Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Why am I so ridiculously tired?

40 replies

Lovetosleep1 · 06/12/2023 20:51

I'm 43 and have never been so tired in my life. Things I've tried over the last month to help are vitamin D, magnesium and some green powder you put in water. I've been drinking more water around 2l a day. Cut out coffee and just having a cup of tea in the morning.

I have a generally healthy diet, walk for around 2 hours a day with my dog and average 18k steps I get around 6.5/7 hours sleep a night. I work long hours as a teacher which is tiring and am a single parent but this isn't anything new. Has anyone any other ideas about how I can get my energy back?

OP posts:
boomtickhouse · 06/12/2023 21:47

SutWytTi · 06/12/2023 21:18

I think the reason you're tired is: you get up very early, do an above-average amount of exercise, on rather a low amount of sleep, whilst also having a very tough job!

Yes get checked to make sure nothing underlying but I think you need to sleep more.

This.

It's too much.

Society is asking too much of us.

I don't know what the answer is, but there is no way that a single human should be expected to solo parent, work full time and exercise for 2 hours every day as a long term life strategy.

Comedycook · 06/12/2023 21:49

TisTheSeasonToBePolly · 06/12/2023 21:35

Is 6.5/7 hours' sleep really not enough? Do people actually get 8 hours in the real world?!
I don't have kids or particularly major stressors, but can't remember the last time I got anything more than 6 hours of pretty broken sleep.
I thought that was normal in your forties 😕

I get eight hours sleep, sometimes more and I still nap throughout the day. I'm 42. Six hours sleep a night would leave me absolutely shattered

Delatron · 06/12/2023 22:02

Definitely not enough sleep and don’t underestimate walking for hours and a busy job. Do you eat enough?

I’d get some basic tests done to rule out at deficiencies but I’d be exhausted on that schedule. Can you get a dog walker a couple of days a week?

Arggghhhhhhhh · 06/12/2023 22:11

Can you replace an hour's dog walking with mental stimulation such as scent training, obedience, tricks or agility? What breed is it?

Humbugg · 06/12/2023 22:18

I agree iron levels or thyroid. Also consider coeliac disease

CurlyhairedAssassin · 06/12/2023 22:23

Partnersuntheuk · 06/12/2023 21:40

Getting up at 5am to walk my dog would kill me. Do you walk the dog and hour in the morning and then an hour again at night? That's a helluva lot if exercise for you both, is it really necessary? Could you outsource at least one session to a dog walker?

Would kill me too. I'm perimenopausal and also work in a school (primary school office). We are all just dragging ourselves along to the 22nd. Hardly anyone's done anything for their own family's Christmas prep apart from put the tree up (only because they're worried it won't get done if they don't do it now). There is no way I could do a 5am start on top of working non-stop all day. I collapse when I get home at 5.30pm as it is. If I don't get a lie-in on Saturday morning then I'm useless for the rest of the weekend, it's like I need that Saturday morning reset as all my adrenaline stops.

user1471556818 · 06/12/2023 22:26

Definitely get a blood test done quite a few things could be causing excessive tiredness. Anaemia, thyroid issues .Agree don't take any supplements until bloods taken .Try and get more rest and be a bit gentler on yourself.
Good luck hope you get sorted soon

ManchesterLu · 06/12/2023 22:42

SutWytTi · 06/12/2023 21:18

I think the reason you're tired is: you get up very early, do an above-average amount of exercise, on rather a low amount of sleep, whilst also having a very tough job!

Yes get checked to make sure nothing underlying but I think you need to sleep more.

Yeah, this. Honestly OP you're doing so much, and on not very much sleep. You're going to be tired!

Eenymeanymineymo · 06/12/2023 22:56

As a solo parent, who is looking after your kids at 5am when you are walking the dog? Or have I missed something?

agent765 · 06/12/2023 22:59

CalistoNoSolo · 06/12/2023 21:04

You could be anaemic or you could be hitting perimenopause. Either way I think a trip to the Dr is a good idea.

Ask to get your ferritin checked, too. My FBC was fine but ferritin was extremely low.

I'd had horribly heavy periods throughout my 40s and had to give up donating blood but had also been anaemic since my teens. My ferritin stores were simply used up.

All the B vitamins could be helpful to you, too.

However, it could just be a bit of burnout. Don't put off seeing the GP. Everyone else will before Christmas so the sooner you see them the better.

How deep is your sleep? Do you feel rested when you wake up? There are several types of magnesium but not all are well absorbed. You also need to be aware that some other supplements will interfere with it so it needs to be taken at different times from them.

If you end up taking iron, take it with vitamin C and not within a few hours of tea, coffee or milk.

NChance · 06/12/2023 23:16

Eenymeanymineymo · 06/12/2023 22:56

As a solo parent, who is looking after your kids at 5am when you are walking the dog? Or have I missed something?

She doesn't say how old they are
They could be 14+ and fine alone at that time

Original poster
Lovetosleep1 · 07/12/2023 06:31

Honestly thank you, I didn't expect so many replies. I think you're all right and I'm just doing too much. It's quite difficult to come to that conclusion myself as everybody seems to have such busy lives, it just seemed the norm. I also feel guilty if I don't do everything so in some ways it's easier just to do it.

I'm going to look at making some changes. I have a new job starting in Jan which is much closer to home. I currently commute for over an hour each way. This will mean I have more time in the morning and won't need to get up so early.

The dog is a German Shepherd and she's only young so does need exercise. I do enjoy the walks but will look at getting a dog walker for the mornings.

@Eenymeanymineymo they are all teenagers so fine to be left alone.

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 07/12/2023 06:34

Mine was ridiculously low B12 and folate, and perimenopause.

B12 injections have made the world of difference.

liveforsummer · 07/12/2023 21:02

Eenymeanymineymo · 06/12/2023 22:56

As a solo parent, who is looking after your kids at 5am when you are walking the dog? Or have I missed something?

I leave my 10 year old while I walk the dog, pop to the shop etc.

Bex4567 · 19/08/2025 05:15

Lovetosleep1 · 07/12/2023 06:31

Honestly thank you, I didn't expect so many replies. I think you're all right and I'm just doing too much. It's quite difficult to come to that conclusion myself as everybody seems to have such busy lives, it just seemed the norm. I also feel guilty if I don't do everything so in some ways it's easier just to do it.

I'm going to look at making some changes. I have a new job starting in Jan which is much closer to home. I currently commute for over an hour each way. This will mean I have more time in the morning and won't need to get up so early.

The dog is a German Shepherd and she's only young so does need exercise. I do enjoy the walks but will look at getting a dog walker for the mornings.

@Eenymeanymineymo they are all teenagers so fine to be left alone.

How are u now please

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread