How to manage menopause mood swings naturally?
Natural therapies may help even out & manage mood swings in menopause?
Menopause mood changes can take women (and those around them) by surprise. Having a variety of options to manage them is a personal choice and if the natural route is your preferred direction, we have outlined a range of natural therapies to help your menopause moods.
Acupuncture & Chinese traditional medicine for menopause
The British Acupuncture Council say that acupuncture may help menopausal symptoms by regulating hormones and raising endorphins for the feel-good factor. A practitioner will compile an individual treatment plan addressing your hormone imbalance.
Many studies conclude that acupuncture has no discernible effect and that any benefits are purely a placebo effect. Who cares? If you feel better after treatment, you won’t care how it works just that it has. Watch our vlog with acupuncturist, Gail Newton, who treats many menopause sufferers with a combination of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture - Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine for Menopause Relief
Menopause mood swings and aromatherapy - smells to make you smile
Smells can be mood-enhancing, helping the brain to produce endorphins. Try these essential oils burnt in an oil burner, dropped onto a tissue, added to hot water to make a vapour or added to a bath to soothe and relax:
Lavender: calming properties may help enhance sleep and relaxation, and soothe the mind and body.
Frankincense: promotes relaxation and a sense of peace, satisfaction, and serenity. Good for anxiety
Ylang Ylang: helps to reduce tension and stress
Orange: potent, citrusy scent, may boost energy and lift the mood
Vanilla: linked to reducing anxiety.
An aromatherapist or a reputable essential oils supplier will be able to advise you on the safest way to use these oils (many cannot be applied directly to the skin without being mixed with a base oil).
Can natural remedies help with mood swings?
Natural remedies, herbs and supplements can help to improve mood and wellbeing in menopause. However, we recommend consulting a medical herbalist to ensure quality and safety, if you’d like to use natural supplements, as well as checking with your GP about their appropriateness for you, especially if you are taking prescription medication. Supplements that may be worth trying, with the caveat that research is limited, include:
B vitamins: Especially B5 may help with the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, and other stress-busting hormones.
Agnus Castus: for perimenopausal women, who have irregular periods and associated mood swings.
St. John's Wort: a popular choice for mood swings. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists say that it has been shown to be ‘efficacious’ (lovely word) in dealing with mild to moderate depression.
Valerian: a calming phytoestrogen, may balance hormones, helping you to sleep
Siberian Ginseng, Black Cohosh and Ashwagandha: these adaptogenic herbs contain phytoestrogens that may deal with the hormonal imbalance impacting on mood swings.
Passionflower: believed to help with sleep problems, and anxiety and to regulate moods.
Menopause products may boost your mood. Try Wild Nutrition’s Botanical’s Menopause Complex, A.Vogel’s’ Menopause Support or Jan de Vries’ ‘Mood Essence Combination Flower Essence, or Menolife Day and Night.
The most effective natural remedy for menopause mood is food!
What you eat can have an impact on your menopause moods, take a look at our diet and nutrition to boost your menopause moods.