{"id":119655,"date":"2023-11-11T09:00:33","date_gmt":"2023-11-11T09:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/?p=119655"},"modified":"2023-11-14T09:50:49","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T09:50:49","slug":"anji-mcgrandles-festive-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/menopause-your-way\/guest-author\/anji-mcgrandles-festive-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Anji McGrandles on embracing Christmas while menopausal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Journalist Julia Sidwell talks to mental wellbeing expert and founder of The Mind Tribe Anji McGrandles on how best to not just survive the festive season with the menopause, but embrace it…<\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s the most wonderful time of the year\u2026 so they say. But Christmas can also be a great stress for many, particularly those who have to do all the extra work required to make the big day actually happen.<\/p>\n

Your festive to-do list is most likely a long one – family arrangements, gift buying and wrapping, food shopping, cooking, decorations and generally trying to make sure everyone is having a merry time. But amongst the weeks of endless tasks to complete, it\u2019s easy to forget about yourself. Add menopause to the fold and you may be left feeling more than a little frazzled.<\/p>\n

Wellbeing expert Anji McGrandles regularly speaks to women living through perimenopause and menopause and knows all too well how busy periods like Christmas can heighten the effects, creating feelings of exhaustion and overwhelm.<\/p>\n

She says: \u201cThere are many physical symptoms to deal with such as hot flushes, difficulty sleeping, brain fog, low libido, vaginal dryness and joint aches. Menopause also affects wellbeing – you may also be struggling to adapt to change and experiencing feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, irritability, episodes of rage and loss of identity.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThese physical signs and feelings combined with the angst of Christmas prep certainly add to the pressure. With more socialising than usual, parties to attend and family to host, it\u2019s no surprise if you\u2019re drowning in anxiety.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Keep your cool<\/strong><\/p>\n

Naturally, the festive season is different for everyone, but recent research by YouGov<\/a> found that women are bearing most of the work at Christmas time – much more than men.<\/p>\n

Anji says: \u201cWhen Christmas rolls around, those extra tasks like shopping for a thoughtful present for your child\u2019s teacher, or writing out the Christmas cards, are often undertaken by women.\u00a0 If you are doing this on top of your job, parenting or running the household, it can really add to existing pressures.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, stress and hot flushes go hand in hand – the more tense you feel, the more likely you will experience them. So, if you\u2019re dashing around the shops grabbing last minute gifts or in the kitchen preparing food for everyone on Christmas Day, you might find these extra tasks contribute to more flushes than usual.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Anji recommends wearing layers that can easily be discarded and wearing natural fabrics like cotton and bamboo. She also suggests limiting alcohol intake.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile it\u2019s the season to clink a glass or two, you\u2019ll find alcohol triggers hot flushes, affects sleep and makes night sweat worse. There are so many great alcohol-free alternatives on the market, or why not task a family member to make an alcohol-free mocktail. Other useful tips include popping a face mist in your bag to help you cool down quickly, and to swap your coffee for a herbal tea. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and increases your heart rate, which will contribute towards any anxiety you might already be feeling.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Take it easy<\/strong><\/p>\n

If excited children are wearing you down, someone else grabbed the last Christmas pudding, or you forgot to book a slot for your food shop delivery, you may find yourself boiling over. It\u2019s no surprise – falling levels of oestrogen and testosterone in the brain can increase anxiety. This can make any planning or socialising harder, which can impact confidence levels.<\/p>\n

Anji says: \u201cIt\u2019s important to set realistic goals and to make things easier for yourself where possible. Take some of the stress out of Christmas shopping and do it online. Delegate jobs to family members so you don\u2019t feel like the onus is all on you. Build time into your daily routine to do some exercise. And if possible, schedule in some time for a break – this could be an hour on the sofa with a hot chocolate to watch a film, or a long walk with a friend.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Loved ones<\/strong><\/p>\n

While Christmas is a lovely time for family to get together, it can also put a lot of stress on relationships. People often have different expectations, which can leave you managing difficult demands and compromises that suit everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave conversations with your family and friends about everyone\u2019s expectations of Christmas well in advance,\u201d<\/em> recommends Anji. \u201cSpeak to your family and partner about what you are experiencing and feeling so they understand and can support you.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a good time of year to be honest. Just explaining your symptoms and how this can impact your mood and mental health will help ease the load.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Anji also says men should be more understanding of the women in their lives: \u201cEducate yourself so you have a better understanding of the women you love and how they might be feeling. A good book is \u2018Men, Let\u2019s Talk Menopause\u2019 by Ruth Devlin. Be sure to share the load – make a list of jobs together then tick off the things you can take off their shoulders. Finally, encourage your partner to relax and take time out. Perhaps most of all, be patient.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Forget perfection<\/strong><\/p>\n

Above everything, Anji advises adjusting the image of how Christmas should look and accepting that it doesn\u2019t have to be perfect. Here are her quick tips to help embrace Christmas:<\/p>\n