Mood swings can be annoying. They stretch our emotions so wide that we are often left in awe, wondering what’s making us hop from one mood to another at breakneck speed.
If you’ve ever been in a zone where, one moment, you are jumping with joy, and the next minute, you are shedding tears, you’ll know how discomforting and confusing it can be to oscillate in the mood swings.
Mood swings are fast and unpredictable. They leave us feeling frustrated and vulnerable at the given moment. They aren’t something that you should worry about until you aren’t experiencing it to an extreme degree. If such is the case, you must visit a professional to seek expert assistance.
Also, if you are thinking about how to manage your moods or prevent them from changing quite frequently, read the article to get useful tips and strategies that can help you regain balance and emotional stability.
What are Mood Swings?
Mood swings are those rapid and often intense changes in emotional states that can happen without warning. Imagine being on a roller coaster; one moment, you’re on a high, feeling exhilarated and happy, and the next, you’re plummeting down, feeling sad or irritable. This unpredictable ride of emotions can leave you confused and frustrated, especially when you don’t know why your mood has shifted so drastically.
It’s important to understand that mood swings are a normal part of life. Everyone experiences them to some extent. However, when they become frequent or intense, they can interfere with daily activities and relationships. Recognizing and addressing the causes of mood swings can help you regain control and lead a more balanced emotional life.
Causes of Mood Swings
- Diet and Nutrition
When we aren’t consuming a wholesome diet and lack nutrients and vitamins, it shows up in our mood activity. Eating sugary and highly processed foods can impact our moods and energy levels.
- Sleep Disturbance
When we lack proper and sound sleep, it can also become a cause of our mood swings and contribute to irritability and mood instability.
- Hormonal Changes
Fluctuations in hormones due to puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy can be a prominent cause of experiencing mood swings.
- Change in Surroundings
When you move to a different city or place, you might experience a mix of emotions, which can further cause emotional turbulence.
- Stress
Experiencing extreme levels of stress and anxiety can also cause frequent changes in moods.
- Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions like thyroid, neurological conditions, or chronic illness can cause mood changes.
Signs and Symptoms of Mood Swings
- Irritability
You easily get irritated, and experience increased anger and frustration over minor issues.
- Lack of Concentration
You find it difficult to focus or concentrate on specific tasks.
- Frequent Mood Changes
One moment, you feel happy, and the next, you feel sad—apparently for no reason.
- Emotional Outbursts
You experience an intense rush of emotions and outbursts, which may include crying, yelling, withdrawing, and shouting.
- Fatigue
You experience fatigue and lethargy even after having adequate rest.
- Change in Sleep Patterns
You experience a change in your sleep patterns, including insomnia, poor-quality sleep, or excessive sleep.
How to Manage Mood Swings?
Managing mood swings doesn’t actually require any special precautions or treatment unless they are triggered by severe medical conditions (such as anxiety disorders, personality disorders, PTSD, schizophrenia, and other physical health conditions). Maintaining a healthy routine and doing everything in the right proportion is all it takes to achieve emotional balance and stability in your daily life.
#1: Healthy Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial to avoid mood swings. If you think compromising on essential vitamins and nutrients won’t affect your emotional well-being, think again. When you keep your body in an under-nourished state, you are bound to bear the consequences in the form of irritability, anxiety, and depression.
The best bet to remain in a healthy emotional state is to focus on eating balanced meals, staying hydrated, and avoiding sugary and processed foods. Here’s what you must include in your diet to maintain your physical and emotional well-being:
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Salmon, Mackerel, Walnuts, Flaxseeds, and Omega-3s
- Complex Carbohydrates: Oatmeal, Quinoa, and Brown Rice
- Fruits and Vegetables: Leafy greens, Berries, and Citrus fruits
- Lean Proteins: Chicken, Turkey, Beans, and Legumes
- Fermented Foods: Yogurt, Kefir, Sauerkraut, and Kimchi
#2: Regular Exercise
The second step is to maintain a regular exercise routine. When you engage in physical activity, you save yourself from the unnecessary hassle of attracting lifestyle diseases.
