How Your Menstrual Cycle Affects Your Behavior - Women's Health Center - Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Women's Health How Your Menstrual Cycle Affects Your Behavior Feeling moody? It could be your menstrual cycle. Find out how your hormones can impact your emotional health all month long. By Jennifer Acosta ScottMedically Reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPHReviewed: November 29, 2012Medically ReviewedWhen a task as simple as a trip to the supermarket becomes an emotional ordeal, Morgan Sheets knows that her period is just around the corner. The 29-year-old from Indianapolis says that during some months, she notices her emotions becoming more unstable in the five days or so before she is due to start menstruating. “I begin feeling like everything in my life is wrong and that I'm leading the wrong life,” says Sheets, a marketing director. “Little things like making decisions about groceries to buy or getting dressed in the morning become monumental, and I agonize over them.” Sheets says she also becomes much more sensitive and cries more easily. Sheets is just one of the many women who experience premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, a collection of unpleasant symptoms, such as anxiety and bloating, that typically occur one to two weeks before menstruation and might influence behavior through in the menstrual cycle. An estimated 85 percent of women experience at least one symptom of PMS per month, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists estimates. While PMS and its related hormonal changes are often talked about and are even the subject of endless jokes on TV sitcoms, the truth is that the hormones in a woman’s body can influence her moods and actions throughout the month. “We know hormone levels fluctuate throughout the month,” says Diana Schwarzbein, MD, an endocrinologist and author of Menopause Power. “There are going to be corresponding fluctuations in other hormones that are definitely going to affect emotions, processes of thought, and physical well-being.” Here’s what your reproductive system is doing during throughout your menstrual cycle and how hormonal changes may make you feel and act. Feeling Good The Follicular Phase and Ovulation The follicular phase of your menstrual cycle begins on the day you start your period and lasts for about 10 to 14 days. During this time, the hormone estradiol begins to rise. Follicle-stimulating hormone, or FSH, is secreted, stimulating the production of follicles in the ovaries that contain eggs. This is more likely to be your “happy” time of the month. “It may just be in contrast to the second part of the month,” says Tracey Banks, MD, an ob-gyn with Adriatica Women’s Health in McKinney, Texas. “Those two weeks are usually good compared to how you feel toward the end [of the cycle].” Sheets agrees, saying she’s much more likely to notice her bad moods than her good ones. “The times of the month when I’m energetic, happy, and inspired, I don’t spend much time dwelling on them,” she says. However, there may be a biological basis for the “happiness” of the first half of a woman’s cycle. The good feelings may stem from a more sensitive brain. Women in the follicular phase of their cycle might display greater brain activity at the thought of possibly winning money than women who were in other stages of the menstrual cycle, an experimental study published in PNAS found. The estradiol rising in the body can help to tamp down the effects of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, Dr. Schwarzbein says, and that could also play a part in preserving happy moods. Feeling Hot Hot Hot The Ovulatory Phase During a woman’s ovulatory phase, a substance called luteinizing hormone increases. This hormone prompts the release of an egg from the ovaries into the fallopian tubes for fertilization. Estradiol is present in significant quantities around the time of ovulation, and it can interact with other hormones to increase your libido. “Estradiol makes insulin more effective,” Dr. Schwarzbein says. “Then the insulin tells the body to release more testosterone, and testosterone is one of the hormones that regulate sex drive.” Some experts surmise that this may be nature’s way of encouraging women to have sex during their most fertile time. Recent studies have concluded that women are indeed more likely to display sexual behavior just before ovulating and may have a greater tolerance to pain too. You might also be more likely to buy clothes, makeup, and other items to help yourself feel more attractive, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology. The Other Shoe Drops The Luteal Phase After ovulation, the empty follicle that once contained the egg begins to secrete the hormone progesterone to thicken the lining of the uterus and prepare it for the possible implantation of an embryo. As progesterone levels rise, you may begin to feel moodier. This happens because progesterone helps the body make cortisol, a hormone that tends to be higher in people who are stressed. If cortisol levels are already elevated because of outside factors, like a busy workweek, the progesterone can cause an excess of cortisol in the body. “If I’m already doing something to give myself high cortisol levels, by the time I get to the second half of my cycle, I’m going to be irritable,” Schwarzbein says. The “yucky” feelings that come in the days before your period might have you looking for creature comforts to feel better. The same Journal of Consumer Psychology study found that women are more likely to eat high-calorie foods during the luteal phase of their cycle. “We do find that women crave certain foods during this time,” Dr. Banks says. “However, everyone is a little different, and not everyone has the same symptoms.” Although the unpleasant symptoms of the luteal phase can be hard to deal with, Schwarzbein says you can do a great deal to shut them down by developing healthier lifestyle habits. Eating a poor diet, drinking lots of alcohol, and skimping on sleep can all disrupt the body’s hormone levels, making premenstrual symptoms much harder to deal with. “If someone is having PMS, there’s something wrong with her lifestyle habits more so than a hormone problem,” Schwarzbein says. If you’re practicing good habits and still have period-related moodiness, contact your doctor, as you could have a hormone imbalance that needs correcting. TELL US: Do you notice a change in your moods from week to week? Share your experiences in the comments. (Note: Mobile users won't be able to comment.) NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Women' s Health Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The Latest in Women' s Health Women s Health Worsened in 2021 as Many Women Lack Access to Health Screenings and Preventive Care New global report shows that despite heavy spending, the United States lags behind other wealthy countries.By Becky UphamSeptember 27, 2022 Is This the End of Roe v Wade What Would a SCOTUS Decision Mean for Reproductive Health A draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the federal right to abortion guaranteed by the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade and would leave ...By Lisa RapaportMay 3, 2022 More Than Half of Women Over Age 50 Have Thinning HairResearch finds that female pattern hair loss is common and associated with lower self-esteem.By Becky UphamMarch 2, 2022 Hormone Replacement Therapy May Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 Death in Post-Menopausal WomenNew research has found that women who were taking estrogen were less likely to die of COVID-19 than women with natural estrogen levels.By Becky UphamFebruary 23, 2022 More Than Half of U S Women Have Poor Heart Health Before PregnancyTop risk factors include overweight or obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.By Becky UphamFebruary 22, 2022 New Study Shows Increased Risk of Heart Disease and Diabetes in Women With Irregular PeriodsExperts say links between menstrual disorders and metabolic health often overlooked.By Becky UphamDecember 23, 2021 Menopausal Symptoms May Predict Risk of Heart Memory Trouble NAMS 2021 NewsBy Becky UphamOctober 8, 2021 To Boost Your Sex Life Try Getting Better SleepA new study confirms that sexual dysfunction in midlife women is linked to poor sleep quality.By Meryl Davids LandauApril 21, 2021 Hypertension Symptoms Often Mistaken for Menopause in Middle-Aged WomenOne in 2 women may develop hypertension, or high blood pressure, before age 60. But a group of European doctors warn that many of these women may miss...By Lisa RapaportMarch 15, 2021 A High-Fiber Diet May Help Lower Depression RiskA diet with more fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may promote mental well-being in women, suggests new research.By Becky UphamJanuary 12, 2021 MORE IN IBS and Periods What You Need to Know Does Low Testosterone Cause Endometriosis Timing and Type of Hormone Therapy Impacts Its Effectiveness in Preventing Heart Disease