The hormonal changes you experience during menopause can make it feel like an emotional roller coaster. Changes to oestrogen levels in the body can affect various mood-boosting properties, making even the simplest of tasks feel overwhelming.
Here we explain more about what you can do to naturally manage and regulate some of these mood swings, to help you feel more in control of your day.
Foods that can help with mood swings
There are some foods that can help you regulate your emotions with more clarity, such as:
- Fish, poultry, wholegrains, eggs, soya beans – good sources for vitamin B6 for serotonin and progesterone synthesis
- Broccoli, bananas, fish, almonds, decaf green tea (which contains l-theanine) and matcha – foods that support Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA).
- Turmeric, Rhodiola rosea, panax ginseng, maca and ashwagandha – good for adaptogens.
- Black beans, pumpkin seeds, greens – all add more magnesium (Epsom salt baths are also helpful).
- Look for protein rich foods that can balance blood sugar levels.
Ideally, you want to avoid high sugar foods, bread, white pasta and refined carbs, as these can all affect your mood.
Make small changes to your routine
Your hormones can have a big influence over your day, so try not to let them have too much control. Take time to eat breakfast, drink about 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day and only have caffeine with your breakfast.
A protein-rich breakfast can also really make a difference. Foods like eggs, low sugar granola with coconut yoghurt and berries or almond, maca, avocado with roasted mushrooms and tomatoes, scrambled tofu, smoothies with pea-protein powder are some ideas you could try.
You could also try eating more protein and warming foods to pre-empt PMS mood swings if your periods are still regular.
Menopause lifestyle hacks you can try
Alternate nostril breathing can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and can help with vagal nerve toning. This is important because the vagal nerve is a trunk nerve, and it can be turned from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest mode through stimulation. Gargling with water, singing and cold-water swimming are other ways you can help to control the nerve pattern.
Taking part in regular exercise can also help with mood management. Try to do something that you enjoy and doesn’t feel like a chore, as this will make it easier to do on a regular basis.
Yoga, or simply lying in a child’s pose, helps some people, as it helps to ground us to the earth where we can centre our emotions.
What to do in moments of high emotion
If you are struggling with your moods and emotions and feel like you are going to explode, you could try to implement the following:
S – Stop (pause)
T – Take a few deep breaths
O – Observe your thoughts and the way your body feels
P – Proceed with care and caution
Alternatively, you could try to take 7 breaths, before breathing out 11 times, which can help to calm you down. This is known as the 7/11 breathing technique.
Get in touch
At Kartee Salon, we are truly lucky to have amazing customers who love what we do, with some even calling us the best hair salon in Tooting (some have even called us the best hair salon in London!).
If you are experiencing hair loss due to perimenopause, menopause or for any other reason, we always treat the condition with the sensitivity and privacy it deserves.
From helping you find a hairstyle that works for you, to giving you advice about the best products to use for your hair, we’re always here to help and offer advice.
You can also find regular updates on our social channels that offer free, helpful tips and insight into common hair issues: Facebook or Instagram.
You can find us on Colliers Wood Road, SW19 and we are open Monday to Friday, 10-7.30pm (9pm on Thursdays), Saturday 9-6pm and Sunday 10-5pm. Give us a call on 020 8540 4664 or email hello@kartee.salon and we’d be more than happy to arrange a free hair consultation.
