Mood swings

What are mood swings?

Mood swings refer to sudden, unexpected shifts in our emotional state that can go from feeling positve and upbeat one moment to feeling irritated, sad, or anxious the next. They involve rapid changes in our mood and energy level that are often perceived as being out of proportion with the events and stressors in our life.

While occasional mood swings are normal, frequent and intense mood swings can interfere with work, relationships, and overall well-being. Some common causes include:

• Hormonal changes and imbalances, especially in women related to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, postpartum periods and menopause. Hormones like estrogen and progesterone directly impact mood regulation. This is why services like Hormone Health Institute help provide hormonal testing and bioidentical hormone therapy.


• Stress, particularly chronic, high stress that keeps our body in fight-or-flight mode and contributes to cortisol level changes.


• Lack of sleep, which disrupts normal biological rhythms and our emotional equilibrium.


• Medical conditions like thyroid disorders, diabetes, or neurotransmitter imbalances.


• Mood disorders such as clinical anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.

Managing mood swings involves getting to the root cause with thorough medical evaluation and testing. Lifestyle changes like getting enough sleep, reducing stress through self-care and relaxation practices, avoiding triggers, and maintaining a mood journal can help smooth out emotional highs and lows. Support groups, counseling, or prescription medications may be warranted in some cases if mood instability severely impacts relationships or work.

In summary, mood swings involve shifts in emotional states that can negatively impact well-being. With proper medical care like that offered by Hormone Health Institute, testing to identify underlying causes of the mood instability, and proactive lifestyle changes, most individuals can better regulate their moods. Reach out today if you're struggling with disruptive mood swings to explore personalized solutions.