Free Shipping on Orders over $50
Yawn! But wait, how can you be so wiped out just a couple hours after waking up? Welcome to menopause-related low energy. Yes, just another symptom of the changes your body is going through, mostly thanks to a major, steady drop in estrogen, otherwise known as “the youth hormone.”
Like many other symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, low energy can be linked to the global problem…hormonal changes. For example, during this time many women suffer from debilitating, sleep-destroying night sweats that wake them up several times an evening.
To avoid this, sleep in light layers, and keep a change of nightclothes near your side of the bed for quick changes. Also, stop with the addictive screen time (this means TV and phones) at least 2 hours before bedtime to let your brain relax. Keep the room cool (under 72 degrees) and dark (pull those blinds!) for the best possible shut-eye.
This time of life is tailor-made to make you feel like you deserve to skip your exercise routine. The couch beckons! But going full couch-potato t is the kiss of death. Staying in motion to give you energy, as counter-intuitive as it may seem, is the key to keeping yourself active into your 60s and beyond. Too, aerobic and weight-bearing exercises help tire you out, keep your muscle tone in tip top shape and give you a boost of serotonin—the feel good hormone. Bring it on.
Another trick: Keep your dinner light. Focus your calorie intake during the day, and give your digestive tract a chance to relax before you hit the sheets. In related news, stop drinking liquids an hour or two before bedtime to lessen those middle-of-the-night bathroom trips that can make it difficult to fall back into peaceful slumber.
Especially (and we know this can be a tall order every so often), avoid alcoholic drinks. While that glass of pinot may call out to you to help you relax and wind down the day, alcohol has the opposite effect of disrupting sleep. Switch to decaffeinated tea if you must have a goodnight ritual.
Last but not least, see your doctor. Your body is going through major changes and deserves to be checked from top to bottom, inside and out. Make sure to have them do tests for anemia, coronary artery disease, hypothyroidism, and kidney disease.
Check off all these boxes and you’re likely to awake well-rested and (at least within reason) ready to fact the day. Join us @stellaviacircle for more tips, to chat with our women doctors and others going through the menopause journey. Sweet dreams!
