The holiday season is here, and while it can bring lots of cheer and excitement, it can also be stressful and stir up anxiety. As a woman dealing with perimenopause, one of my goals is to manage my stress levels this season. We already know stress is not good for the body, but when you add perimenopause to the equation, it can be overwhelming some days. I absolutely intend to enjoy my holidays as much as possible, and here are a few things I am focusing on to keep my stress levels down this holiday season.
Slowing down and practicing mindfulness every now and then is necessary for me. Some days can seem chaotic and quickly spiral out of control when I am in mom, grandma, and wife mode. With the frenzy of holiday shopping, decorating, and entertaining, stress levels can go from zero to a hundred in moments. Finding the space and time to quiet my mind helps. Meditation and deep breathing techniques help slow things down and relax my mind and body. High stress levels and perimenopause can be hard on the body, so this simple art of mindfulness throughout the day helps ease things a bit.
We hear a lot about exercise, and so much of it is focused on strength training for our aging and perimenopausal bodies. However, exercises that are light in nature can help ease our stress levels too. My daily walks are extremely beneficial to my mind and body. We have been hovering around 25° lately, but I have still made it a point to bundle up and get outside. Even though I like listening to audiobooks and podcasts, this is also another chance to quiet my mind, pray and meditate. Since walking is considered a stress reliever, here I can pack a punch in more ways than one. Things like yoga and dancing or other forms of exercise that can create moments of peace and tranquility or good old fun and laughter can help melt that stress off you.
Staying socially connected is another profound way to deal with the stress of the holidays and perimenopause. It is the season of joy and shopping, and the more you can share time with family and friends, the more those loving social connections can keep stress at bay. Even if your loved one isn’t nearby, a good phone call serves the same purpose. My sister and I can talk for hours at a time, but even just a few minutes a day brightens me up. So, pick up the phone and call your mother or your girlfriend, and schedule time to meet up or simply chat away.
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Doctor Jacqueline Sanchez lists other ideas like prioritizing sleep, eating a balanced diet, and limiting alcohol consumption as other areas to look into and help calm your menopause stress. All of these ideas can go hand in hand, and while you prepare to work on some of these things overtime, others you can implement right away. I encourage you to carve out even 10 minutes in your day to try out some of these tips this season. From there, you can build your time up and even carry these tips beyond the holiday season. Let's work now to enjoy everything about the beauty of the season and eliminate that stress. What's your go to technique for dealing with stress?
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