Explain to your loved ones and your work colleagues that you're finding things difficult because maybe it's time to address issues that are making you unhappy, and maybe you just need to be given a bit of a break.
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Emotional Menopause Symptoms: Why they can worsen or come back