One of the challenges of menopause for women is fatigue. Many women in their forties and fifties are facing the transition years from menopause with a lot on their plate. Many are still raising children, working, and caring for elderly parents.
This is not to talk about trying to maintain a social relationship, engage in self-care, and keep the marriage alive. So, how do you keep those energy levels up when your low estrogen seems determined to keep them down? Here are some clear tips.
Strong words
Well, before you do anything else, you have to deal with the discomfort, aches and pains you may be facing at this time. Perimenopause and menopause come with issues such as frequent UTIs, pelvic pain, which can cause sexual dysfunction and pain. One of these problems is very serious. If you have a lot of stress, you can’t be expected to jump up and run through your workday with your usual enthusiasm for life.
So, address those issues first. To help you prevent UTIs, you can take UTI supplements. For dry skin, try using a wet skin. For migraines and other chronic pain, try ginger and turmeric tea, Epsom salt baths, and pain relievers like Ibuprofen if the pain is severe. Your goal is to get yourself to a place where you feel more relaxed and comfortable, so that you can work with your energy.
Exercise every day
The next step is to up your exercise game. If you don’t exercise at all, you have work to do. Even if you exercise, you can change things to increase your strength. The problem is that it feels counterintuitive. You have no energy, so how can you exercise? You may even be bored. Unfortunately, the more you exercise, the stronger you will feel, and the more you will want to exercise. It’s a catch-22.
The good news is that it usually takes small steps to get started. If you are inactive, start walking every day for 20 to 30 minutes. Go to the park, find a nice trail, and invite a friend. Turn it into a game. If you are active, consider hiring a trainer to help you lift heavier weights and add more exercise. A professional will make sure you don’t hurt yourself. Before you know it, you’ll be stronger and ready to run!
Make sleep a priority
The reason exercise comes before sleep is that this area is another subtle, contradictory thing. Many menopausal women have trouble sleeping due to aches, pains, hot flashes, and, you guessed it, lack of exercise. But if you don’t sleep, you’re too tired to exercise. And the cycle repeats itself, so you don’t start over. But sleep is important for energy, so you need to prioritize activities and habits to ensure you get a good night’s sleep every night.
To make sleep a priority, exercise daily, even walking, preferably outside. This movement will tell your body to start your sleep cycle, which will help your brain know when it’s time to sleep at night. An hour or two before you go to bed, turn on the fan or air conditioner to cool your room enough to cool down the heat. Take your pain away with a nice warm Epsom salt bath to soothe your body. Finally, turn off your electronics at least one hour before going to bed.
Increase the right foods and limit the wrong ones
You may realize that food is fuel, but you may not realize that some foods make more sludge than petroleum. Foods that are heavy, fatty, and full of carbs don’t contribute to high energy levels. Why do you think everyone needs a nap after Thanksgiving dinner? Also, foods that contain sugar, flour, and butter will weigh you down and make you too heavy to move around. Plus, alcohol sits in your bloodstream for hours after you drink, making you hungrier the next day.
If you want more energy, you have to change things. Limit alcohol to a few glasses a week, or none at all. Cut the spices to the occasional indulgence. And save food like Thanksgiving for…well…Thanksgiving. Instead, focus on drinking plenty of water, eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, and getting your daily serving of nuts, seeds, and legumes. These foods will make you feel energetic and light on your feet. Ready for the workout!
Manage Your Anxiety
Finally, stress is a real killer these days. It can raise your blood pressure, affect your cholesterol, and make you tired. Humans are not meant to deal with chronic stress. And its effect has not yet appeared on the body of menopausal women who run the world every day. Between school breaks, college visits, doctor appointments for elderly parents, and busy schedules, you do it all. And it drags you down.
While you may not be able to eliminate all of your work from your life, you can do one thing that many women struggle with: delegation. Yes, you can have it all. But you don’t have to do it all. It’s nothing. Get your spouse to go to college. Ask your child to leave your older children. Make your colleagues do their part well. And make sure everyone helps around the house. Then pour yourself a cup of tea, and soak in the Epsom salt water.
Eventually, it may feel like you won’t get your energy back, but you will. It is similar to the fatigue that women experience during the first and third months of pregnancy. It will pass. In the meantime, you can do things like treat yourself, exercise, eat right, and eat healthy. These steps will help you through menopause and ensure that you are strong and healthy beyond it. The world needs wise old women to show us the way.
