How to increase energy after 50

Causes of low energy after 50 & how to increase it

As we get older, low energy tends to become more common – one recent study suggested that nearly a third of people over the age of 51 experience fatigue.¹

Lack of energy in over 50s can be linked to a number of causes and reasons, including:

Menopause
Low testosterone levels
Alcohol intake
Lack of exercise
Your diet

Once you have identified what could be causing your energy slumps and tiredness, there are many simple lifestyle and diet changes that can help increase your energy as you age, including introducing a good sleep routine, drinking less alcohol, exercising more and boosting your vitamin and mineral intake.

Below, I take a closer look at what causes low energy as you age and what you can do to help increase your energy after 50.

1. Menopause

As our Menopause Expert Eileen will tell you, menopause is a leading cause of tiredness and low energy amongst women in this age group.

The physical symptoms of menopause, such as night sweats, joint pain and hot flushes, can disrupt sleep and, if we aren't getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night, we are bound to feel sleepy and lethargic during the day.

In addition, falling oestrogen levels at this time means we are less able to regulate the stress hormone cortisol, leading to increased feelings of stress and anxiety. Again, this can, in turn, lead to persistent feelings of low energy and tiredness.

How to boost your energy levels during menopause

You may find it helpful to try our Menopause Support tablets if you are experiencing tiredness and low energy, as well as other menopause symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats.

This natural remedy contains a combination of soy isoflavones, hibiscus extracts, vervain essential oil and magnesium. The latter is an important addition as magnesium is known to help symptoms such as tiredness and fatigue.

Menopause Support provides assistance in all stages of the menopause and can be used alongside HRT.

2. Low testosterone levels

Testosterone is considered a 'male' sex hormone. When men reach the age of 40 and over, levels of this hormone naturally begin to decline. This process happens at such as slow rate that most men will not notice any changes but, for others, symptoms such as mood swings, loss of libido, muscle weakness and fatigue can develop.

Although low testosterone can lead to low energy, it is also known that lack of sleep can contribute to reduced testosterone levels.² That's because testosterone levels increase when we are asleep and so, if we aren't getting enough rest, this process doesn't happen and testosterone can drop.

How to improve testosterone levels for more energy

Often, low testosterone does not require any medical treatment and can instead be addressed through a range of lifestyle and dietary measures. If you have concerns about this issue, however, it is worth visiting your doctor for some further advice and investigations.

As I've mentioned, lack of sleep can contribute to low testosterone levels so it makes sense to focus on this issue. Not only will a good night's sleep help improve testosterone levels, it will also make you feel more energised.

A good sleep routine can really improve your ability to nod off quickly, plus it will improve the overall quality of the sleep you get.

Some simple tips for a good sleep routine include:

Avoid heavy dinners in favour of a larger lunch – the body requires lots of energy to digest food and this can disrupt your ability to sleep if you eat late in the evening
Wind down – take a relaxing bath, read a book, listen to music or try some gentle stretches to help prepare you for bed
Avoid technology – phones, computers and tablets emit a blue light that the body confuses with sunlight. This means it may make us feel more awake and, thus, it can prevent sleep.

3. Alcohol intake

According to the charity Drink Well Age Well, figures taken in 2016 show that 18% of 18-24 year olds exceeded alcohol guidelines, compared to 30% of 50-64 year olds.³

Now, we know that, in the long term, high alcohol intake can be seriously detrimental to many areas of our health, including the heart, liver, brain and nervous system, but it also has a negative impact in the short term. Excess alcohol can contribute to low energy, for example, because it disrupts sleep patterns.⁴

The above image is owned by: Safe in Warwickshire

Often, it is believed that alcohol actually helps sleep, as it encourages us to drift off quicker. When we do get to sleep after drinking lots of alcohol, though, the body spends less time in deep sleep (this is the stage where dreams and restorative processes occur). Instead of this, we spend more time in the lighter stages of sleep where it is easier to wake up. Therefore, it's easy to feel fatigued after drinking alcohol, regardless of how many hours you've spent in bed.

Consuming lots of alcohol in the hours before bed also increases the urge to urinate at night. Again, this disrupts sleep and can leave you feeling tired come morning.

How to stop alcohol impacting your energy levels

There are a few steps that can be taken in order to help manage alcohol intake and improve energy levels.

