With Christmas just around the corner, the countdown is set to be as hectic as ever! We’re always juggling so many things at this time of year – work, family commitments, and if we’re lucky, perhaps a few festive nights out! It’s a lot to handle but it can be even more stressful for those who are also dealing with menopause. Whilst we might take a moment for a cup of tea and a mince pie, the menopause certainly doesn’t stop and rest over the Christmas period. Thankfully, however, there are several things you can do at this busy time of year to have a merry menopause!
Get Plenty of Rest
It might seem harder than ever at this time of year but it’s really important to try and get all the rest you need whilst you are going through menopause – even at Christmas. Most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, but it could be the case that you are feeling more tired whilst going through menopause and need more.
Rest is also important for your hormone levels. Sleep and rest allow the body to heal, re-energise, and work effectively. During menopause, hormones produced by the pituitary gland in the brain help to regulate the balance of hormones within the body, like stress hormone cortisol, so it’s essential you give your body and brain the rest it needs.
2. Overindulge, with care
Party food, sherry trifle, a few tipples – overindulgence is part and parcel of Christmas, but sadly overindulging in sugar and alcohol might worsen symptoms of the menopause.
Whilst a small amount of sugar in your diet should be fine, high-sugar diets could potentially make menopause symptoms worse This is because sugar can make our blood glucose levels fluctuate, as sugar is easily digested and can quickly enter the bloodstream. Research suggests that blood sugar level imbalances could be associated with hormonal symptoms. High levels of sugar consumption for menopausal women might therefore promote more symptoms, like frequent hot flashes and sweating.
Consuming alcohol might also exacerbate menopause symptoms, Alcohol can affect many different systems and is known to impact mood, sleep, and digestion. The detoxification of alcohol also takes energy away from other systems, and can leave you feeling tired. Add this to your other menopause symptoms, and it can leave you feeling a lot worse than the hangovers of old. An idea for nights of drinking could be to alternate between alcoholic drinks and a soft drink or water, or go for long drinks with ice such as a spritzer, which will last longer.
3. Keep a Good Routine
Keeping a solid, consistent routine during the hectic festive period can help you to reduce stress, which is also a big factor when it comes to managing menopausal symptoms. If you’ve already got a consistent routine, Christmas can often throw a spanner in the works in terms of sticking to it, as there is so much going on.
If you want to keep a festive routine on track, it can be helpful to take a supplement such as Cleanmarine MenoMin consistently, which can help to regulate hormonal activity, increase your energy levels, and support heart function.
4. Make time to nourish your body
During busy periods, it can be easy to forget to give your body what it needs. Long periods of work, completing tasks, running around after family members, getting things sorted last minute -these can all lead to situations where food and water are de-prioritised.
During the winter months it can be easy to forget to drink enough water, and being dehydrated impacts detox mechanisms, and can exacerbate dryness in the body. Consciously drinking water every few hours, at least, is really important to support all parts of the body. This too goes for eating -making sure to have something to eat every couple of hours can keep blood sugars balanced, and energy high.
5. Learn to Say No
This may not be what you want to hear during the festive season and whilst it’s important to enjoy yourself, it’s equally important to know your limits and be aware of what might cause menopausal symptoms to worsen. This might mean you have to learn to say no to certain things, which can be hard because times like Christmas can come with a pressure to say yes to more social engagements and activities. Honouring your energy and mood limits, and prioritising rest and nourishment, is really important to supporting you having a great Christmas too.
However you choose to spend this festive period, be sure to look after yourself.
