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Why Menopause Makes You Cry at Everything

Fluctuating estrogen and progesterone trigger the crying spells. HRT can balance your hormones, while lifestyle changes and therapy help you manage intense emotions.

During perimenopause and menopause, you may find yourself crying during a sappy rom-com or sobbing in your car for no discernable reason. You may tear up because minor frustrations feel major, and major ones seem insurmountable. 

It’s not all in your head. The physiological changes that come with hormone fluctuations and life stressors are the driving forces here, says physician Natalie Kunsman, M.D.

“Menopause crying is the result of complex interactions between hormonal fluctuations, neurotransmitter changes, psychological stress, physical symptoms, and social factors,” she says.


About the Experts

Natalie Kunsman, M.D., is a functional medicine physician with Broad Health, Hone’s affiliated medical practice. She specializes in menopause care, anti-aging, and regenerative medicine.

Jess Kovler, PhD, MA, is an award-winning psychologist who specializes in evidence-based approaches to mental health care.


What Causes Menopause Crying?

Estrogen and progesterone work alongside other hormones and neurotransmitters to govern your mood. When these hormones fluctuate in perimenopause and eventually decline in menopause, it can cause tears and crying jags (1).

Progesterone is a sex hormone, but it also creates a steroid called allopregnanolone, which influences mood.  Allopregnalone balances gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that acts on the hippocampus, thalamus, and hypothalamus—brain structures that regulate mood and emotion—to keep you calm (2). 

Progesterone

During menopause, less progesterone means lower allopregnanolone and fewer GABA connections (2, 3), which may predispose you to feeling overwhelmed, sad, and emotionally fragile. 

Estrogen

Estrogen supports other hormones and neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and glutamate, all tied to mood. As estrogen levels start to plummet, they disrupt these neurotransmitters’ ability to function effectively, leading to an unstable mood, heightened emotions, and weepiness (4, 5).   

  • Dopamine: Involved in the brain’s reward system, it causes you to feel pleasure (6).
  • Norepinephrine: A hormone and neurotransmitter that prepares your body to respond to stress and danger (7).
  • Glutamate: An amino acid and neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in mood regulation. (8)

Life Stressors

Raising teens, caring for elderly parents, and demanding careers can also trigger crying during menopause. “These stressors can compound the emotional effects of menopause, leading to feelings of overwhelm and increased crying,” Kunsman says.

Physical menopause symptoms

Physical symptoms of perimenopause and menopause can lead to crying. Night sweats, poor sleep, and joint pain can affect your mood as much as your body. One example: “Hot flashes can lead to poor sleep, subsequent poor mood, and increased crying,” says psychologist Jess Kovler, Ph.D.

How Common is Crying in Perimenopause and Menopause?

Crying during perimenopause and menopause is common. In one study that tracked a large group of women through midlife, feelings of tearfulness peaked at age 47, with  37 percent of women reporting significant crying. By age 50, that number was down to 24 percent, dropping to 21 percent by age 54 (1). 

What Menopause Crying Looks Like

Crying can manifest alongside other feelings, like anger or frustration. “It’s hard, initially, to discern what’s menopause, what’s a mood symptom, or life circumstance,” says Kovler. “I think the crying comes about sometimes because people feel overwhelmed and confused,” she says.

Weepy tears

Sometimes, tears aren’t tied to a specific trigger—they’re just there all day, accompanied by low energy and a lack of motivation. These feelings may be a sign of depression, but they can also be normal during menopause. If you’re if your symptoms or crying are interfering with your ability to function, talk to a doctor who can assess your mental health.

Crying spells

Intense tears can be triggered by major (job loss) or minor (watching an older man cross the street in a walker) events. But they can also come out of nowhere. 

Rage crying

Sometimes, anger and frustration boil over into hot, angry tears. Rage crying often happens when you feel rejected or humiliated, though tears can spill out randomly. (9). 

Anxiety tears

During menopause, changing estrogen levels may disrupt the regulation of neurotransmitters involved in mood, like serotonin and norepinephrine (10). This change in your neurochemistry might impact your general anxiety and the way the body processes certain events as stressful, not stressful, or a total tear-fueled meltdown.

What to Do About Menopause Crying

Crying isn’t necessarily bad. Letting tears flow can be cathartic, says Klover. “It can be a bit of relief for people feeling incredibly anxious or overwhelmed. ” 

However, if tearful episodes—however they manifest—are interfering with your life, a range of therapies and lifestyle changes can provide relief.

HRT

Replenishing estrogen and progesterone through hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help curb your menopause crying and feelings of sadness (11). It can relieve other symptoms of menopause—like hot flashes and vaginal dryness—that can affect your mood and lead to tears, says Kunsman. Your doctor can walk you through the options and suggest the best ones for your symptoms. 

Exercise

Strength training and cardio lower cortisol levels, the stress hormone, while boosting endorphins, the feel-good hormones (12). Yoga has the same effects while increasing GABA levels to help boost mood (13).  

Meditation

Meditation and mindfulness practices help control menopause crying by increasing serotonin, dopamine, and GABA in the brain. 

Kovler suggests physical interventions for quick relief, like running your wrists under cold water or holding an ice cube to the back of your following. “Cold can have an instant calming effect,” she says, because it refocuses your attention away from your emotional state. 

Try box breathing (breathing in for four counts, breathing out for four counts). The technique activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” one), reducing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline (14). Progressive muscle relaxation—which involves tensing and releasing muscles from your toes to your head—also calms the nervous system and releases endorphins (15).

Sleep 

Restless nights (or 2 a.m. wakings) raise cortisol, which disrupts estrogen and progesterone balance and leaves you emotionally vulnerable. To improve sleep, stick to a consistent bedtime, keep your room cool and dark, and avoid screens for an hour before bed.

Reduced alcohol

A nightly glass of Pinot may seem harmless, but it can fuel menopause crying spells (16). Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it can exacerbate mood swings and emotional sensitivity. It also disrupts the production of serotonin and melatonin, two hormones critical for good sleep. 

Supplements

Some herbal remedies may assist with low mood and crying spells:

  • Vitamin D3: Supports well-being and improves mood and energy (17). 
  • Ashwagandha: An adaptogen from Ayurvedic medicine, some studies suggest it may increase estrogen and reduce anxiety and depression (18). 
  • Magnesium: This essential mineral affects the body’s response to stress. Research shows it can lower cortisol, reducing stress-related tears (19).

What if Your Crying is Something More Serious?

In some cases, menopause crying may not be menopause crying at all—it could be a sign of a more serious mental health issue. Contact your doctor if you notice that crying spells precede or end with long bouts of sadness. 

Speaking to a therapist can help you identify the root cause of your tears. A therapist can also provide tools and techniques to manage your emotions better. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for example, teaches you how to identify and reframe thought patterns that contribute to low mood and tears. CBT fosters neuroplasticity by creating new pathways in the brain, empowering you to think and respond differently to emotional triggers (20).

The Bottom Line

Fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone during menopause can trigger crying that can range from general weepiness to anxious or rage tears. HRT  can help balance your hormones, while therapy and lifestyle changes can help stabilize your mood and help you manage emotional symptoms. If you’re concerned that menopause crying might be a sign of a larger mental health challenge, speak to a doctor.


About the author

Karen Robock is a journalist who has contributed to dozens of magazines, newspapers and digital brands and teaches journalism at Centennial College. Her work regularly appears in Reader’s Digest, Canadian Living, and The Toronto Star.