The Midlife Self-Care Plan You Need for the Holidays (And Every Tough Season)

The holidays can be beautiful.
They can also be overstimulating, emotional, sugar-filled, exhausting — and for many women in perimenopause and menopause, they feel bigger and harder than they used to.

If you’ve ever wondered why you could breeze through the holidays at 35 but feel completely fried now, you’re not imagining it.

Hormonal changes in midlife affect your:

• Stress response
• Blood sugar stability
• Sleep rhythms
• Mood and irritability
• Energy and resilience

Layer on travel, hosting, expectations, late nights, and more sugar and alcohol than usual — and your nervous system can feel like it’s waving a little white flag.

But here’s the good news:
You can have a holiday season that supports your health — not one you have to recover from.

Let’s walk through five simple, powerful ways to protect your peace, your energy, and your hormones this season.

Why the Holidays Hit Harder in Midlife

During perimenopause and menopause, estrogen fluctuates and eventually declines. This impacts nearly every system in your body.

Lower estrogen can:

• Make your stress response more reactive
• Make blood sugar more sensitive
• Disrupt sleep more easily
• Increase irritability and emotional triggers
• Change how your body processes alcohol

So when the already-busy holiday season arrives, your nervous system has less buffer. What used to feel festive can start to feel overwhelming.

That’s why self-care during the holidays isn’t indulgent — it’s essential.

1. Nourish Your Body to Stay Steady

This isn’t about restriction.
It’s about protection.

Food is one of the most powerful ways to support your nervous system, energy, and mood during the holidays.

Focus on what keeps you steady:

Prioritize protein, fiber, and healthy fats

• Aim for about 30 grams of protein per meal
• Include fiber-rich plant foods (aim for ~30g/day)
• Add healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocado

These stabilize blood sugar and help prevent the mood swings, cravings, and crashes that make the season harder.

Include magnesium-rich foods

Magnesium helps regulate the nervous system and can reduce irritability and anxiety.

Try:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Leafy greens
• Avocados
• Almonds

Add probiotic foods

A small daily serving supports digestion and steadier blood sugar.

Examples:

• Greek yogurt with fruit
• Miso soup
• Kombucha
• Pickled vegetables
• Aged cheeses

Eat consistently

Skipping meals to “save up” for holiday treats almost always leads to overeating and blood sugar swings later.

Instead:

• Eat regular meals
• Enjoy meaningful holiday foods slowly and intentionally
• Return to your normal routine without guilt

A simple steady-energy meal formula

Try this approach:

1. Start with ~30g of protein
2. Fill half your plate with colorful plants
3. Take a 10-minute walk after eating

Three small habits. Powerful impact.

2. Move in Ways That Calm Your System

Many women think they need more cardio to manage holiday stress.

But here’s the midlife truth:
Strength training and gentle movement often work better.

Movement helps regulate:

• Blood sugar
• Mood
• Anxiety
• Sleep

And it doesn’t have to be perfect or time-consuming.

Holiday movement might look like:

• 10 minutes of light weights or resistance bands at home
• A Pilates or yoga class
• Walking the neighborhood to look at holiday lights
• Dancing to your favorite music in the kitchen

Consistency matters more than intensity.
Movement is nervous-system support — not punishment.

3. Protect Your Sleep Like It’s Your Holiday Superpower

If you do one thing this season, make it this:
Protect your sleep.

Sleep is a hormonal reset, mood stabilizer, and craving reducer. But during midlife, it becomes more fragile — especially during busy seasons.

Simple habits that make a big difference:

• Keep consistent sleep and wake times (at least 5 nights/week)
• Dim lights 1–2 hours before bed
• Avoid alcohol and heavy meals within 3 hours of sleep
• Practice slow breathing (try 4-7-8 breathing)
• Charge your phone outside the bedroom
• Consider magnesium to support relaxation

Sleep isn’t a luxury.
It’s medicine.

4. Set Boundaries to Protect Your Energy

When boundaries disappear, sleep and calm are usually the first things to go.

Try:

• Pause before saying yes to invitations or commitments
• Check your schedule before committing
• Set a “no emails or texts” time in the evening
• Stop adding “just one more thing” at night

Boundaries aren’t selfish.
They’re supportive.

5. Create Your Holiday Energy Protection Plan

Your energy is your most valuable resource this season.

First, notice what drains it:

• Too much sugar or alcohol
• Scrolling late at night
• Overcommitting
• Trying to do everything perfectly

Then choose what protects it:

• An 8-hour sleep window
• Phone in another room at night
• A hard stop to work
• A 10-minute walk after meals
• A pause before saying yes

Protection is not perfection.
Protection is a commitment to yourself.

A Gentle Holiday Reframe

If this season starts to feel overwhelming, come back to these reminders:

I do what I can with the energy I have — not what pressure tells me I “should” do.
I eat in a way that helps me feel clear and steady.
I end the day with calm — lowering lights, slowing my breath, and putting screens aside.

Choose one to practice.
Not all. Not perfectly. Just one.

Your body will feel the difference.

You Deserve a Holiday Season That Supports You

You deserve steadiness.
You deserve ease.
You deserve care.

If this message resonates with you and you’d like ongoing support, I invite you to join The Weekly Joy Report, my weekly newsletter for women in perimenopause and menopause.

Each week I share simple, practical tips to help you:

• Balance hormones
• Improve sleep and energy
• Reduce stress and inflammation
• Feel steady and well in midlife

It’s supportive, science-based, and designed to help you take action — not feel overwhelmed.

You can sign up through the link on my website.

I’m rooting for you.
And I’m so glad you’re here.