A new US-based study has found that while feelings of anger increase among women as they approach midlife, their ability to express these emotions tends to decrease.
Published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Menopause, the research draws on data from the long-running Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study, which closely observed the emotional and physiological changes in 271 women aged between 35 and 55 over several years.
According to the findings, most of the study participants were well-educated, employed, married, and belonged to the middle class. The average age at the start of the study was 41.6 years.
Researchers observed that women in the late reproductive years reported heightened feelings of anger. However, as they approached the end of their reproductive phase—marking the transition into menopause—these same women appeared to express their anger less frequently.
The researchers interpreted this decline in emotional expression as a form of increased emotional regulation, suggesting that midlife women may develop more nuanced ways to manage internal emotional responses. “It appears that while the emotional experience of anger may intensify, women simultaneously become more adept at managing or containing that anger,” the study noted.
One element that remained relatively unchanged throughout the study was the tendency for women to repress anger—a pattern that researchers say deserves closer attention. The report warned that suppressing emotions over extended periods may lead to negative mental health outcomes and should be further investigated in future studies.
The study adds to a growing body of literature exploring the emotional shifts women undergo during perimenopause and menopause, emphasizing the need for greater awareness and support structures during this phase of life.
Experts say the findings underscore the importance of integrating mental health support into midlife healthcare for women, particularly as emotional suppression may not be without consequences.
