Midlife Mood Swings — What Helped Me Tame Them

Have you ever replayed a moment in your head and physically cringed?

The face you made.
The vicious comment you fired off.
The anger or aggravation that came out way bigger than the situation deserved.

You remember the look of surprise on the other person’s face. But what lingers longer is your own surprise — that split second afterward when you think, Did that really just come out of me?

If so, were you born in the 1900s?

Because if you were, you may recognize this kind of moment. The one where the reaction feels outsized and uncharacteristic. Not because you didn’t know better — but because it happened faster than you could stop it.

And girl — I’ve been right there myself.

I’m somewhat patient and usually avoid confrontation — with the same urgency I use to avoid the cell phone guy at Sam’s Club. But when I entered midlife, my moods became sporadic, and they often bent toward the unpleasant. I didn’t always recognize them coming, and I didn’t always have time to intercept them before they showed up out loud.

It wasn’t constant. But in those moments, I didn’t even like myself.

And to be honest, there’s one moment that keeps coming back to me.

I remember becoming incensed at a driver who took longer to make a decision than I thought he should. I shouted at him — animated and unrestrained — from inside my car.

Then I saw his face.
And he saw mine.

The problem was, we knew each other.

He was a precious young man from my church. I’d never wanted tinted windows so badly, but it was too late. He had seen one of my ugliest sides.

To this day, I can barely look at him — though he has never said a word about it.

That moment has stayed with me. The rage surprised me, and the loss of control scared me.

Why am I like this?

And then I remembered hearing that midlife can bring mood changes like this.

For me, Amberen has delivered what it promised when it comes to mood support for midlifers. The company is very honest about timing — that the best results come after a solid three months — and I’ve become convinced that isn’t about selling more product. It truly has to get into your system.

I know this because I once thought I’d try a different brand or supplement. That didn’t go well. The steadiness I had felt slipped away, and when I returned to Amberen, I had to wait again for that balance to rebuild.

Now I have it on subscription from Amazon, and I don’t overthink it. I just appreciate feeling steadier — calmer, more regulated, and far less likely to surprise myself in ways I regret.

If any of this feels familiar, I’m sharing my experience honestly — not as a cure-all, but as one support that has mattered to me. 

Amberen is available at Wal-Mart, Target, and drug stores for about $30 (1 month). I prefer that mine come straight to my door through Amazon. And because I use their "Subscribe & Save," I get a 3 month supply for about $55.  

The link I'm sharing is for the 3 month supply. Trust me - if you're going to try this, you HAVE to give it 3 months. Otherwise, to be honest, it's a waste of your money and time. 

If you enjoyed your time here, consider bookmarking Mom’s Best Nest — I don’t always announce new posts, but I’m always adding to the nest.

This post is part of my Midlife Reset series, a gentle exploration of the changes many women experience in midlife. Each post stands alone, but together they tell a bigger story.

👉 Explore the full Midlife Reset series here.