Mood Swings: Your more in control than you think
- Skye Sunderland
- Aug 25
- 9 min read
Let’s be honest: too many women “lose it” before their period—snapping at their partner for something he didn’t do, unloading on the kids, tearing up at the checkout line—and then, a couple of days later when the bleeding starts, shrug it off with “oh, it was just my hormones.”
That is not accountability. That's avoidance.
Imagine if the roles were reversed. If your husband yelled at you, belittled you, or made you cry for a week or two every single month, and then excused it with: “Sorry babe, can’t help it—it’s my hormones.” Would you accept that? Hell no. So why do we accept it from ourselves?
Hormones can influence mood, yes—but they don’t force you to explode. What’s actually missing is awareness. If you don’t track your cycle, don’t recognise when you’re more vulnerable to mood swings, and don’t prepare or aim to prevent them, you’re essentially blindfolding yourself and then blaming hormones for the crash.
This is not about guilt or shame—it’s about responsibility. Mood swings are common, but they are not an excuse to hurt the people around you. They are signals from your body that something is shifting. And as women, it’s on us to learn that language, anticipate it, and manage it.
Cycle tracking, journalling, and even just warning those close to you when this phase is coming up—these are not signs of weakness. They’re self-leadership. They prevent conflict, protect relationships, and turn “going crazy” into simply understanding yourself better.
👉 If this resonates, know that you don’t have to figure it out alone.
My next Women’s Way coaching program begins September 1st—a full framework for mastering your cycle, your nutrition, and your energy. Keep reading to learn more about mood swings and how you can prevent, if not at least better manage them.
Understanding Mood Swings Across the Menstrual Cycle
Mood swings are not random—they arise from well-described neuroendocrine mechanisms. To understand them, we need to look at the interplay between ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone) and the brain’s neurotransmitter systems (serotonin, dopamine, and GABA in particular).
Menstrual Cycle Mood Fluctuations
Estrogen and serotonin
Estrogen stimulates the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase, which is required for serotonin synthesis.
It also decreases monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, which slows serotonin breakdown.
The net effect is higher serotonin availability during the follicular and ovulatory phases (roughly days 1-14), which is associated with improved mood, motivation, and cognition.
Progesterone and GABA
Progesterone is metabolised into allopregnanolone, a potent modulator of the GABA-A receptor (the brain’s primary inhibitory/calming pathway).
Early in the luteal phase, this can produce a sense of calm and stability.
Late luteal hormone withdrawal
In the final 5–7 days before menstruation, both estrogen and progesterone fall sharply.
This withdrawal reduces serotonin and GABA signalling, while increasing sensitivity of the HPA axis (stress system).
For women who are more sensitive to these changes, the result is irritability, tearfulness, heightened stress reactivity, and low mood.
Think of estrogen as the “mood stabiliser” and progesterone as the “calming agent.” When they both drop at the same time, the brain loses two of its main supports for emotional regulation.
This is why someone can feel fine one week, then suddenly feel like they’re not themselves—crying over things that normally wouldn’t matter or lashing out at their partner for leaving a spoon on the counter.
Beyond hormones and neurotransmitters, there’s also a lesser-known—but critical—player: the gut.
Because the majority (90%) of serotonin is actually made in the gut, and because hormone shifts directly affect gut health, the gut-brain axis can amplify or buffer these mood swings. We’ll come back to this, but it’s worth knowing that sensitivity is not just about your response to hormones—it’s also about how resilient your whole system is.
Perimenopause Mood Fluctuations
Perimenopause is different because there is no longer a predictable hormonal rhythm. Instead of the regular rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone, levels become erratic.
Estrogen variability
Estrogen levels can fluctuate from very high to very low within days.
Since estrogen modulates serotonin and dopamine receptors, these swings destabilise neurotransmitter activity, creating emotional volatility.
Progesterone decline
Anovulatory cycles (cycles without ovulation) become more common, meaning little to no progesterone is produced.
Without progesterone’s GABA-enhancing effects, women often experience more anxiety, agitation, and poor sleep.
Impact on stress systems
Estrogen normally helps regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
With estrogen instability, the stress response becomes exaggerated, so normal stressors provoke outsized emotional reactions.
