With Christmas just around the corner and life feeling a little more normal this year, everyone is bracing themselves for a hectic December! This can be a lot to handle for women who have a lot on their plates, and it can be even more stressful for those who are also dealing with menopause. Unfortunately, the menopause doesn’t stop over the Christmas period – Thankfully, however, there are several things you can do over Christmas to have a merry menopause!
Get Plenty of Rest
It’s important that you try get all the rest you need whilst you are going through menopause. 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. Rest is also important for your hormone levels. During menopause, the pituitary gland helps to produce and regulate the production of certain homes such as FSH and cortisol, so it’s essential you give your brain and body the rest you need.
Try Not to Overindulge
During the festive season, it can be very tempting to overindulge in unhealthy eating and alcohol consumption. Whilst it’s important to enjoy yourself and to socialise with your friends and family, overindulging in sugar and alcohol can worsen symptoms of the menopause.
Whilst a small amount of sugar in your diet should be fine, sugar is known for worsening menopause symptoms. This is because sugar can make our blood glucose levels higher, as sugar is easily digested and can quickly enter the bloodstream. Sugar consumption for menopausal women can lead to more frequent hot flashes and sweating. Additionally, it has been reported that too much sugar can impair memory and executive function during the menopause, as women’s brains metabolise glucose less efficiently during the transition from perimenopause to menopause.
Consuming alcohol can also exacerbate menopause symptoms, so it’s important to manage your intake. Hot flushes, mood swings and insomnia are all examples of symptoms that can worsen by drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, and this applies even more so to women who are going through menopause. Of course, drinking alcohol is a common social occurrence during Christmas, but it’s worth bearing in mind how much you are drinking to avoid worsening any menopausal symptoms you are experiencing.
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’re looking to start getting into a routine and you are going through the menopause, 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. Taking supplements like Menomin regularly can be key for efficacy – so it’s important to stay on top of this during your routine around the festive period.
Be Realistic
Whilst it’s a good idea to try and plan your Christmas to run as smoothly as possible, there are always unexpected interruptions and events that come up which can cause additional stress. It’s better to be realistic about what kind of routine you’ll be able to manage during the festive period, and the steps you can take to manage menopausal symptoms.
Learn to Say No
As mentioned, it’s important to enjoy yourself over the festive period, but 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, whether that’s an extra glass of wine, another mince pie, or more Christmas pudding – enjoy yourself within limits!
Spending time with your loved ones is the most important thing over the festive period but be sure to look after yourself whilst joining in the festivities!
