You’ve finally left the office after a 13-hour day or put the kids to bed after chasing them since sun-up, cooking, and cleaning up after them, and you want nothing more than 30 minutes of uninterrupted me time.
But you’re exhausted, bone-tired even, and the thought of climbing into bed for another sleepless night, miserable with hot flushes and night sweats is unbearable.
Menopausal fatigue can be overwhelming on its own, but when it finds its way into your busy and stressful life, it can impact everything—from your physical wellbeing to your productivity, mood, and overall mental health.
With so many things going on, it can be difficult to tease out what’s causing your exhaustion, much less know how to resolve it.
Menopause and fatigue
Why am I suddenly so exhausted?
Any number of underlying conditions can lead to exhaustion and fatigue, such as anemia, alcoholism, depression, or an underactive thyroid.
Menopausal fatigue, however, can emerge in your mid-to-late thirties or early forties. During this time, your estrogen and progesterone levels can rapidly decrease, and as a result, you may feel wiped out.
Fatigue can leave you feeling drained and may even have a significant impact on your quality of life. Other symptoms you may experience during menopause, such as insomnia, hot flushes, anxiety, or depression, can leave you feeling wired, overwhelmed, and even more exhausted than normal. When fatigue interferes with your quality of life, it can be difficult to know how to adjust to your changed energy levels.
How long can I expect to experience this?
On average, menopausal symptoms, such as fatigue, can last 4 to 12 years. There are three stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause.
For some women, perimenopause can begin in their mid to late 30s, but for many of us, it won’t start until our early 40s. During this time, we may experience irregular periods, intermittent hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, and anxiety or depression.
Natural menopause is often diagnosed after you miss 12 consecutive periods. Here, you may feel even more exhausted because your estrogen and progesterone levels have depleted.
What other symptoms might I experience during menopause?
Unfortunately, fatigue isn’t the only symptom you may struggle with during menopause. You may experience several common and uncommon symptoms which could include:
Common symptoms:
- Hot flushes
- Night sweats
- Increased anxiety
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Mood swings or irritability
- Weight gain
Uncommon symptoms:
- Changes in vision
- Changes in taste or a metallic taste
- Increased cholesterol
- Low libido
- Dry, itchy skin
- Brain fog or problems with memory
The severity and duration of these symptoms can depend on several factors, including genetics, age, lifestyle, and access to available resources that could mitigate your symptoms.
Top 5 methods for tackling fatigue and staying alert
Incorporate gentle exercise into your routine
If running or cycling doesn’t appeal to you, gentle exercise such as yoga or meditation could provide positive benefits to your physical and mental wellness.
First, both of these exercises centre on mindfulness, particularly allowing you to focus on the present moment, instead of the past or the future, or anything else outside of your control.
This can be especially beneficial because during menopause, when many women may struggle with debilitating worry or anxiety. We may be able to alleviate that by practicing mindfulness techniques, such as controlled breathing and positive manifestation. Mindfulness can help us identify our stress triggers before they later snowball into fatigue.
By staying in the moment, we can condition ourselves to avoid focusing on toxic thoughts that could lead to anxiety, or ultimately fatigue, and, instead, redirect that energy towards being present and whole in our bodies.
Avoid overscheduling and prioritize what’s important to you
Whilst many of us are skilled at multitasking in our personal and professional lives, achieving balance is important for staving off burnout and fatigue.
Rather than populating your diary with yet another meeting or running yourself ragged with checking off 50 items on your to-do list, consider prioritizing your goals, and ultimately setting clear boundaries to avoid burnout, and ultimately exacerbating your fatigue.
For example, you could give yourself a goal of checking off three items on your to-do list each day. Setting reasonable, manageable goals can come with a host of benefits including a sense of accomplishment and
Make restful sleep your goal
Establishing a consistent routine is important for reducing the effects of menopausal fatigue. This could include setting a specific bedtime and wake-up time each day.
At the same time, menopause comes with a host of symptoms that can interfere with a solid night's sleep. Insomnia aside, hot flashes, night sweats, and anxiety alone can keep you awake for hours. If you’re looking to create a restful night’s sleep, you might want to consider taking a natural supplement that contains ingredients such as tart cherry and passionflower, which can help to aid relaxation.
Remember to hydrate throughout the day
Our bodies are composed of 60% water. Whilst it may be tempting to order a coffee or chug an energy drink, caffeine is only a short-term solution that may dehydrate you once its effects wear off.
Limiting your caffeine consumption can be a helpful way to regulate your energy levels, but fortunately, there are healthy and refreshing alternatives that could still leave you satisfied and alert. For example, research shows low-caffeinated green tea is packed with antioxidants and can help you hydrate after a workout or, later, relax and drift into sleep sooner.
Alkaline or ionized water is also making major waves in the health and fitness arena. This water boasts a higher pH level, which may have a slight impact on reducing acidity in the bloodstream. For example, it can combat fatigue by boosting energy levels, increasing mineral absorption, and boosting circulation.
One study concludes that when consumed post-workout, ionized water may impact the level of oxygen in the blood, which may have a positive impact on rehydration and overall energy levels.
Boost your body with natural supplementation
When you’ve made every lifestyle change to fight fatigue, sometimes your body can benefit from a natural boost. An all-natural dietary supplement
Are you ready to feel rested and rejuvenated again?
It’s no secret that when you’re well-rested and in a positive mindset, you’ll feel your best, and you’ll ultimately give your best. Even when menopausal fatigue may feel outside of your control, there are many ways you can regain your power over it.
In addition to changing your diet, incorporating gentle exercise, or establishing a consistent sleep routine into your daily regimen, your body may also benefit from natural supplementation.
Earths Secret’s all-natural Sleep complex contains five super nutrients: affron (a unique, standardised saffron extract), passionflower, tart cherry, lavender, and chamomile.
Bolstered with natural melatonin and tryptophan, this complex can help you relax, fall asleep sooner, and stay asleep longer, so that you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
