Now that summer has finally arrived, vacation destinations are going to start calling your name! Whether you’re taking a quick weekend getaway to a nearby beach or lake, heading to an exciting new city, or taking a special trip to a beautiful resort, traveling is one of the best parts of the season. However, traveling can still be stressful, and it becomes even more difficult to deal with if you’re traveling during menopause or perimenopause, the time leading up to the stop of your period. Hot flashes, sleep problems, mood changes, and other challenging symptoms can make everyday tasks difficult during this time in your life, and it makes traveling look very different from what it looked like when you were a bit younger. However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get to enjoy your vacation this summer! Here are some tips to help you deal with the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause while traveling.
Know Your Triggers
While some symptoms of menopause are unavoidable, you may find that certain things can make them a lot worse. Common triggers include alcohol, caffeine, sweets, and spicy foods. As much as you enjoy these things, they can trigger your symptoms in an unpleasant way, so if you’re able to avoid them completely, it will make a big difference. You might not be able to completely do away with your favorite drinks and foods– after all, you are on vacation! But if you try to be conscious of when you encounter a trigger, you can plan for ways to help alleviate your symptoms later on.
Prepare for Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause and perimenopause, and also one of the most annoying. Between trains, planes, buses, and hotel rooms, traveling already forces you to deal with extreme temperature changes, and adding hot flashes to the mix just makes it even worse. When traveling in menopause, packing with hot flashes in mind is one of the best ways you can help yourself. Layering clothes to allow you to adjust for temperature is always a good tip, and you can throw small battery-operated fans or refreshing facial mists into a carryon or purse as well. If you’re in a bus or train, try to claim a window seat so that you can give yourself a breeze if you need it.
Stay Active
A vacation is a time for resting and relaxing, which is absolutely essential to dealing with something stressful like menopause. However, you should still look for places to get in some physical activity, because it will really help to boost your mood, improve your energy levels, and blow off stress. This doesn’t mean that you need to spend hours of your day in the hotel gym! Take a few brisk laps in the pool, enjoy a nice scenic walk, or go through some gentle yoga stretches when you get up in the morning, and you’re sure to find yourself feeling better.
Be Ready for Your Period
Menopause occurs after your period has been absent for more than twelve months, but in perimenopause, you get all the symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings with the additional stress of an unpredictable period. Even if you haven’t had your period for a few months or you’re pretty sure that you won’t be getting it around the time of your trip, it’s good to be prepared just in case it decides to pop up unexpectedly. Make sure you pack a few pads or tampons. Even adding a small bottle of painkillers and a heating pad to your suitcase won’t take up that much extra room, and if you end up needing them, you’ll be grateful you thought to bring them!
Prioritize Sleep
Menopause can make getting enough quality sleep a challenge, and lack of sleep can exacerbate the problems you experience, so make sure you set yourself up for success as much as possible while on vacation. Try to stick to your regular sleep schedule as much as you can to avoid disrupting your circadian rhythm, and if you need to bring things that are a part of your routine like your own pillowcase, relaxing aromatherapy products, or anything else that helps you drift off at home, make sure you add them to your bag!
Consider HRT
If you find you’re still struggling to deal with the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause while you travel or at any other time, hormone replacement therapy might be a good option to help you find some relief. If you’re interested in learning more, contact Renewed Vitality to learn more about our treatments today!
