Although over a million American women go through menopause annually, it can still be a scary time in your life. The changes to your body are new and uncharted, and hormone levels can be unbalanced and cause mood swings.
Menopause and anger toward husbands also often go together, pushing away support. Here, we’re going to talk about these hormonal changes and how you can stop them from pushing your loved one away. Read on for some remedies for the more painful parts of menopause mood swings.
Hormonal Changes During Menopause
Hormone fluctuations are among the biggest changes that you’ll experience during perimenopause. The ‘perimenopause’ stage is the time period when your menstrual cycle becomes irregular and infrequent.
During this time, your estrogen and progesterone levels naturally fall.
Estrogen is responsible for moderating stress by releasing stress-fighting neurotransmitters. When you have less estrogen, you’ll struggle to manage stress. This can become overwhelming, especially since your brain will also be producing fewer feel-good endorphins.
Similarly, clinical studies on progesterone show that it has both anti-anxiety and anti-depressive impacts on women. When you have low progesterone levels, you’ll likely become even more stressed out.
Because the same hormones that control your period also produce serotonin, you’re likely to have mood swings.
Serotonin: What Does It Do?
Serotonin has a lot of functions in the brain and body. It influences appetite and stimulates the digestive system. It also helps you control muscles and movement.
Most importantly, though, it’s the primary hormone that controls your mood.
When people’s serotonin levels drop, they feel sad and dysregulated. This can cause issues with depression that make it difficult to get out of bed in the morning. When you get up, you may contend with sadness that makes you weepy.
You also will likely have sleep problems that stop you from getting the rest you need to feel good. This, combined with the natural irritated feelings that a hormonal imbalance causes, can make you snappish and moody. Some menopausal women even experience “menopause rage,” an uncontrollable anger caused by hormonal changes and low hormone levels.
If this is impacting your daily quality of life, though, remember that help is available. Clinics like Evolve have menopausal hormone therapy options that provide relief from anxiety, fatigue, and irritability. We’ll help you understand your emotions, mood swings, and physical changes before creating a custom treatment plan together.
How Are Menopause and Anger Toward Husbands Linked?
Anger toward husbands is a primary reason that hormone therapy is important.
When we talk about “anger,” we’re not referring to small moments where you’re snappish and annoyed with your partner. We’re talking rage that runs deeper than that. You may be feeling a deep sense of being irate with your husband and blow up at him regularly without even meaning to.
Remember that your rage and mood swings are the natural result of changing hormone levels. Research the impacts of this together with your husband to help him understand.
However, there are other ways that menopause and anger toward husbands can be linked. Change is challenging, and you may be resisting the new changes that menopause brings. It’s a new chapter in your life, and you don’t choose when to turn the page, which can be stressful and make you feel out of control.
Physical changes like nausea and headaches will also make you more responsive to stimuli like noise and bright lights. You also may be uncomfortably hot often because of hot flashes. This will naturally make you grumpier, and your husband will be the nearest person that you have to take it out on.
How to Boost Serotonin Levels and Avoid Mood Swings
It’s likely that you have communicated that you’re experiencing menopause with your husband. He probably understands some of the symptoms.
But he still might not notice why you’re angry, and he may be confused by why you’re mad. This could make you more frustrated because you may wonder why he can’t understand your feelings.
That’s why it’s important that you also boost your serotonin levels. You’ll be more able to effectively communicate with your partner when your hormones are more balanced. This can help you get on the same page so that you can strengthen your relationship and decrease the strain of anger and frustration.
Investing in Hormone Therapy
A personalized hormone replacement therapy plan can help you feel better as soon as possible. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is one of the best and most effective ways to boost both estrogen and progesterone levels.
Because these two hormones are naturally linked to serotonin, you’ll begin to feel better with a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs!
BHRT usually takes a couple of weeks to take effect in your body. Within that timeframe, hot flashes and mood swings causing anger and irritability will likely decrease. However, since everyone’s body and menopausal symptoms are different, the timeline will vary from person to person.
Make sure that you only undergo BHRT under the watchful eye of a professional. This will help you safely boost your energy levels and feel better.
Eating the Right Foods
Your therapy plan shouldn’t just involve BHRT hormones. It should also involve lifestyle changes that boost your hormone and serotonin levels.
Dietary changes are some of the most important. Certain foods increase estrogen naturally. Some things to add to your diet include:
- Soybeans and soybean-related products like tofu and miso
- Sesame seeds and oils (makes for a great noodle topping or stir-fry flavoring!)
- Nuts including peanuts and almonds
- Flax seeds (put them in any trail mix)
- Sunflower seeds (one of our favorites!)
- Fruits like berries, apples, grapes, and plums
- Oatmeal and whole-wheat cereals
Other foods serve primarily to boost serotonin directly. They don’t necessarily increase estrogen, but they balance hormones to regulate mood. Some foods that might keep you feeling happy and energized include:
- Leafy greens like spinach and Swiss chard
- Eggs, especially yolks high in tryptophan
- Cheese (of any variety – have fun!)
- Salmon, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids
You also will want to decrease the caffeine levels that you ingest daily, so cut down on coffee, soda, and caffeinated teas. High-sodium foods like potato chips, deep-fried snacks, deli meats, and pretzels are also a no-go. Carbohydrates like white bread and pasta also are harder to process during menopause, so limit them as well.
Some treats are okay in moderation, but make an effort to replace them with healthier alternatives.
Have More Sex
Connecting with your husband is more important than ever while going through menopause. Part of the reason you may feel annoyed with him is that menopause is driving a wedge through intimacy. Hormonal fluctuations do weird things to your sex drive, and vaginal dryness can make penetrative sex painful.
Luckily, increasing estrogen with BHRT and a new diet can make your sex drive come back. You can also use natural remedies for vaginal dryness like lube.
Also, remember that physical intimacy isn’t one-size-fits-all. Penetrative sex isn’t the only way to have a good time. Get creative and try something new!
Sex can increase dopamine and oxytocin, love hormones that bring you closer. It can also boost your serotonin levels and put you in a good mood. Plus, it’s just good exercise!
Spend Quality Time With Your Husband
Sexual intimacy is an important part of most relationships. However, it can’t be the only thing sustaining your marriage. You need to carve out quality time for each other and engage in activities that you both enjoy.
Consider cooking estrogen-rich foods together. Go to a restaurant and have a candlelit romantic dinner. Go stargazing, check out art galleries and museums, and play board games or video games together.
Talk about everything and anything, share interests, and watch your favorite shows together. Have deep conversations about things you’ve never discussed before and bond in new ways.
This can stop you from directing menopause rage at your husband. You’ll feel closer to him and be in a better mood. This emotional proximity will make you feel more satisfied in your marriage, meaning you’ll be less likely to get frustrated and lash out.
Get Enough Sunlight
You also may want to consider making some of that quality time an outdoor adventure!
Hiking is a great way to get active outdoors as a couple. If you want a more low-key date, consider a picnic in the park. Relax by a public pool or on a beach if you want to soak up some rays while together.
Sunlight exposure makes your brain create more serotonin. It also gives you Vitamin D, which helps beat depression. Basically, the sun is a natural mood booster that you shouldn’t overlook.
Manage Hormone Changes With Expert Help
Now that you know the ins and outs of menopause and anger toward husbands, it’s time to balance your hormone levels with tried-and-true methods. Evolve’s team with help you come up with a personalized treatment plan and deliver the hormones you need directly to your doorstep.
We’ll also check in throughout all steps of the hormone replacement process to ensure that your serotonin levels are healthy. Reach out to Evolve’s experts to learn more about moving from mood swings to wellness (and wellness to greatness.)
