By Leah Cheshire, NBC-HWC, Nurturing Your Life
The holidays are supposed to feel magical… but for many women over 45, they bring more pressure than peace.
🎄 Busy schedules
🍪 Endless food temptations
😴 Poor sleep
💸 Financial stress
👩👧👦 Caretaking for everyone else
And when we’re in perimenopause or menopause?
That stress hits differently.
Our hormones are changing, which makes our bodies more reactive. What once felt like a “busy week” can now trigger…
✔ Hot flashes
✔ Cravings (hello sugar + carbs!)
✔ Mood swings
✔ Belly weight gain
✔ Breakouts or dull, dry skin
✔ Irritability or brain fog
✔ Trouble sleeping
You are not imagining it — holiday stress in midlife is a real thing, and your hormones and skin feel it fast.
💥 Why Stress Hits Harder Over 45
During perimenopause and menopause, we naturally produce less progesterone, the calming hormone. When stress rises, cortisol, our stress hormone, takes the lead and quickly disrupts:
• Blood sugar → cravings + weight gain
• Digestion → bloating + bathroom issues
• Sleep → fatigue → more cravings
• Skin → inflammation → flare-ups + wrinkles + premature aging
So if you’ve looked in the mirror during the holidays and thought:
“Why do I suddenly look tired or older?”
“Why do I want sugar all the time?”
“Why can’t I handle stress the way I used to?”
The answer is hormone shifts, not personal failure.
Your body is doing exactly what it’s designed to do by God. Your body is trying to protect you.
✨ The Stress + Skin Connection
Stress causes inflammation, which can lead to:
• Fine lines looking deeper
• Dry, flaky skin
• Redness or rosacea flares
• Breakouts (yes, still!)
• Slower skin renewal
Cortisol can also weaken collagen which is the protein that keeps our skin firm and youthful.
This is why stress shows up on your face almost overnight.
But the good news?
When you lower stress, you boost your glow. 🌟
🍬 Why Stress Makes Us Crave Sugar
When cortisol increases, your body wants quick energy in the form of sugar and carbs.
Combine that with:
🍭 Holiday sweets
🍷 Parties
😴 Lost sleep
😥 Emotional overload
…and it’s easy to go from “I’ll just have one” to “How did that whole plate of cookies disappear?”
Instead of guilt, try this:
✅ Eat protein every 3 – 4 hours
✅ Stop skipping meals
✅ Keep fruit and nuts handy
✅ Hydrate before dessert
Your cravings become easier to manage when your blood sugar is stable.
🧘♀️ 5 Simple Stress-Reset Rituals
(for a calmer gut, happier skin + steadier mood)
Try one of these — or rotate them daily:
Breathe 4 – 4 – 4
Inhale 4 seconds → hold for 4 seconds → slowly exhale for 4 seconds. Do this 4 times.
(Instant cortisol drop!). You may want to check into the Gupta program as well. It’s a paid program/app that provides brain retraining to help with calming your nervous system, too.
Scripture Breath
Breathe in: “Do not be anxious about anything”
Breathe out: “and the peace of God will guard my heart and mind.”
(Philippians 4:6–7)
Or choose your own Bible verse and use the first part when you inhale and the last part when you exhale.
Create boundaries
You don’t have to go to every party or event you’ve been invited to. And neither do your children or grandchildren. Pick the top 5 you all enjoy. Allow downtime to drive around and look at neighborhood lights, read Christmas stories, and watch classic movies. And you don’t have to give everyone a gift. Remember to say to yourself, “I’m protecting my peace this season.”
Calming nutrients
Magnesium-rich foods: almonds, pumpkin seeds, spinach, and small amounts of dark chocolate (70% +). Even taking a magnesium glycinate or magnesium threonate supplement consistently can help. (Ask your own practitioner first.)
Evening wind-down
Warm shower + calm music + old-fashioned book (Be screen-free final 30 minutes before bed)
(better sleep → calmer hormones)
You don’t need a spa weekend to reset. Tiny moments repeated daily make the difference.
💚 A Gentle Reminder of Truth
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 4:6–7
Stress happens, but God has already offered peace.
We simply receive it, one breath and one choice at a time.
🎁 Ready for a More Peaceful, Glowing Season?
I created a FREE resource for women 45+ called:
✨ Holiday Stress Reset Toolkit
Support for your hormones, skin + spirit this season
Inside you’ll get:
✅ Stress-release practices
✅ Glow-boosting food swaps
✅ Faith-based coping tools
✅ Daily checklist + a 7-day plan
🗨 Click here to download ⬇
(Insert your link here! 👇)
💄 Local to Me? Join My Holiday Sip & Shop!
Mary Kay Holiday Open House — Nov 14–16
🎁 Skincare sets + pre-wrapped gifts
💆♀️ Beauty advice for midlife skin
🎉 Fun + giveaways
📍 RSVP via call/text/email
I’d love to help you look and feel your best throughout the holiday, both inside and out!
You deserve a season where you:
🌿 protect your peace
✨ glow with confidence
💛 feel supported, not stressed
Let’s choose that kind of joy — together.
Leah Cheshire is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and retired speech-language pathologist and homeschooler. After having numerous health issues herself, she embarked on a wellness journey using various nutrition and lifestyle modifications. She then decided to return to school to help others. Leah now works primarily with midlife women who have hormonal problems, weight and digestive issues, pain, brain fog, and fatigue by providing guidance and accountability to help them decrease symptoms and improve their overall health. If you need help from someone who, not only has helped clients but who also has been in your shoes, reach out today to set up a free 20-minute session. Click here to schedule.