In perimenopause, it’s not just “less estrogen” or “less progesterone”—it’s instability. The nervous system can’t adapt to the constant fluctuations, and the usual neurotransmitter supports (serotonin, GABA) are unreliable.
This is why a woman can feel perfectly calm one week, then for no apparent reason the next week she’s anxious, angry, or emotionally flat—even if nothing in her life has changed.
And the research backs this up. The Penn Ovarian Aging Study, one of the largest longitudinal studies of perimenopause, found that women in early perimenopause reported far higher rates of nervous tension, irritability, and depressive symptoms—even among those who had never experienced PMS before. This highlights that perimenopausal mood swings are not “imagined” or purely situational; they’re biological, driven by fluctuating hormone-brain interactions.
The Key Difference
In the menstrual years, mood changes are cyclical and predictable. If a woman tracks her cycle, she can anticipate when mood swings are most likely and prepare for them.
In perimenopause, mood changes are erratic and less predictable, because hormones are fluctuating without a consistent rhythm. Tracking still matters, but the goal shifts toward identifying broader patterns and stabilising the system through nutrition, sleep, stress regulation, and sometimes medical support.
Distinguishing “Normal” vs. Concerning Mood Changes
Some fluctuation in mood across the menstrual cycle is not only normal, it’s expected. Estrogen and progesterone directly influence brain regions such as the amygdala (emotion regulation) and prefrontal cortex (impulse control), and they modulate neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA. For example, when progesterone peaks in the luteal phase, its metabolite allopregnanolone enhances GABA activity. For some women this produces calm, but in others it has a paradoxical effect—heightening anxiety and irritability.
This is biology. What makes it problematic, however, is when these natural shifts are either unrecognized or unmanaged. A woman who notices she feels more irritable the week before her period can preemptively adjust (e.g., communicate with her partner, prioritize recovery, or practice self-regulation techniques). A woman who isn’t aware may find herself lashing out at colleagues, feeling guilty afterward, and spiraling into more distress—essentially amplifying the original hormonal nudge.
This is where awareness and responsibility matter. Mild irritability or mood dips are “normal,” but normal does not mean harmless if they are ignored.
What becomes concerning is the intensity, duration, or impact of these mood changes:
If low mood, anxiety, or irritability lasts for longer than a few days (not just the few days before your period),
If symptoms interfere with work, relationships, or self-care,
Or if women experience hopelessness, severe withdrawal, or thoughts of self-harm.
Conditions such as PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) or perimenopausal depression sit firmly in this category. These are not just “hormones” — they represent pathological sensitivity to hormone fluctuations and require clinical support.
Normal mood changes are like small waves — noticeable but navigable with awareness. Concerning changes are riptides — they pull you under and demand intervention. Recognizing the difference is the first step toward responsibility, both for women themselves and for coaches supporting them.
The Mind-Body-Gut Connection in Mood Regulation
If you notice that your mood changes are sharper or more disruptive than others seem to experience, and potentially “concerning,” this is where the gut-brain axis becomes especially relevant. Hormonal fluctuations alone don’t fully explain the variation in emotional responses—nutritional status and gut health often determine whether those shifts feel like mild irritability or an overwhelming loss of control.
Adding another layer, the gut-brain axis plays a central role in how these fluctuations are experienced. Roughly 90% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut, and the balance of gut bacteria (the microbiome) influences how effectively it is made, released, and transported. Research has shown that disruptions to the microbiome—whether from stress, diet, or hormonal shifts—can heighten anxiety, irritability, and even depressive symptoms.
This happens because the gut and brain are in constant two-way communication through the vagus nerve, the immune system, and a network of hormonal signals. Think of it as a feedback loop:
Hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle (particularly shifts in estrogen and progesterone) → can alter gut permeability and microbiome composition.
Microbiome imbalances → can reduce serotonin production and increase systemic inflammation.
Increased inflammation and reduced serotonin → can feed back to the brain, intensifying mood swings, fatigue, or feelings of low motivation.
Psychological stress (from mood changes themselves or life factors) → can further disrupt gut balance, continuing the cycle.
In other words, the gut-brain axis doesn’t just reflect mood—it actively shapes it.
This is why two women with similar hormone patterns may have very different experiences: one may feel mild irritability, while another may struggle with severe premenstrual depression. The difference often lies in the stability and resilience of the gut-brain system.
