About 60-70% women in their late 30’s start experiencing symptoms like headaches, migraines, low mood and depression, disturbed sleep, low libido and mood swings.
Hormonal Headaches: Why do they happen & how to get relief?
About 60-70% women in their late 30’s start experiencing symptoms like headaches, migraines, low mood and depression, disturbed sleep, low libido and mood swings.Â
Migraines and headaches are a common symptom of perimenopause and menopause but not talked about enough. If you are experiencing an increase in your migraines post the age of 35, it can be due to the hormonal shift happening in your body.
In perimenopause and menopause, your hormones start shifting. We see lowering levels of estrogen and progesterone, which creates a perfect environment for inducing headaches and migraines especially around your menstrual cycle.
While these headaches can be debilitating, these can be managed with the right approach. Below in this article, I’ll help you understand what causes these, a few natural remedies to manage these, and when it’s time to seek professional help.
Are my hormones causing the headaches?
Yes. Hormonal shifts in perimenopause and menopause due to fluctuating estrogen and progesterone production can affect serotonin production (happy hormone), impact your blood vessels, increase inflammation in the body and dysregulate the nervous system.
These headaches might come as migraine, tension and stiffness in the neck and shoulder, along with hot flashes and poor sleep.
Why are the headaches becoming worse in perimenopause?
From the time we hit puberty, our hormones (estrogen and progesterone) follow a predictable rhythm of rise and fall. As you enter perimenopause, these hormones start declining and their production becomes unpredictable. The first to decline is mostly progesterone and estrogen soon follows.
These sudden changes in the hormones can trigger headaches and sometimes headaches accompanied with hot flashes.
These headaches are especially common in women who have a history of getting menstrual headaches.
Some commonly observed headache pattern in women in perimenopause or menopause, are:
- Right before or after a period
- With major hormone drops
- With hot flashes or night sweats
- Due to sleep disruption
- Due to chronic stress or muscular tension
Why are the headaches becoming worse in perimenopause?
From the time we hit puberty, our hormones (estrogen and progesterone) follow a predictable rhythm of rise and fall. As you enter perimenopause, these hormones start declining and their production becomes unpredictable. The first to decline is mostly progesterone and estrogen soon follows.
These sudden changes in the hormones can trigger headaches and sometimes headaches accompanied with hot flashes.
These headaches are especially common in women who have a history of getting menstrual headaches.
Some commonly observed headache pattern in women in perimenopause or menopause, are:
- Right before or after a period
- With major hormone drops
- With hot flashes or night sweats
- Due to sleep disruption
- Due to chronic stress or muscular tension
What causes hormonal headaches?
Even if you never had headaches before, hormonal shifts during perimenopause/menopause can make you more sensitive to common triggers that didn’t bother you earlier.
Declining Hormones
Drop is estrogen levels are notorious for inducing headaches as it can cause blood vessels to dilate too quickly, triggering migraines.
Progesterone works as our body’s natural anti-anxiety hormone, and when it’s levels drop it can cause poor sleep, poor response to stress, fatigue anxiety which all can trigger headaches.
Cortisol Dysfunction
Chronic stress can lead to adrenal dysregulation, which can increase inflammation in the body that can cause tension and pain in the neck-shoulder region inducing headaches.
Estrogen Dominance
Low levels of Vitamin B12, Magnesium, Omega 3 and VitD3 can increase the frequency of headache episodes along with low mood and mood swings.
Nutritional Deficiencies:
Low levels of Vitamin B12, Magnesium, Omega 3 and VitD3 can increase the frequency of headache episodes along with low mood and mood swings.
Disturbed Sleep
A drop in estrogen causes a drop in serotonin levels. Serotonin is a precursor for melatonin production (sleep hormone). This can lead to poor ad disturbed sleep which can not only cause headache but low mood and fatigue as well.
Natural Remedies for Managing Hormonal Headaches
- Vitamin B’s: Especially Vitamin B2 and Vitamin B12 can help in fluctuating levels of estrogen and can help improve neurological sensitivity.
- Magnesium: It is one of the most helpful supplements in hormonal headaches. Magnesium Glycinate or citrate before bedtime can help in reducing headache episodes and also improve sleep quality.
- Exercise: Daily movement and low-intensity exercise improves lymph flow, improves serotonin levels, manages blood sugar levels, builds muscles, which supports hormonal balance. Include walking, pilates, yoga and strength training in your daily routine to see reduction in your headaches.
- Hydration: Dehydration is also one of the most common triggers for headaches. Drinking enough water is important for maintaining a good blood flow. Drop in estrogen can impact blood flow making women in perimenopause and menopause more sensitive to dehydration.Â
- Stress Management: Stress is one of the most common triggers for headaches as it impacts cortisol and inflammation levels. Try incorporating breathing exercises, meditation, journaling, vagus nerve toning activities that help in regulating the nervous system and bring a sense of calm.
- Liver Supporting Foods: Include more liver-loving foods in your diet like cruciferous vegetables, beetroot, warm lemon water, green leafy vegetables, green tea in your diet.Â
Avoid Trigger Foods: Avoid artificial sweeteners, coffee, MSG, processed foods with preservatives, alcohol that are known to trigger migraines. Include Omega 3 rich foods like fatty fishes, olive oil, nuts and seeds, eggs and fiber in your diet.
When to Seek Professional Health?
If you are someone who eats clean, exercises daily, focuses on stress management, and has tried all the natural remedies but headaches are progressively getting worse along with the other perimenopausal symptoms, then it’s time to seek professional help. Your case might need a deeper investigation and functional testing can help work on the root causes. Speak with Me to discuss your case at a deeper level and to find a sustainable way to find lasting relief from your headaches and other perimenopausal symptoms.
