6 Most Important Tips To Ease Menopause Fatigue

6 Most Important Tips To Ease Menopause Fatigue

As you enter the perimenopausal phase, your hormone levels rise and fall and can be very unpredictable.
The same hormonal changes that cause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats can also affect your energy levels, leading to fatigue.

Causes of Menopause fatigue

Hot flashes or night sweats causing disrupted sleep will naturally cause you to feel tired all the time
Joint aches and pains, common symptoms of menopause, can interfere with your sleep
Changing hormones and trying to keep your body in balance can be very energy draining

What can help to ease menopause fatigue?

Get a good sleeping regime going

Try going to bed and waking up around the same time every day, even on the weekends
Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime
Avoid using smartphones and computers before going to sleep
Have a warm bath or shower before climbing into bed
Taking a herbal sleep remedy, such as sage, can help alleviate night sweat symptoms, which can disturb your sleep
Taking Devil’s claw can help with joint or muscle pain, a common problem at night
Keep your bedroom temperature cool, helping you to cope with your body’s natural temperature fluctuations at night
Don’t eat too late in the evening and avoid heartburn by eating smaller portions

Don’t let your emotions get you down

For some women, the emotional turmoil felt during menopause is far greater than the physical one, leaving you drained of energy.
If you are stressed, anxious, or worried and are suffering from mood swings, all of these can wear you down and make you feel extra tired.

Practice relaxation every day
With all the changes that are happening in your body, it is more important than ever to make time for yourself as often as possible
Do your breathing exercise by slowly breathe in and out, clearing your mind while focusing on your breath
Practicing yoga or tai chi, can also help you to relax

Have a regular diet routine

It might not necessarily be the fact that you are eating the wrong foods but because you lead such a busy life, you often eat on the run, just grabbing a sandwich at lunchtime, and therefore you are simply not eating enough.

Try not to go on a diet during menopause, which is hard to do, since most women put on weight during this time.
If you don’t eat enough, it will make you feel tired and give you fatigue.
Make sure that you’re eating enough and well, getting plenty of good lean protein as well as healthy grains and healthy fats.

Avoid nutritional deficiencies

The changing hormones during menopause can drain you of energy and nutritional needs.
Even if you are already eating well, drinking plenty of water, and are watching what you eat, you might still be feeling tired.
For instance, low iron caused by heavy periods while you are in perimenopause or leading up to menopause can result in fatigue.
The following supplements can help alleviate fatigue:

Hormonal support
Iron
Magnesium
Calcium
Zinc

Stay hydrated

Being dehydrated will make you tired and give you a fuzzy head
Dehydration can also cause poor muscle function
Get plenty of plain water every single day, not fizzy or flavored water

Exercise

If you don’t do enough exercise it can lead to fatigue.
On the other hand, if you do too much exercise during menopause, that can make you tired as well.
It is important to find a balance between under and over-exercising.

If you are not used to exercising, aim for 10 minutes of brisk walking once a day to start with.
If you are feeling tired or sore after you have done your exercise session then that is your body’s way of telling you, that you have done too much.

Sources
nhs.uk – menopause the facts
sleepfoundation.org – sleep hygiene
pubmed.gov – feeling of energy associated with physical activity

Does Menopause Cause Weird Dreams?

As you enter menopause your estrogen starts to fall, causing you to have less of a deep sleep.
You are sleeping in a much shallower state, which means you can wake up a lot quicker.
You can wake up whilst you are still dreaming and it might also take you longer to get back to sleep.
You might also be feeling as if you are not able to move when you wake up.

This is an unpleasant feeling associated with going through menopause
Normally when you are in the dream state, your body goes into a state of almost semi-paralysis.
But due to menopause, you are already not sleeping as deeply as before.
You are dreaming in a lighter state and wake up more easily, while your body is in a semi-paralysis state.

The types of dreams can change as well