The countdown to Christmas has begun! The festive season is the perfect time to catch up with friends, get to know work colleagues a little better and spend valuable time with your family.

It’s also the time for shopping, large queues, work overload and potentially a lot of last-minute plans and buys! However, it doesn’t have to be the season of stress, get back into the festive spirit with these activities for PCOS-sufferers.

An alcohol-free evening

Bottomless brunches are in abundance during the festive period, Christmas parties are happening everywhere you look, and your friends will want to have a night out whenever they can. This means alcohol and late nights and inevitable in your social circle. However, you do not have to give into the festive cheer, and you can avoid alcohol. There are still debates on the effects of alcohol on polycystic-ovary syndrome because of the high levels of sugar the drinks contain. It also doesn’t help with issues like anxiety or stress either, so it can be best to avoid alcohol where possible.

Consider having an evening or night out and emitting alcohol from your plans. Stick to lemonade and see how better you feel in the morning!

Go for a winter walk

Wrap up warm this winter and take a stroll through your local park or visit your town’s Christmas market. Walking is light exercise that can help with the PCOS condition as it increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin and reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Exercise can also boost your mood, improve physical and mental health and help you to escape the winter blues. If you fancy a more moderate form of exercise, try a brisk bike ride or a morning jog instead.

Meet with family and friends

Use the festive period to catch up with your loved ones. Use the opportunity to reconnect and talk about your condition and how it’s been affecting you in everyday life. You will feel a lot better after talking to your friends and family about how you feel. Polycystic-ovary syndrome can really affect your mood, so it’s important to express what you’re going through to relieve some of that tension.

Make a New Year’s resolution

It’s almost the end of the year, which means it’s time to make some New Year resolutions and stick to them next year! There are lots of things you can do it minimise the effects PCOS can have on your life.

You could use the New Year as an excuse to go to the gym again and start exercising for your wellbeing.

Alternatively, you could vow to give up caffeine, which has been known to affect adrenal glands, fertility and insulin. There are lots of benefits to giving up caffeine including lower blood pressure, better sleep, improved mood, less anxiety and fewer headaches.

One of the top things you should do in the New Year is to pledge to take care of yourself. Practice self-care and continue to surround yourself with good things and good people long after the festive period has finished.

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