Your mother was probably correct when she said that stress makes your periods irregular. The irregularity of your cycle can be due to stress and anxiety, both of which are decisive in determining various aspects of your menstrual cycle. They can cause major hormonal shifts, causing an imbalance in dopamine and serotonin production, which are generally seen as our mood hormones.
So the term “mood swings” during your period is not just a phrase in your head. It has a dominant stance in your reality. The racing of the heart, nausea and a feeling of despair during the onset of menstruation is not a coincidence.
During this time, all kinds of mood changes are extremely dependent on hormonal changes, which can initiate certain forms of stress and anxiety. This cannot be categorised in the general stream of anxiety disorder, which people face due to various external stimuli. The spike in anxiety and stress can be due to hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which occur before periods, affecting the feel-good mood hormones and triggering the not-so-good feelings.
Studies have shown that disorders that involve dysregulation of the anxiety system, further leading to panic disorder, nervous breakdown, increase in stress and anxiety, are more prevalent in women than in men. In some cases, the shift in hormones can lead to the cause of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and premenstrual exacerbation (PME).
PMS is seen as a condition that affects a menstruating person’s mental and emotional health, mainly before a week or two of the start of their period. PMDD is very similar to premenstrual syndrome, only more serious in its impact. Its symptoms consist of severe anxiety, stress, irritability or even persistent and lingering sadness mainly weeks before the period. They can advance to severe physical pain in the form of cramps, backache, shoulder pain and even nausea, leading to vomiting and headaches.
PME is referred to as the worsening of another disorder’s symptoms during the onset of a period. It is mainly found in women who have preexisting conditions regarding their mental health, such as depression, anxiety disorder and even mild panic disorder.
It is not easy to differentiate among PMS, PMDD and PME, but keeping a close watch can help understand the symptoms and distinguish the conditions. The symptoms of PME are present throughout the cycle and become dominant only during the premenstrual stage. In contrast, PMS and PMDD symptoms are only found in the premenstrual phase (ranging within the 2 weeks of the start of periods).
The terms might look scary, but it becomes easier to deal with the symptoms once we learn about them. Studies have shown that mild workouts and relaxation methods help reduce anxiety and stress in many cases. It was seen that people who exercise regularly have lower symptoms of PMS. Exercising (not vigorous and strenuous) also reduces physical pain, such as muscle pains and even period cramps to some extent.
It also produces hormones, which help in balancing and upliftment of mood. Meditation, yoga and even therapy have been seen to reduce symptoms of period stress and anxiety. Proper sleep, at least 6–7 hours is mandatory to manage period induced anxiety disorder. Having a routined sleep schedule helps in the proper functioning of the body, this curbs fatigue and keeps hormonal activities in check.
Many studies have also shown that having a proper diet helps manage symptoms of PMS, PME and PMDD. Foods rich in calcium and carbohydrate provide nutrients to the body, keeping a check on both the menstrual cycle and menstrual flow. Research has found that vitamins such as Vitamin B-6 also help control and reduce the physical and psychological conditions of PMS and PMDD.
PMS, PMDD and PME can be dealt with by having a healthy lifestyle. Alcohol and caffeine are seen as trigger boosters. It is necessary to avoid or limit caffeine products, especially coffee and chocolates, at least 1 week prior and on period days. Tea is a great soothing agent and benefits by calming the nerves down.
A little bit of anxiety is normal before a week or two of periods. But if the symptoms and conditions have a negative effect and impact daily life, then it is necessary and important to consult your gynaecologist, doctor or even your therapist.
By Manjima Tarafdar