Anxiety before your period
It’s a common PMS symptom. It usually eases once your period starts. But if you’re anxious all month and it just gets worse before a period, that’s a different pattern with its own name.
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Is anxiety before your period normal?
Yes, it’s common. The NHS lists feeling upset, anxious or emotional among the most common signs of PMS (premenstrual syndrome). Most women have PMS at some point.
PMS comes in the 2 weeks before your period. It usually gets better once your period starts, and often goes by the end of it.
So timing is the clue. Anxious during your period? PMS often goes by the end of it. If yours doesn’t, look at the last two rows below.
| When you feel anxious | What it may be | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Mainly the 2 weeks before your period, easing once it starts | PMS | Self-help, plus a diary for 2 cycles |
| Before your period, and so intense you can’t cope or feel suicidal | Possibly PMDD, a severe form of PMS | See a GP. Call 999 or go to A&E if you feel suicidal |
| Most of the month, and worse before or during your period | An anxiety problem that flares with your cycle | Tell your GP it follows your cycle |
| A lot of the time for 6 months or more, and it affects your daily life | Possibly generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) | See a GP, or refer yourself to NHS talking therapies if you’re 18 or over |
Most people feel anxious sometimes. The NHS says it does not always mean you have GAD.
Start a diary tonight. After at least 2 cycles, you and your GP can see which row fits.
Why does my period make me anxious?
No one knows for sure. The NHS says PMS may be because of changes in hormone levels during your cycle.
Some women are more sensitive to these changes than others. Think of two people drinking the same strong coffee. Only one gets the jitters.
RCOG, the UK body for women’s health doctors, says PMS is also linked to brain chemicals such as serotonin. One treatment below, the SSRI, is named after it: a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
Poor sleep is a PMS sign too. The NHS says caffeine can disrupt your sleep and make anxiety harder to control. So the week before your period is a good week to cut back.
What if I’m anxious all month?
Some people have anxiety most of the month, and it gets worse before or during a period. That pattern has a name: premenstrual exacerbation.
It means a condition you already have gets worse before your period. Reviews say this can happen with anxiety, depression and mood swings, in the days before and during a period.
It isn’t the same as PMS. With PMS, you usually feel better once your period is over. Here, the anxiety is still there after it.
Research is thin. A 2024 review called it underexplored and poorly defined. But it says the cycle can affect how a condition is diagnosed and treated.
So tell your GP your anxiety follows your cycle, and bring your diary. If it comes as sudden attacks with a racing heart, read panic attack symptoms.
How to tell if your anxiety follows your cycle
One bad day is a photo. A diary is a film, and only a film shows the pattern.
How a GP checks if anxiety follows your cycle
- 1
Track 2 cycles
Note your symptoms each day, for at least 2 cycles in a row.
- 2
GP review
Your GP checks if they fit the pattern of PMS.
- 3
Try a treatment
Self-help first, then options like CBT, the pill or an antidepressant.
- 4
Keep tracking
Carry on for at least 2 to 3 more months to see if it’s working.
Keep it simple. Score your anxiety from 0 to 10 each night, and mark the days you bleed. Add sleep and anything else you notice.
The NHS says you can take your diary to a GP appointment. For other cycle signs worth noting, see our guide to PMS.
What helps period anxiety?
Six NHS steps to try before your next period
- Breathe in gently for a count of 5, then out for 5. Repeat for at least 5 minutes.
- Exercise regularly. Running, walking, swimming and yoga can ease anxiety and help you sleep.
- Try smaller meals every 2 to 3 hours, if you find that suits you better.
- Cut back on coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks.
- Don’t use alcohol or cigarettes to calm your nerves.
- Get plenty of sleep, and try yoga or meditation to ease stress.
Sources: NHS: PMS; NHS: GAD; NHS: breathing
Supplements such as vitamin B6, calcium, vitamin D and magnesium may help PMS, but there’s not much evidence they work. Check with a GP or pharmacist first if you take medicines. More in magnesium for anxiety.
Still struggling after a few cycles? Your GP has more to offer.
| Option | What it is | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| CBT | A talking therapy that teaches new ways to handle symptoms | RCOG says it should be offered |
| Pill with drospirenone | A combined contraceptive pill with a type of progestogen hormone | A first-choice treatment. May be taken without a break |
| SSRI | A type of antidepressant | Taken daily for 2 weeks before your period, or all month. A first choice for severe PMS |
| Specialist | A gynaecologist, psychiatrist or counsellor | If you still get symptoms after treatment |
For anxiety most of the time, a GP will usually suggest talking therapy first, before medicine.
RCOG says to stop antidepressants gradually, with your healthcare team’s advice. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
When to speak to a GP
Book an appointment if:
- Self-help hasn’t worked, or anxiety before your period is affecting your daily life.
- You think you may have GAD, or your anxiety treatment isn’t helping.
- Your symptoms before a period are much more intense than PMS. This may be PMDD. See PMDD symptoms.
- You need urgent help for your mental health. Call 111 and choose the mental health option, or ask for an urgent GP appointment.
- Call 999 or go to A&E if someone’s life is at risk, for example they’ve seriously hurt themselves or taken an overdose, if you don’t feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe, or if you have PMDD symptoms and feel suicidal. Don’t drive yourself.
Need to talk now? Call Samaritans free on 116 123.
Period pain making it worse? See period pain.