Researchers believe that the fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone many women experience during this time contribute to mood swings and other emotional symptoms, though there are no clear conclusions about how this happens. Doctors know, however, that estrogen is directly related to our body's production of serotonin — an important chemical that works in the brain to regulate moods. As estrogen levels shift, so does the brain's supply of serotonin — and therefore, moods can shift, as well.

But body chemistry isn't the only thing that can trigger midlife mood decay. Women who are dealing with changing roles at home or at work or changing levels of energy, or who feel less fit or less healthy, may suffer from emotional upheavals and imbalances. Coming to grips with your emotional upsets by recognizing symptoms and tracking them to their source can be a first step toward solving the problem.

Which Comes First?

Just as mood swings in perimenopause can have both physical and emotional consequences, the causes of those mood swings can be both physical and emotional. First, consider that many of the symptoms of perimenopause can cause emotional distress. Hot flashes can lead to sleeplessness, fatigue, irritability, and anxiety. Those factors alone can make you feel angry, isolated, and under siege — and may contribute to occasional moodiness and transient depression. It is sometimes hard to sort out whether your moods swing because of other symptoms, or those symptoms come from your unpredictable reactions.

Tracking Your Mood Swings

Mood shifts are relatively mild changes in mood that can quickly take a woman from feelings of joy to anger, fatigue, or despair. The triggers for these responses can be unpredictable — and sometimes seemingly inconsequential. Perimenopausal women who report mood swings cite a wide range of stimuli for these events. If you're swinging, you can be moved to tears by a song on the radio or the color of the light as evening falls over your backyard. You can become incredibly angry when a coworker asks for clarification of a point you made in a memo, when children or a partner fail to take care of their household responsibilities, or when you forget to stop and pick up the dry cleaning on your way home. Mood swings can sometimes be no more than a typical response, but more intensely felt.

You may be reacting to some source of irritation, unhappiness, discomfort, fear, love, joy, or longing. As estrogen levels rise and fall, serotonin levels can rise and fall, too, taking your mood right along with them. Mood swings can also be a response to a medical condition or chemical imbalance in your body — one, that might be treatable through counseling, medication, or other therapy. Your mood swings can teach you a lot about who you are, what issues and changes you're dealing with, and where you want to go during this transition in your life.

You can expect some mood swings in your life, but many women in perimenopause develop mood swings that interfere with their daily living. Frequent or severe mood swings can create problems with family, coworkers, and friends. They can cause missed workdays, discourage participation in social functions or enjoyable activities, or create feelings of alienation, exhaustion, fear, and a lack of control. If mood swings are severe or frequent enough to get in the way of your full — and fulfilling — life, take action to bring them under control.