Pain and cramping, bloating, migraines, acne and mood changes are all common symptoms of PMS - but they're not normal. These symptoms are just your body's way of letting you know that there's something going on a little deeper that needs your attention. Although everything is so connected, today we’re exclusively talking about the uncomfortable mood changes you might be experiencing pre-period, and how to navigate these highs and lows throughout the month. Increased anxiety or mood symptoms before your period (in the ovulatory and luteal phase) can be triggered for many reasons. Some of us are more sensitive to hormonal changes at this time of the cycle, while other cases are caused by nutrient deficiencies, inflammation or increased stress. 

PMDD

If you're experiencing severe mood changes before your period, you might also be unknowingly suffering with PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) which causes a significant increase in anxiety or depression before your period. But PMDD isn’t your standard case of increased anxiety pre-period, it causes severe mood changes that can significantly interfere with your everyday life. The lows and anxiety experienced in PMDD can be quite extreme, and if you feel like you may be suffering with your mood more often than not - it may be related to your cycle, and it could potentially be PMDD you’re dealing with. I really encourage you to track your cycle to notice when your feelings of depression or anxiety arise and how long they stick around for. This is a great way to tell if your anxiety or mood changes are hormonal and cyclical or if there’s something on a deeper level that needs your attention. 

Progesterone

Progesterone is our calming hormone because it triggers the release of GABA, our anxiety-relieving neurotransmitter. Without progesterone, you could be experiencing heightened anxiety and mood symptoms throughout the luteal phase. Progesterone should rise in response to ovulation in the luteal phase of the cycle, and at about 8-10 days after ovulation, progesterone levels will start to fall. If your body isn’t equipped to make enough progesterone, or if you’re not ovulating, you won’t be experiencing the anxiety-relieving effects of progesterone in the luteal phase.

Signs of low progesterone

• Irregular or missing periods
• PMS
• Acne
• Breast tenderness
• Water retention
• Low libido 
• Mid-cycle spotting
• Headaches or migraines

Common causes of low progesterone

• Stress
• Over-training
• Dieting, or not eating enough for your own individual needs
• Anovulatory cycles
• Hormonal conditions like PCOS

Reducing anxiety before your period

If you’ve been tracking your cycle and you KNOW that your anxiety peaks in the luteal phase, or a couple of weeks before your period starts, the good news is there are some easy things you can do to support yourself. The body also responds really well to these simple tweaks to your diet / supplement regime to relieve anxiety.

Magnesium 

If you do ONE thing for your anxiety, make sure you grab a high quality magnesium supplement! Magnesium regulates your stress response, it supports balanced blood sugar levels, aids sleep and boosts GABA, your calming neurotransmitter. You’ll want to be getting a good dose of magnesium in the right form (300mg of magnesium bisglycinate is ideal), especially in the lead up to your period. 

B6

This B vitamin plays an important role in mood, and supplementing with B6 alone is enough to ease mood symptoms in some people. B vitamins are typically low in those with mood disorders, and B6 in particular has been shown to benefit PMS with anxiety by regulating neurotransmitters like GABA and serotonin. 

Zinc

Crucial for the nervous system, zinc supports a healthy stress response and works to regulate your mood. It’s a super important mineral for healthy hormones and regular periods/ovulation, and it’s been shown in studies to relieve premenstrual mood symptoms like anxiety and depression. Zinc is also crucial for the production of progesterone.

Reduce caffeine

Obvious - but a gentle reminder that if you experience heightened anxiety before your period, you may be hyper-responding to caffeine around this time too. If coffee already makes you feel slightly anxious, it might pay to avoid it or reduce your load around your period, to prevent any unnecessary anxiety triggers. 

Are you eating enough?

You might not be eating enough to ovulate and sustain a healthy supply of progesterone. If you’re chronically dieting, counting calories or over-exercising, you’re likely increasing a lot of stress on the body which is going to deplete your progesterone (along with all the important nutrients required for a balanced mood and healthy hormones!). If you THINK you’re not eating enough, you’re probably not. It’s so important that you’re consuming enough calories to maintain a healthy cycle. Under-eating can have a huge impact on your mood 💜

If you'd like more individualised help with your mood or any supplement recommendations, our team of naturopaths are here to help! Feel free to reach our via DM or email if you have any questions, or if you're wondering if our herbal tincture might be right for you.