Anxiety during ovulation: Is it normal? And what helps?

Do you ever feel worried or irritated at different points in the month with no clear reason why? It likely won’t be news to you that hormone changes during your cycle mean that it’s fairly common to experience mood changes and swings. 

Many of us will experience slight changes in our mood during our cycle, and it can be hard to know what’s typical and when you should speak to your doctor. So, can ovulation cause anxiety? It’s pretty common to feel anxious at times throughout the month, whether that’s due to hormones, work, or your relationships. But your mood changes, and anxiety in particular, shouldn’t disrupt your day-to-day life.

Before we dive into how ovulation might impact how anxious you feel, it’s worth noting that there’s a difference between feeling anxious and having anxiety. 

While it’s fairly common to experience mood changes at points in your cycle due to hormone changes, ovulation doesn’t cause the medical diagnosis of anxiety disorder. If you’ve been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, then you may have intense and persistent worry and fear regularly. If you think you have anxiety, then it’s important that you reach out to your health care provider.

Key takeaways

• Ovulation is the part of your cycle when one of your ovaries releases an egg. This process happens because of hormonal changes that trigger an egg to mature and be released. 
• You might feel worried or anxious just after ovulation and also right before your period starts. This could be caused by the hormone changes that trigger ovulation and your period. 
• Using an app like Flo could help you to understand your premenstrual symptoms better and track any that you experience so you can spot patterns. 
• If feelings of anxiety are affecting your daily life, then it’s so important that you speak to your health care provider. They’ll be able to walk you through the way you feel, may be able to offer you some helpful coping mechanisms, and, if needed, can refer you to a therapist or other mental health specialist.

Can ovulation cause anxiety?

Mood changes might be a regular part of your monthly cycle so you might already know the days when one small thing could tip you over the edge. It can be useful to be familiar with what’s typical for you so you can be prepared. 

Mood swings and feeling anxious or worried are symptoms that can be linked to premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It’s estimated that as many as 3 in 4 people will experience some form of PMS at some point. So, if you find yourself seeing red just before your period, you’re far from alone. 

However, it’s important to distinguish between feeling anxious from time to time and having anxiety. Cycle-related mood changes that may leave you feeling irritated or worried are annoying to experience, but they’re generally nothing to be too concerned about. 

If you recognize any of these symptoms in the week before your period starts, then your anxiety may be linked to PMS or a rarer, more severe form of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Generally speaking, PMS and PMDD improve after your period has started. 

It’s thought that PMDD only affects about 3% to 8% of women and may appear a week or two before your period starts. If you think you could have PMDD, then it’s important to lean on your doctor for support. They will talk to you about how you’re feeling and possibly point you in the direction of other specialists who can help. 

On the other hand, anxiety is a mental health diagnosis that describes feelings of intense terror or fear that can happen at any time in the month — not just before your period. This can manifest in physical symptoms such as feeling nauseous, headaches, and panic attacks, among others. Research suggests that if you’ve already been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, you may have a higher likelihood of experiencing PMDD too.

Why do some people get anxiety during ovulation?

Cycle-related mood swings and irritability can feel like a mystery when you’re going through them. However, if you consistently feel anxious around the time that you’re ovulating, then your hormones could be contributing. 

Let’s break it down: Your cycle can be split into two phases: your follicular phase and your luteal phase. These two parts of your cycle are broken up by ovulation — when one of your ovaries releases an egg.

You undergo some pretty fundamental hormone changes in the lead-up to and just after ovulation. Throughout your follicular phase, the levels of your hormone called estrogen rise. Just before your ovary releases an egg, your estrogen levels peak.

Now, you might be curious what this has to do with feeling anxious. Well, some have suggested that estrogen is linked to the production of the happy hormone serotonin. Serotonin is released when you feel joy. So, if you have high estrogen levels, you may be more likely to feel happier and more energized. 

After ovulation, you enter the second phase of your cycle, your luteal phase. During this time, your estrogen levels drop, which may leave you feeling lower. This may mean you experience mood swings in the days running up to your period. Dr. Charlsie Celestine, who sits on Flo’s expert medical board, says, “It’s pretty common to experience mood changes such as anxiety just after ovulation. This is the luteal phase, a couple of weeks before your period, which is the usual time when PMS happens, which can include anxious thoughts or anxiety.”

You can track how you’re feeling at different points in your cycle using the Flo app. This may help you understand any patterns of when you might feel great compared to times when you might be lower. 

It’s also valuable to remember that hormones aren’t the only reason why you might feel anxious. Whether it’s trying to master a work–life balance, looking after a growing family, trying to conceive, or figuring things out with family and friends, there’s so much in life that can leave us feeling overwhelmed, and that’s totally normal. If you’re feeling this way, then give yourself some grace and space. Spend time doing things that make you feel good — whether that’s chatting with a friend, attending an exercise class, or getting out in nature. 

How to care for your well-being during ovulation

If you have noticed that you feel more stressed or anxious after ovulation, then you’re not alone. Be kind to yourself. You’ve got lots of hormonal changes going on inside your body at this time. It can be a lot to juggle. 

Here are some quick things you can do at home to help manage anxious feelings and boost your mood: 

• Regular exercise: Whether that’s walking, running, yoga, or a group class, pick the thing that feels best for you. 
• Eat a healthy diet: Your mental and physical health may feel separate, but they’re actually intrinsically linked. Eating healthier not only makes your body feel better but your mind too. 
• Get plenty of sleep: It may feel obvious, but getting a good night’s sleep every night can boost your mood. You can also have naps throughout the day to boost your sleep time. 
• Connect with other people: Even if you don’t want to speak to someone about how you’re feeling, meeting with friends and family may help you to feel better. 

You can prepare for when your cycle-related mood changes might strike by using an app like Flo. You can log your symptoms cycle to cycle, spot patterns, and use Flo’s stories and articles to better understand your cycle symptoms. 

When to see a doctor about anxiety

As we’ve said, it’s completely OK to feel anxious at different points in your cycle. This could be because of your hormones or due to other things in your life. Either way, it’s totally valid to feel overwhelmed from time to time. 

However, if your anxiety or your mood is stopping you from doing your normal activities, whether it’s work or socializing, then it’s important to see a doctor. Alongside PMDD, there are various anxiety disorders that affect approximately 4% of people worldwide. Support is out there, and your health care provider is the best place to find professional help.