Your Guide to Managing Menopausal Hormones Over the Holidays

As the holidays approach, menopausal and postmenopausal women may find the festivities extra challenging for their hormones. You may experience more mood shifts, low energy, and other symptoms during a time when you want to feel great.

Pellecome, led by Dr. Enrique G. Jacome – a board-certified OB-GYN – offers Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) to help women feel their best for the holidays.

How the Holidays Make Menopausal Hormones & Symptoms Worse

The holiday season can amplify the unpleasant effects of menopause and postmenopause in the following ways: 

Added Stressors

The holidays can bring more stress from social events, travel, and family commitments. This increased stress leads to higher cortisol levels, which can amplify symptoms like hot flashes, anxiety, and fatigue that are already heightened by menopause.¹ 

High cortisol may also disrupt sleep and lower key hormones like estrogen and progesterone, further intensifying your menopausal symptoms.

Poor Sleep 

Sleep disruptions are common in menopause and may get worse with all of the late-night gatherings and holiday excitement. These changes in your sleep pattern will likely impact your melatonin, cortisol, and even estrogen, all of which play a role in sleep and mood stability.² Over time, this can cause more fatigue and mood swings.

Insulin Resistance

Post-menopausal women are more prone to insulin resistance,³ and holiday treats can lead to frequent blood sugar spikes. You’ll likely have increased cravings, energy dips, and possibly weight gain, which many women already struggle to manage during menopause.

Tips to Support Hormone Balance During the Holidays

Thankfully, a few lifestyle adjustments can help keep hormones steady through the season:

• Practice stress-reduction techniques like mindfulness, breathing exercises, or even a daily walk to help balance cortisol. 
• Stick to a regular sleep schedule so you can feel energized and stable during the day. 
• Enjoy treats in moderation and eat nutritious foods to keep your insulin levels in check.

Support From Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)

BHRT can help balance hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone to help lessen the impact of the holidays. Restoring these hormones can improve your resilience against stress and potentially reduce some of the symptoms associated with elevated cortisol, like fatigue and anxiety¹.

Studies show that BHRT could improve sleep quality in postmenopausal women,⁴ helping you fall asleep faster and wake up less during the night. BHRT may even benefit insulin sensitivity and lower your risk of insulin resistance, which can increase during postmenopause.⁵

Feel Your Best This Season with Pellecome’s BHRT Solutions

With natural hormone support, BHRT can get you through the holidays and help you enjoy all of the festivities to come.

For more information, find a Pellecome provider near you to discuss your hormone therapy options.

1. Stute P, Lozza-Fiacco S. Strategies to cope with stress and anxiety during the menopausal transition. Maturitas [Internet]. 2022;166:1–13. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0378512222001670
2. Kim TW, Jeong J-H, Hong S-C. The impact of sleep and circadian disturbance on hormones and metabolism. Int J Endocrinol [Internet]. 2015;2015:591729. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/591729
3. Genazzani AD, Petrillo T, Semprini E, Aio C, Foschi M, Ambrosetti F, et al. Metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and menopause: the changes in body structure and the therapeutic approach. GREM – Gynecological and Reproductive Endocrinology & Metabolism [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Nov 7];(Volume 4):086–91. Available from: https://gremjournal.com/journal/02-03-2023/metabolic-syndrome-insulin-resistance-and-menopause-the-changes-in-body-structure-and-the-therapeutic-approach/
4. Pan Z, Wen S, Qiao X, Yang M, Shen X, Xu L. Different regimens of menopausal hormone therapy for improving sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Menopause [Internet]. 2022;29(5):627–35. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000001945
5. Menopause Members. New meta-analysis shows that hormone therapy can significantly reduce insulin resistance [Internet]. The Menopause Society. 2024 [cited 2024 Nov 7]. Available from: https://menopause.org/press-releases/new-meta-analysis-shows-that-hormone-therapy-can-significantly-reduce-insulin-resistance