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January 2026.

Dr Ben writes a new Blog at the start of every month for our Man Shed section.

Valentine’s Day: Are You A Man With A Plan?

One of my favourite cartoons features a man chilling in his comfy armchair. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. “Ahhh ..,” he sighs, “… one day left ‘till I start my Christmas shopping.”

Women readers know that men often leave things to the last minute. We’ll laugh about it, but loved ones can lose out because men panic meeting the deadline for presents.

So, here’s a January buzzer for all you procrastinating guys: Valentine's Day is looming! It’s time to don your thinking cap, and book her something awesomely romantic. NB, this February 14th is a Saturday, so maybe try a weekend experience, staying somewhere overnight.

Your partner and you may have just experienced an intense period of socialising, so you might not be well-rested. Pampering her now builds up her neurological system, which may have been overwhelmed by Christmas stresses.

Here’s some symptoms commonly suffered in Perimenopause and Menopause - plus, some Valentine’s gift suggestions for each.

Symptom #1: Overwhelm
Valentine gift idea: Book a breath-work retreat
Romantic remedy: Overwhelm can manifest itself through irritability and exhaustion, while breath-work restores energy and focus, improving drive and restoring calm. After Christmas, focus on restoring balance. Breath-work helps address mental and physical overwhelm that often comes with coping with menopause symptoms. It restores balance to your nervous system and settles your mood. It can also improve sleep and benefit heart health, achievable by slowing your pulse rate.

Symptom #2: Joint pain & stiffness
Valentine gift idea: Try a Yoga or Pilates day
Romantic remedy: Movement here can be as gentle or strong as you choose. It’s great for stretching out tired, stiff joints. And important to get blood-flow going, especially when we are doing less exercise mid-winter. I recommend picking a venue that changes your location. If you’re a city dweller, choose somewhere rural to help your brain unwind.

Symptom #3: Weight gain, bloating & indigestion
Valentine gift idea: Enjoy a cookery course or culinary experience
Romantic remedy: In January, many menopausal and perimenopausal women suffer weight gain, bloating and indigestion. A culinary day, or half-day, focus you on learning how to cook healthier food from fresh. You can both attend, so, men, here’s your chance to learn a new skill and show you’re willing. After Christmas, you can both maintain a healthier diet, longer-term.

Symptom #4: Brain fog & concentration lapse
Valentine gift idea: Visit a Turkish bath or Hammam
Romantic remedy: Brain fog is often accompanied by symptoms related to over-indulgence or a lack of lymphatic fluid draining around the body. So, choose to take your partner for a Hammam or Turkish bath to help detox. A lymphatic massage brings blood-flow to the skin and allows toxins to be sweated out or massaged into your lymph system, to be excreted. Many generations have historically used massage, sauna and steam therapy to help blood-flow to muscles and skin, and help cleanse and restore function to the body.

Well, I hope you feel inspired. You’ve got a couple of weeks to sort something. Warning: the best spas and retreats sell out quickly. Book early to avoid disappointment!

Get your skates on now so that, come Valentine’s Day, you are A Man With A Plan.

If you’ve got a question for Our Man in The Man Shed Dr Ben Sinclair, you can email him on drben@menopausematters.co.uk

Welcome to The Man Shed and I’m delighted to be your man in it!

My name is Dr Ben Sinclair (please just call me ‘Dr Ben’, everyone does), and I’ve been a GP for nearly 20 years. Bear with me a sec while I shift these spare paint tins and get my laptop set up…

If you’ve got a question for Our Man in The Man Shed, Dr Ben Sinclair, you can email him on:
drben@menopausematters.co.uk.

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