Why are we so exhausted in perimenopause?
So, why are we SO exhausted in midlife?
Is it perimenopause? Is it that we’re doing too much? Or too old? Or have too much on our plates? Or is it the patriarchal society we live in….
It’s all of the above, and there’s one more underneath them all.
I don’t know about you, but there wasn’t much taught in school, or at home about putting our needs first. And about how EVERYONE benefits as a result.
Certainly not after the age of about 10.
I’d venture to say that we’ve spent too much time doing a LOT for other people and not so much for ourselves. Or we have attached ourselves to certain ideals of body image, success, and career that are exhausting.
This is the hardest thing for most of my clients. Even though they feel like they’re on the edge of overwhelm/burnout/exhaustion.
Even though they’ve been listening to podcasts, got the menopause books, followed the celebrity diet plan for a bit.
Learning to care for themselves first is often the first step. We make them micro.
So, here’s a super simple 5 step process to explore your exhaustion:
Have you had any water to drink today?
Have you had enough sleep (usually 7-9 hours a night, going through light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep)?
Have you moved your body for the joy of it lately?
Have you made day time rest a priority (see last week’s posts on the 4 different kinds of rest?)
Do you have support at home, at work, and in the community that means you can put down your responsibilities and step away?
If the answer to all of the above is no, please start with point 1 and drink a glass of water right now. I usually find this is a great order to start building better energy for my clients, but it really depends on where their exhaustion is coming from.
Because, of course there’s often a hormone undercurrent.
And then there are some essential questions about hormones and cycles.
Do you still bleed regularly and use that time to rest and restore yourself for the next cycle?
If your bleed is very heavy have you tested for iron levels and other essential vitamins/minerals.
Is your exhaustion tied to one part of the cycle or all the time?
If you’re not sure how to answer point 3 - please download my easy to use tracker from the link in bio and use this to get curious. If you’re tired all the time, it may be worth going to the GP to talk about B vitamins, Iron and Thyroid levels.
Exhaustion isn’t a given. We can create better energy, especially when we are well rested.
More on this in my IG live recently - so do have a watch/listen if you’ve got a 15 minute gap.
And if it’s time to take action on exhaustion and make some lifestyle change that lasts why not get in touch?