I am constantly exhausted

[hannah456ls]

I am absolutely exhausted.

I have days where I physically can't lift my head, bare to move even to have a wash and brush my teeth.

I work full time. I run the house. I have a one year old.

People will often say get some rest...the problem is WHEN?

I get around 6 hours sleep a night my diet is fine.

My husband is getting fed up of me complaining I'm tired and unable to get up some nights to tend to my daughter.

Weekends should be spent with my family but instead I just want to lie on the sofa and not move.

Help

[StillMedusa]

Get a blood test... particularly your vit D.
I felt like I was permanently getting the flu... exhausted and just hurt all over all the time. Went to the GP..one blood test later and big doses of Vit D for my deficiency, I am beginning to feel human again (6 weeks later!)
Also a test would pick up any other issues..thyroid etc!

Having said that... working full time with a baby is exhausting! It does get better ..eventually!

[swingofthings]

Eliminate any physical disorder such as low iron, vit b12, vit D, low magnesium, kidney problems, but otherwise, it might just be your busy life. 6 hours of sleep can be enough if you do sleep well when you do, however, the busier and stressed you, the more likely your sleep to be of poor quality even if you are asleep the entire time. Do you wake up refreshed and gradually get tired through the day or do you wake up exhausted although fully alert?

[amandacarnet]

This might be depression. You have a lot on your plate and when someone feels overwhelmed, their body can respond by just not wanting to move. Basicallly forcing you to rest.

[BikeRunSki]

I had theses symptoms. I was massively anaemic. Please see your GP for a blood test. I thought my diet was fine too.

[GirlRaisedInTheSouth]

I don’t think you’re getting enough sleep. I need 8 hours to function and I am full of beans. Anything less and I’m exhausted. Maybe that’s the case for you?

[RuggyPeg]

What's the set up with your husband? Does he work? Do his equal share with the house and 1 yr old?

[Justtickingboxes]

Working fulltime with a one year old is overwhelming. Do you get time to yourself? Intoverts need time alone like they need oxygen. Once you rule out physical causes, you might need to adjust your lifestyle - you are still physically recovering from 9 months of pregnancy, birth and babyhood, so you need some tlc

[nrpmum]

Add in hypothyroid to those tests.

[Cyclewidow46]

I was the same. Found to be anemic due to heavy periods.

[picklemepopcorn]

6 hours sleep is nothing. You both work full time, so all housework, childcare, nights etc should be shared. Is that how it is? If not, he needs to pull his weight. When you are getting a decent amount of sleep and have an appropriate share of the chores, you'll have a better idea of how you feel.

[GoldenBlue]

Had similar with no other symptoms, turns out it was an infection and a course of antibiotics gave me all my energy back

[Lilythepink3]

Ask doc for an iron studies blood test. Will show if iron levels are low or high both of which can cause exhaustion.

[Macaroonmayhem]

Adding to the blood test calls - I was like this tail end of last year. Severe anaemia due to an undiscovered gynae problem - two months of iron tablets and I feel 20 years younger, full of energy. It’s amazing.

[hannah456ls]

Thankyou for your replies. My husband does his fair share. I took iron tablets for a few months after having my baby so I tried again and it's not helping x

[Inforthelonghaul]

I couldn’t function on 6 hrs sleep a night while working full time never mind with a baby. By all means get tests but maybe running the house, looking after the baby and not getting enough sleep is enough to be feeling knackered. Also are you actually sleeping for 6 hours or do you go up to bed at midnight say then get ready for bed, check your phone, set alarms etc then get up at 6? If you’re like me you’ve probably got up for a wee at some point or had to see to your child at least once and then had to get back to sleep. When my Dc were that age the amount I actually slept for was much less than the time I was in bed. Lack of sleep is a killer and builds up.

You say your husband does his share but does he do nights with your child too or are they all your responsibility? If you both work full time you need to split everything else equally.

[Yogagirl123]

See GP, you may have a deficiency, fatigue is really hard to cope with. Get it checked out.

[swingofthings]

You'd ne better getting à blood test to see if you are indeed low on iron before starting as it could be something else causing it, but the iron could mask it.

[hannah456ls]

My husband shares the night duties but non of the housework which has already been mentioned to him. I'm changing my job soon to less hours so that may help. I will go and get a blood test x

[madcatladyforever]

Get a blood test. I have vital D and B12 deficiency and feel much better now. But 6 hours sleep is useless. For one week go to bed at 8pm. Read until 9 then sleep. No phones or TV. I guarantee you will feel better. I do this as I am 57 and feel knackered without a good sleep.

[reefedsail]

Could you go to bed an hour earlier? Are you in bed for 6hrs or actually sound asleep for 6hrs? I suspect it isn't enough.

Maybe try some Feroglobin Plus rather than iron tablets? They have it in big Tescos. I also take a good multi-vitamin and extra magnesium.

I find that if I'm consistent with supplements, careful with sleep and get enough time outside I can keep the exhaustion at bay. If any one of those 3 slips, it hits me like a brick wall.

[reefedsail]

I find the sleep monitoring function on Fitbit useful. If I can keep it over 7hrs a night I'm OK. If it drops below 7hrs for a few nights I will need some 'catch up' time.

To achieve 7hrs 'asleep' (according to Fitbit) I need to be in bed from 9.30pm - 6am.

[BikeRunSki]

Re iron tablets - it takes 3 months of supplements to affect your blood count. The lifecycle of a red blood cell is 3 months.

[hannah456ls]

I go to bed around 8pm get up at 5am. Usually get up at least twice a night to tend to my daughter

[Daddylonglegs1965]

Yes see GP for a full blood count ASAP I felt like this and as though I could sleep standing up whilst trying to do tea. It could also be an accumulation of stress with work, childcare, house & partner. Do you ever get much of a break (I never did and it built up). But I also worked PT and don’t have a 1 year old. But I have an under active thyroid and anaemia (plus another health condition).
Also if you are reasonably well off could you afford a cleaner to take the pressure off and or maybe pay a sitter once a month (if you don’t have family support) so you can both have a night off and get back to being people in your own right not just tired parents of baby X.