Holiday blues
The holidays are a time to enjoy the warmth of family and friends, good food and traditions. But for many women, the season rings in the "holiday blues," caused by stress, fatigue, unrealistic expectations or money pressures. The National Mental Health Association offers advice to make the most of the season:
- Keep your expectations about the season manageable. Pace yourself, organize your time and spread out your activities over the season to allow time to enjoy yourself.
- Grant yourself permission to feel sad or lonely. Remember, there is room for these feelings, even during the "most wonderful time of the year."
- Look toward the future. Life brings changes and every year can be enjoyed in its own way. Don't set yourself up by comparing today to "yesteryear."
- Beware of holiday spirits-the liquid ones. Go easy on alcohol at holiday parties, because excessive drinking can increase feelings of depression.
- Spend time with supportive people. Reach out to someone new or rekindle a friendship with an old acquaintance.
- The best things are free. Window-shopping, an evening drive to admire holiday lights...find activities that are easy on your budget.
PMS
Premenstrual syndrome describes the physical and emotional symptoms that occur during the two weeks between ovulation and the beginning of menstruation. Mild symptoms such as cramps and slight breast tenderness are considered a normal part of a woman's cycle, but the mood-related symptoms of PMS can include irritability, crying, depression and mood swings.
Simple lifestyle changes can help many women.
- Exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes, three to five times a week) to control depression and mood swings.
- Avoid salt before your period to avoid bloating, especially hidden salt in processed foods.
- Reduce caffeine, alcohol and refined sugars.
- Eat complex carbohydrates found in brown rice and whole wheat pasta.
Talk to your doctor if PMS is getting in the way of your life. Oral contraceptives can regulate hormone levels, while antidepressants can increase brain chemicals (such as serotonin) that are affected by ovarian hormones.
Postpartum depression
That bundle of joy can leave a new mom feeling like a bundle of nerves. Up to 70 percent of new mothers find themselves crying, or feeling irritable, restless or anxious on the third or fourth day after delivery. Physicians blame biological and hormonal changes and lack of sleep. The baby blues are temporary, and most women recover in seven to 10 days.
Postpartum depression is much more serious than baby blues and can affect you any time in the year after delivery. Symptoms can include:
- Exhaustion
- Feelings of hopelessness and depression
- Uncontrollable crying
- Confusion
- Fear of harming the baby or yourself
A combination of therapy and medication can help resolve postpartum depression. It's important to talk to your doctor if you feel you have more than the "blues."
Menopause
Hormonal fluctuations that lead up to menopause can cause women to feel emotionally unstable, especially women who suffered with PMS or postpartum depression when they were younger. Nutritional supplements such as black cohosh help some women, while others find relief from birth control pills or prescription antidepressants. Talk to your doctor.
