Mood swing
A noticeable shift in emotional state, such as moving from happiness to sadness or irritability. Mood swings vary in intensity, duration, and cause.
Emotional regulation: Processes that influence which emotions occur, when they occur, and how they are experienced or expressed. Changes in regulation can shape how quickly a mood shifts and how strongly it is felt.
Mood: A relatively lasting emotional state that can influence how a person experiences events. A mood swing is a change in this broader, more sustained emotional state.
Bipolar disorder: A mental disorder involving episodes of depression and mania or hypomania. Its episodes last longer and involve broader changes than everyday mood swings.
Mood episode: A sustained period of mood symptoms that meets defined clinical criteria. A clinical episode is more persistent and symptom-defined than a brief mood swing.
Circadian rhythm: An internal roughly 24-hour cycle that coordinates changes in physiology and behavior. Daily rhythms in sleep and hormones can contribute to predictable changes in mood.
Emotion: A coordinated response involving subjective feeling, bodily changes, and tendencies to act. Emotions are shorter-lived experiences that may accompany or trigger a broader mood shift.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: A severe cyclical disorder involving emotional and physical symptoms before menstruation. Its recurring, cycle-linked mood symptoms are a specific clinical pattern.
Emotional reactivity: The degree and speed with which emotional responses change in response to events. Reactivity describes responses to triggers, while a mood swing names a noticeable state change.
Sleep deprivation: A condition in which a person gets less sleep than needed for healthy functioning. Insufficient sleep can increase irritability and make emotions harder to regulate.
Affect: The observable expression of emotion, including facial expression, voice, and gestures. Changes in outward expression may accompany mood swings but do not alone establish their cause.