You can start by setting a routine and sparing a window of about 30 minutes to do the physical activity of your choice. If you fall into the category of an athlete or a sportsperson, you can do strength training by lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises. If you prefer a light workout, you can do light stretches and movements in yoga to achieve overall fitness and well-being.
Pro Tip: Staying motivated and disciplined with exercise comes from joining groups of like-minded people.
#3: Proper Sleep
Adequate sleep is vital for emotional regulation and overall mental health. When you avoid sleep deprivation, it can exacerbate mood swings, leading to irritability and increased anxiety.
Here’s what you can do to ensure a good night’s sleep.
👉 Set up a consistent sleep routine. This will help your circadian rhythm regulate your sleep-wake cycle, resulting in better sleep quality and an overall improved mood during the day.
👉 Limit the daytime naps to ensure you don’t find it difficult to fall asleep at night.
👉 Limit the intake of caffeine and heavy snacks to ensure you get a good quality sleep.
👉 Create a sleep-friendly environment, whether it’s drawing the dark curtain to block the light, using essential oils to promote better sleep, or limiting mobile use an hour before sleeping to bring yourself in total ease.
SHOP ON AMAZON#4: Practice Mindfulness
Just as we do physical exercise to keep our bodies fit, mindfulness is important to keep our minds clear, focused, and resilient against stress and anxiety. You can choose to meditate however you like. It can be sitting calmly and quietly, observing your thoughts without judgment, spending time in nature, fully attuned to the smells, sounds, and other activities that happen around you, or indulging in mindful eating, mindful movement, and mindful breathing to further increase your awareness level.
Additionally, you can make it a ritual to write in a gratitude journal to tune into a higher frequency.
Actionable Tip: Consider using apps like Headspace or Calm for guided sessions.
#5: Drug and Alcohol Abuse
If you are overly dependent on drugs and alcohol, you are likely to fall victim to mood swings, especially when you are not able to cater to your addictions.
For this, you can set drinking limits and clear boundaries to avoid excessive consumption. You can even join a support group to get external support and save yourself from frequent mood swings. Other than that, you may choose to engage in activities that don’t involve substances, such as sports, hobbies, or spending time with friends who support a healthy lifestyle.
By implementing these practical strategies, you can create a balanced lifestyle that helps manage mood swings effectively and contributes towards emotional well-being.
Practical Tips to Manage Mood Swings
- Practice deep breathing. It will help you manage your moods and transition to a calm state, warding off stress and anxiety.
- Engage in creative activities to let your creative juices flow. It will help you boost your productivity while allowing you to express your feelings and improve your mood.
- Spend time in nature. It will have a therapeutic effect on your mood and contribute to your overall well-being.
- Ensure that you make use of positive affirmations. It will have a profound impact on your moods and help you to stay in a positive territory of emotions.
- Reduce consumption of sugary foods and drinks, as spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels can affect your mood.
- Practice self-care. It will help you stay in control of your physical, mental, and emotional health.
- Identify your triggers when you experience mood fluctuations. It will help you understand the potential reason behind the mood instability and enable you to develop effective coping strategies.
Final Thoughts
Navigating moods can be challenging, and it is essential to understand the degree to which you are experiencing them. If they are rare or occasional, following general tips like practicing mindfulness, creating a healthy routine, and indulging in creative activities will do the trick. Otherwise, it is recommended that you seek professional assistance.
Understand that mood swings are a general phenomenon, and almost everyone experiences it. So, it is okay to be swayed by them a few times and allow our emotions to find an easy route to get released. Embrace the process, be kind to yourself, and seek support when needed. It will help you transform your emotional landscape and allow you to lead a happier, more fulfilling life.
What are common causes of mood swings according to the article?
