To think some people simply have more energy than others

I would have thought doing regular exercise would give one more energy

I would love to have more energy but it's all I can do to flop on the couch every evening. I do work hard when I'm at work, from 7am until approx 5pm every day, usually without a break but then once I get home, it's like I've burned out. We eat and I flop. I can literally barely keep my eyes open. I fell asleep at 7pm tonight until 8:20pm.

Some people definitely have more stamina. My husband used to do 45 minutes on our cross trainer like a robot yet I could only do 10 minutes before feeling like I was dying. He's not a super fit athletic type either

My DH is a lifelong Duracell bunny. I’m a sloth. We are the Jack Sprat and his wife of energy division.

I don’t even think upbringing comes into it, unless you mean the kind of childhood where parents had regimented waking going to sleep an x amounts of exercise, TV etc. My mum always went to bed early, got up late and did all the usual parent things (slowly). My dad on the other hand was up early, late to bed and worked 7 days a week, from 8-11 when my brother and I were younger. My brother has inherited my mother’s energy and I am like my dad. I have to be doing something all the time, I go to bed most nights at 1 am and get up at 7 am. I work 6 days a week and on Sunday clean the house, garden, batch cook etc,then I go out for the afternoon, and see friends etc. I could never sit and watch a film for example in the daytime. I have to be cleaning, cooking, gardening etc if I am home.

I am definitely an anxious person who can’t sit still 🤣

It depends on the day for me.
Some days im high on energy and others im close to death.

Im pleased its just me i have to take care of as having child id never do it.

Ive always been low on physical energy (in my later years some of that has been explained because of autoimmune illnesses and other chronic illnesses) but I'm very high on mental energy.

I find it very hard to, for example, just to do one thing. Like just watch a film, listen to music or radio. I always have to do at least one other thing. I usually choose to do some kind of puzzle, like killer sudoku at the same time.

My mind hardly ever stops wondering about things and connections. And I can easily pass a day thinking about an issue , it's connection to other issues and "what if" kind of scenarios.

I'm sure there are people who are both high on physical and mental energy, and I really envy them.

but if I had to choose, I'd choose my mental energy. It really keeps me entertained.

Tend to agree, whilst I can enjoy a lazy day I am active, I do 3 hours of sports a week, cycling, dog walks and work 40hrs FT. Tge guys I work with all say they don't know where I find the energy and they are up to half my age. I am currently yawning and wondering if I should have an early night! 🤣

YANBU at all. Absolutely everything about people varies between us. I'm a low energy, low maintenance, introverted person who would like to sleep 12 hours every night. I know people who are the polar opposite and neither of us could make ourselves be like the other. My work colleague never seems to stop, she sees time as something to fill, that's just how she is - always on the go. Society definitely values that 'go' more but there's no need for people who aren't like that to try to live up to it.

I am quite like how you describe but a few years ago I did Couch to 5K and I now exercise regularly. I find it gives me more energy, strangely. I never thought I’d be someone who runs 3-4 times a week and does a couple of gym classes. But I am now. I work full-time and have two primary aged children too. I find I have plenty of energy for exercise, family, work but I need to go to sleep at 10 every night!

I am intrigued by those who have massive social batteries for evening events. I like going for a meal with a friend, popping to the pub with some school mums, going to the cinema or theatre, etc. but once every 3 weeks or so is plenty for me. I’ve got one friend who is always out at a gig and she looks like she’s having so much fun but I always think it must be totally exhausting.

I do think we all have different energy levels though. My husband needs far less sleep than I do to function well.

Well of course YANBU. And obviously an individual can vary in their energy levels at different stages of their life, health issues etc.

People absolutely have different amounts of energy; however, I ma not doing CrossFit because I have extra energy (I'm actually pretty knackered most of the time). I do it because I have fun doing it. I still have to kick my backside to leave the house to go to the gym and I have zero motivation most days. But I do it anyway because I enjoy it while I'm there.
You can't pay me enough to run. Seriously, not even a million quid will make me run a marathon.

How fit are you OP? My partner puts off going up and down the stairs, on the surface lazy, but hes so unfit he's out of breath going up the stairs. The lack of fitness doesn't help at all.

"The only time I sit down is at my desk or to eat. Otherwise I'm on the go from the moment I get up to the moment I go to bed."

I feel tired just reading that.

I'm non-stop, always have been. I think it's part of my ADHD. I work full time in a full on profession where long hours are the norm, kids, pets, gym, charity trustee, involved in the PTA, cook everything from scratch.

I hate sitting in front of the TV, it feels like a waste of time. The only time I sit down is at my desk or to eat. Otherwise I'm on the go from the moment I get up to the moment I go to bed.

I am quite high energy and it doesn't come from my upbringing, my parents certainly know how to relax!

I am 47 now and do sit round more than i did when young but I honestly don't find things very tiring. I hear someone say they had a long day and are tired and I just don't feel that way at all and i never have. (Obviously I don't say it!)

I wake up early, am naturally organised and easily bored so it may come in to it but I don't seem to get particularly tired no matter what I do.

I totally agree. I think it's like being introvert/extrovert; it's just what you're like and you can't really change it. Some people are heigh energy and some people are low energy. Both are fine.

Yes, but there are people who don't do any actual sports, but still rush about everywhere. They've just been naturally active since early childhood.

I understand. There's still an assumption there that these 'choices' are all definite direct associations with innate levels of energy. You might be right, but there may be other reasons some people are more active.

I agree OP, I’m not a person who is bouncing up at 6am for exercise, nor even a person who can force themselves up! I have a condition that can cause fatigue but I was like that before. I had to take steroids at one time, and I had so much more energy and motivation! I realised that’s probably how many people feel all the time. Although I’ve had to have several more courses of steroids over the years I’ve never got that energetic feeling again.

We are the sort of family you describe but it's not really through choice so many things sort of got added by accident. The middle child has ADHD so need the stimulation of sports. The eldest is so enthusiastic about life that he feels is days with all that I treat him.

I am constantly exhausted. I go to be early and wake up early. Oh and the house is very very messy.

I think this is true. I'm an active and motivated person but there are at least 2 people in my life that are always on the go, they barely sit down and always have energy to do things - even things they don't want to do. They love it and it gives them even more energy. These aren't ppl that are working out of necessity. Both are retired, but they're naturally energetic.

Meanwhile my energy is sort of up and down, but I need lots of rest, both short periods of rest and longer periods.