Wellbeing Tips for a Stress Free Festive Season
Here is a gentle guide for women navigating menopause during the holidays written by Hormone Health Specialist and Registered Nutritional Therapist Antonia de Gier.
The festive season isn’t always the picture-perfect scene we see in adverts. For many women in perimenopause and menopause, December brings a unique blend of joy, pressure, exhaustion, and emotional overload. Hot flushes in crowded shops, fluctuating moods, disrupted sleep, and the expectation to “make everything magical” can turn the holidays into a stress marathon.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. With a few mindful shifts, you can create a calmer, more spacious celebration that supports your wellbeing.
Here are some practical, soothing tips to help you glide through the festive season with more ease and a lot less stress.
1. Give yourself permission to do things differently
This is your reminder that you don’t have to recreate every tradition perfectly. Your energy levels may be different during menopause, and that’s OK. Choose the rituals that feel meaningful and let go of the rest. Simpler can be just as special.
2. Protect your sleep like it’s sacred
Sleep often takes a hit during menopause, and the festive season can make it worse.
Top tips to help include:
- Creating a wind-down routine
- Keeping bedrooms cool
- Avoiding late-night screens
- Saying no to evening commitments when you need rest
- Alcohol free evenings amidst the partying.
Better sleep = better mood, stronger energy, calmer days.
3. Build in quiet pockets of recovery
Guests, gatherings and nonstop planning can quickly drain you. Schedule regular “breathing spaces” a walk, 10 minutes with a cup of tea, reading under a blanket, or just sitting in silence. These grounding pauses reset your nervous system and keep overwhelm at bay.
4. Keep moving – gently and regularly
Movement is one of the best tools for easing menopause symptoms and reducing festive stress. You don’t need intense workouts; even a brisk walk, stretching session or some gentle yoga boosts energy and helps regulate your mood, preferably during daylight to help boost serotonin levels, the “happy” hormone
5. Stay nourished, not restricted
Holiday food is part of the joy – you don’t need to avoid it. Aim instead for balance:
- Eat regular meals to prevent energy dips
- Add colourful veg wherever you can
- Stay hydrated (yes, even in winter!)
- Enjoy festive treats within moderation and without guilt.
Menopause is not the moment for restrictive eating. Your body thrives on nourishment.
6. Be mindful with alcohol
Alcohol can worsen hot flushes, sleep, mood and anxiety can weaken the immune system – and the festive season is full of opportunities to overdo it. Try alternating drinks with water, choosing lower-alcohol options or setting personal boundaries that feel supportive rather than strict.
7. Don’t carry the festive season alone
If you’re the unofficial household organiser, it’s time to delegate. Share tasks with partners, children, or guests. You’re not responsible for creating everyone’s holiday happiness. Collaboration makes everything lighter.
8. Speak kindly to yourself
Menopause can fuel self-criticism about your body, your mood, your energy, your “ability to cope.” Be gentle. You’re navigating hormonal shifts during the busiest time of year. Treat yourself with compassion, not pressure.
9. Set realistic expectations
You can’t be everywhere, do everything or please everyone. Decide what truly matters and let the rest fall away. A calmer season is better for your wellbeing than a perfect one.
10. Prioritise what brings you joy
Not what brings others joy. You.
Whether it’s a quiet morning walk, watching cheesy films, crafting, cooking, or simply doing less make space for the things that replenish you. Festive wellbeing starts with putting yourself first.
Final Thoughts
The holidays don’t have to be a whirlwind of stress, exhaustion and pressure. With a few intentional choices, you can create a season that feels soothing, nourishing, and supportive of your menopausal wellbeing.
Remember: you deserve a festive period that feels good for you, too.
How can we help?
Hormonal changes during menopause can influence so many systems in the body – often all at once – creating complex fluctuations that affect how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally.
Hormone Health Specialist and Registered Nutritional Therapist Antonia de Gier can support you through every aspect of this transition. Her approach goes beyond diet, lifestyle and environmental factors, helping you understand the behaviours and patterns that may be holding you back from feeling your best.
If you’d like personalised guidance on the Nutritional Health support options that are right for you, book a consultation with Antonia and take the next step toward feeling more balanced and empowered.