Why Are You Anxious Around Ovulation?
Estrogenic energy isn't all it's cracked up to be
Last week, we talked about estrogen’s rise to peak levels during the ovulatory phase. With that comes a spirit of adventure, increased productivity and biological changes to help attract a mate.
But this can also be a time of anxious thoughts, irritability & feeling overstimulated.
The process of ovulation is sort of like your body climbing a mountain. Let me explain.
What makes the process of ovulation similar to hiking is this:
With each step, your energy & enthusiasm gains momentum. You want to reach the summit reeeeaaaallllll bad, the view is amazing up there!!
But the excitement can be slightly overwhelming as your lungs huff & puff and your leg muscles start to wobble a bit. You’re almost to the top of your hike, yet your adrenaline is giving you imaginary wings of motivation. You’ve made it this far… might as well claim your prize.
Similarly with estrogen’s climb towards ovulation, your energy gradually increases with each day (which can last anywhere from 4-10 days). As the egg matures, estrogen rises.
Maybe you think to yourself midway through your climb, “why did I decide to do this?”. Or if you’re feeling particularly out of shape, you may start to whine & complain (either out loud or in your head). But eventually, you’re happy that you stuck it through to the end. Who doesn’t love a birds eye view?
Which leads me to my last point about anxiety during ovulation —
Did you know that estrogen stimulates the language centers of the brain?
This creates a higher volume of talking, both internally AND externally. You’re more extroverted and chatty with strangers in public or more prone to texting with an old friend. But this can expose you to the negative side of self-talk: anxious thoughts.
Looking back, I experienced subconscious shame when anxious feelings arose during ovulation. I’m supposed to feel in my PRIME!! Was I just burned out? Heck, my body is preparing to release an egg for fertilization. My very CHEMISTRY calls out to my husband to the point where he says “your pheromones are smelling like I want you”. Woops, sorry Mom.
So what gives?
When I worked with a nutritionist back in early 2022, she attributed much of it to excess estrogen, which largely explained my mood swings during PMS/PMDD (it’s all intertwined).
I don’t claim to be the expert Christine Novak is, but she did teach me a great many things about synthetic xenoestrogens, constipation (you should be pooping 1-3 times a day!!!! lol) and a whole host of eating habits & food choices I’d never explored in my at-home hormone balancing research.
HOWEVER, my thyroid & gut health weren’t the only issues (but you already knew that). Healing requires a holistic approach from the spiritual & psychological avenues, too. Even after I upgraded my diet and supplements, I STILL had premenstrual symptoms that warranted deep inner work.
For some, anxiety around ovulation may be interpreted as a typical stress pattern that simply repeats itself every month. But for those with PMS/PMDD, this can feel like the beginning stages of the luteal phase (ahem, hell week).
Listen in to the Menstrual Mental Health podcast this Saturday July 13th, as we talk about the spiritual & emotional tools you might be overlooking in your PMS/PMDD healing journey. Subscribe (links below) to get a notification when episode 29 is posted!