Nutrition is a key modulator here. Diets rich in fiber, fermented foods, and polyphenols support microbial diversity, improving serotonin signaling and reducing inflammatory load. Adequate protein ensures amino acids like tryptophan are available for serotonin synthesis, while omega-3 fatty acids enhance anti-inflammatory pathways and neurotransmitter function. On the other hand, highly processed foods, alcohol, and excessive sugar can disrupt microbial balance, aggravating the very mood symptoms women are trying to manage.
Taken together, this means mood fluctuations around the menstrual cycle and perimenopause are not “just in the head.” They are the product of a complex interplay between hormones, the gut, and the brain—and through nutrition and lifestyle choices, women can actively strengthen this system to reduce the intensity of symptoms.
Taking Responsibility: Practical Solutions for Mood Swings
Understanding the science is only step one. Step two is using that knowledge to stop being blindsided by your hormones and start managing them proactively.
1. Track and Anticipate
Your cycle is not random (at least it shouldn’t be, or that’s another issue we need to discuss), and neither are your moods. Whether you’re cycling regularly or navigating perimenopause, charting symptoms helps you predict when you’re more vulnerable. Apps, wearables, or even a simple journal allow you to connect the dots between hormone shifts and emotional states. Without this, you’re stuck reacting instead of preparing.
Menstrual years: Track cycle days, mood, energy, sleep, and cravings. Patterns emerge within 2–3 cycles.
Perimenopause: Cycles may be irregular, so track by symptoms. Look for clusters: poor sleep + heightened irritability + anxiety flare → likely linked to estrogen swings.
2. Communicate Early
Awareness without communication still leaves those around you in the dark. If you know the late luteal phase makes you sharper-tongued, warn your partner or colleagues: “This week I’ll need more space. If I snap, it’s not about you.” That’s leadership, not weakness.
3. Regulate the Nervous System
Estrogen and progesterone shifts directly alter serotonin, dopamine, and GABA activity. The best way to buffer those changes is through practices that stabilise your nervous system:
Exercise: Resistance training improves serotonin signalling and reduces stress reactivity.
Sleep: Consistency in bedtime/wake time regulates the HPA axis, blunting stress-induced mood swings.
Stress management: Breathwork, mindfulness, or even 10 minutes of walking outdoors lowers cortisol and increases GABA activity.
Nutrition (the underrated stabiliser):
Protein stabilises blood sugar, preventing energy crashes that mimic irritability.
Omega-3s reduce inflammation and enhance neurotransmitter function.
Fermented foods, fibre, and polyphenols build microbial diversity → better serotonin production.
Avoiding alcohol and limiting caffeine and processed foods prevents further disruption of gut balance.
In short: your food is not just fuel—it’s a direct line to your mood.
4. Know When to Seek Help
Lifestyle strategies are powerful, but they are not a replacement for medical support when symptoms are severe. If mood swings are disruptive most of the month, or if depression, rage, or hopelessness are consistent, it’s time for professional evaluation. SSRIs, hormonal therapy, or CBT are evidence-based interventions for PMDD and perimenopausal mood disorders. Seeking support is not weakness—it’s intelligent self-management.
Mood swings are not personal failings. They are biological signals that, when decoded, become guides to health, communication, and self-care.
You do not need to apologise for them—but you do need to own them. Tracking and understanding your hormonal patterns transforms you from a passenger on the hormonal rollercoaster into the one steering.
And when you do, you shift the narrative—from “She’s crazy” to “She’s in tune.”
In my Women’s Way Coaching Program (starting September 1st), we go beyond theory. I teach you how to track, adapt, and strategically use nutrition and lifestyle tools so you can stop blaming hormones and start leading yourself.
References:
Yonkers KA, et al. “Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.” 2008.
Freeman EW, et al. “Associations of Hormones and Menopausal Status With Depressed Mood in Women.” 2006.
Halbreich U. “The etiology, biology, and evolving pathology of premenstrual syndromes.” 2003.
Schmidt PJ, Rubinow DR. “Sex hormones and mood in the perimenopause.” 2009.
Soares CN. “Mood disorders in midlife women: understanding the critical window and its clinical implications.” 2014.
Ojezele, et al. "Mood Swing during Menstruation: Confounding Factors and Drug Use" 2022
Liu, et al. "Psychological stress dysfunction in women with premenstrual syndrome" 2023.
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