Menopause Anxiety and Menopause Hot Flashes
Many women experience a spike in anxiety prior to their period. This can be due to physical discomfort, inconvenience or pain, or even just simple anxious thoughts. Some women also report feeling more depressed and anxious during this time. It can be helpful to learn more about the symptoms of PMS.
A recent study investigated the relationship between hot flashes and other forms of anxiety. They found that women with high levels of somatic anxiety were at a significantly greater risk of experiencing hot flashes.
The results also showed that anxiety is not the only factor that increases the risk of menopause hot flashes. Menopausal stage, estrogen and progesterone levels, and current psychotropic medication all had significant associations with menopause hot flashes.
The research was conducted by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) and the University of Pennsylvania. All participants provided written informed consent. In the study, 233 women who were at least a year past their natural menopause phase participated.
The main question was whether the association between anxiety and hot flashes was temporal. Previously, studies have shown that anxiety is a predictor of menopausal symptoms, but the link between affective and somatic anxiety is less clear.
The authors suggest that this may be because of the chemical mechanisms involved. The sympathetic nervous system releases hormones more quickly, which in turn triggers heart racing and the flight or fight reaction.
One possible explanation is that the flow of hormones in the menstrual cycle contributes to the symptoms. For instance, hormonal fluctuations can manifest as feelings of weakness, shortness of breath, and trouble sleeping.