First of all, try alternating alcoholic drinks with a non-alcoholic ones such as water – this has the added bonus that it will help you to stay hydrated. You could also try to drink more slowly, or keep track of how much you are consuming.⁵

The NHS provides lots of advice on reducing your alcohol intake so this is a good place to look for further information and support.

4. Lack of exercise

Exercise can help improve energy levels as it releases feel good hormones known as endorphins and boosts the production of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin which are neurotransmitters that can also improve energy.

Lack of exercise does not allow for these processes to occur as efficiently and, as a result, it can leave us feeling low in energy.

How to exercise more to help increase your energy

It is recommended that adults get around 150 minutes of exercise a week but, whether it's because of professional workload, family commitments or something else entirely, it isn't always easy to find the time to do this. So, how can you do more and reap the benefits of exercise?

Well, simple things like walking at lunch time can help you do a little more. Where possible, you could always walk instead of driving to the shops.

You could also try some of our simple exercise videos which are easy to do at home. Our Get Active hub offers further information about how to exercise a little more. If you are low in energy, you may find it particularly helpful to read the following blogs:

5. Your diet

Diet can contribute to low energy in a number of ways. Caffeine, for example, is a diuretic, meaning it can cause us to need the toilet more often. This can contribute to dehydration and the excretion of excess nutrients, (plus it may block the absorption in the first place), all of which can play a part in low energy levels.

Caffeine also lingers in our system for hours and, since it is a stimulant, this can cause problems getting to sleep at bed time. Again, this may explain why caffeine content can contribute to low energy.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are yet another common cause of tiredness and fatigue. This is particularly prevalent amongst those recovering from an illness, as well as anyone who is stressed or suffering from poor sleep. Vegans and vegetarians can also be at risk if they don't replace the nutrients found in meat with suitable alternatives.

How to boost your vitamin and mineral intake to increase energy levels

Magnesium and vitamin D are particularly important for maintaining energy levels, but we mustn't forget about iron, calcium and potassium. All of these nutrients are found in our Balance Mineral Drink, a gentle supplement that's easy to incorporate into your day.

This strawberry flavoured drink makes a refreshing alternative to caffeine and is great for anyone experiencing fatigue and tiredness.

My Top Tip:

Packed full of fatigue-fighting electrolytes and vitamins, including calcium, vitamin D and magnesium, this strawberry-flavoured drink is ideal for helping to boost your energy.

You can drink it whenever you feel most tired, such as in the morning or when your energy slumps in the afternoon. It also makes a good post-workout drink.

"I am now a regular purchaser of this product, it's really helped me with fatigue."

Read what other people are saying about Balance Mineral Drink.

What else can lead to low energy after 50?

Now, I've looked at a few common causes of low energy after 50 but this by no means covers everything! So, here are a few additional things to take into consideration:

Thyroid problems

This is more common amongst the over 60s age group and the risk of problems increases with age. Tiredness is a key symptom of hyperthyroidism, alongside issues such as thinning hair, dry skin, feeling cold, constipation and weight gain. If you are concerned about any of these things, please see your doctor.

Being overweight

It becomes harder to lose weight as we get older due to changes in metabolism and hormonal fluctuations. Tiredness and low energy can be the result of this as the body has to work harder to do everyday activities. Follow some of the exercise tips listed above and swap processed foods for fresh foods to help manage your weight

Stress

As we get older, we often have to deal with elderly relatives, family responsibilities and workload, all of which can leave us feeling stressed. When stressed we are unlikely to get such a good night's sleep and, yet again, this may lead to tiredness.

Talk to those around you about reducing your workload, take more time to do the activities you enjoy and visit our Stress hub for further advice on managing the problem.

References

^{1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2981161/}
^{2. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/8555899/Lack-of-sleep-kills-a-mans-sex-drive-study-concludes.html}
^{3. https://drinkwiseagewell.org.uk/a-generation-of-secret-drinkers-whats-happening-to-the-drinking-of-the-over-50s/}
^{4. https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/effects-on-the-body/alcohol-and-sleep/}

^{5. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/the-risks-of-drinking-too-much/#find-out-more}

^{6. http://www.btf-thyroid.org/information/articles/362-older-patients-and-thyroid-disease}