Energy ups and downs during menopause
The energy ups and downs of menopause can be a rollercoaster! There can be many different types of energy spikes and drains. Let’s take a look at 2 sides of these energy ups and downs:
Tired all the time & fatigue
On one side of the coin, we have that situation of being tired all the time. You might find that you're tired when you get up, you're tired during the day. It's just constant low-level fatigue.
You may find that you have a crashing bout of fatigue: one minute you're fine and the next minute you could literally fall asleep, regardless of what you're doing. You might find that you get a really big energy slump in the middle of the afternoon.
The causes:
We know that your hormonal changes can be a really big issue because, imagine all these changes that are going inside yourself, all these physical changes; they really drain you of energy to start with.
It can also involve a slower metabolism. This tends to happen as we age. If your metabolism is slowing down, then that's going to impact your energy levels. You can also experience nutritional deficiencies. And remember, all these changes that are going on require a lot of energy, they require a lot of nutrition; your nutritional needs go absolutely sky high. If you're not addressing that, then your body just doesn't have enough of anything to cope with the demands on a daily basis.
Issues with blood sugar imbalance can be present too, and this is a really common one, as your blood sugar control goes all over the place, up and down like a yo yo. And that in itself can very often cause that crashing fatigue where you're okay one minute and the next, as I say, you could basically just sleep.
Feeling wired, restless & full of nervous energy
The flip side of this is that you feel wired, you're restless, you've a kind of jittery, nervous energy. You're too wound up to relax and, when you go to bed, you're too wound up to even fall asleep.
The causes:
The main cause of this is anxiety, which is probably the second most common menopause symptom that there is after flushes and night sweats. Your nervous system, because of the hormonal changes, becomes much more reactive to everyday stress. That flight or fight response will kick in at the slightest little provocation. And that will send your energy all over the place. It can lead to palpitations, heartbeat, breathlessness, all going on at the same time.
Poor sleep is another big issue. If you're not sleeping well, you're going to have that nervous energy. And blood sugar regulation issues too. On one side your blood sugar can go up and that's when you get that jittery, over-wired energy. On the other side, your energy can absolutely fall.
A vicious cycle
And this whole scenario can be a real vicious cycle. You've got the nervous energy, you're wired, that just drains you of energy. You then become tired and lethargic. Your nervous system kicks in again and sets the whole cycle off once more. And it can be quite a difficult one to get yourself out of. I often liken it to ending up in this big pit and there's no way that you can get out by yourself. So, it's really important to support your body well.
What you can do to help support yourself
Here are my top tips to help fight fatigue and calm restless energy:
Your diet. Make sure you're getting enough protein and healthy fats. Keep your blood sugar levels nice and balanced by eating little and often. Don't go long periods without food. Take a chromium supplement if you feel that it’s going up and down a lot.
Magnesium is really, really important, and your vitamin D and B vitamins as well, because they're really good for balancing energy levels. Remember the water, because dehydration can be a big issue, especially if you're feeling really, really tired.
Sort your sleep out! And I know it's a really, really difficult one, it's easier said than done. But even things like stopping watching TV an hour beforehand, no computers or phones or TV in the bedroom - little changes can often improve your sleep.
And it’s a big one too if you're getting night sweats, because that's obviously going to wake you up.
Stress reduction is so helpful, things like yoga, tai chi. Walking is one of the best exercises; even just a quick 10-minute walk a day can make a huge difference to calming your nervous system and also helping you to sleep better.
Limit your caffeine and alcohol because these will rev your nervous system up.
And if you're looking for a supplement to take, you could look at our Menopause Support, because this is known to help reduce tiredness and fatigue and it supports your nervous system too. So, it's covering a lot of these issues that I've talked about today.
A.Vogel Menopause Support | For Perimenopause, Menopause & Postmenopause Symptoms
£8.99 (30 tabs) In Stock
Have you experienced this? Let me know how you coped. What did you do to change things? Any other queries or questions? You know, I'd love to hear your stories, so please let me know these things.
Until next time, take care and have a lovely week.
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Types of fatigue in perimenopause and menopause & tips to boost your energy
