Moody before your period: PMS mood swings and what helps
The short answer
Feeling moody, irritable, low or tearful before a period is very common. It is part of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which many people notice in the week or two before bleeding. It usually eases within a few days of the period starting. If mood symptoms are severe, or stop you living normally, it may be PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), which is treatable and worth discussing with a doctor or health worker.
When does PMS start and stop?
PMS symptoms appear in the second half of the cycle, after ovulation, and often get stronger in the days just before the period. They fade soon after bleeding begins. The key sign is the timing: you feel better for at least a week after your period, then the symptoms return.
For someone with a 28-day cycle, that means mood changes may begin around day 18 to 21 and ease around day 2 to 4 of the next period. Other physical signs often come with the mood changes. See signs your period is coming.
What PMS mood changes can feel like
- feeling irritable, snappy or angry for small reasons
- sudden crying, or feeling more sensitive than usual
- feeling anxious, low or hopeless
- trouble concentrating, or feeling overwhelmed
- changes in appetite, such as cravings
- poor sleep or feeling very tired
Along with these, some people have bloating, sore breasts, headaches or acne. Hormone levels change a lot after ovulation, and some people’s brains respond more strongly to those changes. It is not a character flaw and it is not “all in your head”.
What can help
Small, steady changes help many people. The NHS and ACOG suggest:
- Regular exercise, such as walking, cycling or dancing
- Regular meals, with plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole grains, and less salt, sugar and caffeine
- Enough sleep and a regular bedtime
- Ways to relax, such as breathing exercises, yoga or time outside
- Less alcohol, if you drink, as it can worsen low mood
- Talking to someone you trust, and warning people close to you that this week is harder
- Pain relief for cramps or headaches, as directed on the packet
If this is not enough, a doctor or health worker can talk about other options, including some forms of hormonal contraception or antidepressant medicine. Do not start supplements or medicine without asking someone qualified.
Keep a record
The best way to confirm PMS is to track symptoms across at least two cycles. Write down the first day of each period, plus which days you felt low, irritable or anxious. If your mood is better in the week after bleeding starts, that points to PMS rather than another cause. Our guide to PMS, PMDD and mood goes deeper.
PMDD: when mood symptoms are severe
PMDD is a more severe form of PMS. It is much less common, but it can be disabling. Signs include:
- strong anger, sadness, anxiety or hopelessness in the week before a period
- feeling out of control, or very different from yourself
- thoughts of self-harm
- symptoms that damage school, work, friendships or family life
- symptoms that vanish soon after bleeding starts
If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, please tell someone you trust or contact a doctor, health worker or local emergency service now. In Nepal, you can call the free mental health helpline 1166 (Patan Mental Hospital). Do not wait for a “better time”.
When to see a doctor or health worker
- Your mood symptoms are severe, or are getting worse
- You miss school or work, or relationships suffer
- Low mood continues all month, not just before a period
- You feel hopeless or have thoughts of self-harm
- Mood changes began suddenly or after starting new medicine
Being moody for a few days before a period is not a reason to feel guilty. Being unable to cope is a reason to ask for help.
Track the pattern
Seeing the pattern on paper often brings relief. Cycella (for ages 13 and up) logs your period, mood and symptoms with no account, and keeps your data on your phone. It is free on Google Play for Android. A paper note or phone calendar works too. The next period calculator can help you guess when the tougher days may fall.
Sources
Try the Next period calculator, or see Cycella in Nepal. Cycella is a free, private Android period tracker, now on Google Play.
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