How did you your increase energy levels in perimen?

[BettyMacdonald]

I’m 50 and feel like my energy levels / motivation are plummeting. Up until a year or 2 ago I always had loads of energy. Do I just need to accept this as a normal part of aging? My mum seems to think I do!

For context, I work PT but shifts, including nights, in a very demanding, fast paced role.

I have 4 DC - all still at home, 1 of which has SEND.

I have a very supportive DH who completely pulls his weight. No issues there.

I’m on HRT (oestrogen gel and oral progesterone). Testosterone levels within normal range. Have recently had a full set of bloods - all normal including ferritin, Hb, HbA1C, B12, vitamin d and thyroid. I take a menopause multivitamin.

I don’t think I’m depressed. I feel a bit low-ish because I’m tired but I’m not sad, if that makes sense. I literally had to drag myself out of bed this morning. I’m not like this everyday. Some days are fine. I do feel a LOT worse on the progesterone phase though. There is evidence to suggest some women are progesterone intolerant so I wonder if this is the case.

Could definitely do with losing about a stone. Keep saying I’ll start doing formal exercise but don’t. I’m not sedentary - I easily do 10K steps a day but I don’t have great aerobic fitness. Diet is mostly good - I’m vegetarian but I’ve developed a much sweeter tooth since perimen kicked in.

Don’t really drink alcohol, don’t smoke.

What worked for you? Any Top Tips?

Ah I feel
you op

sloghtly younger than you but in peri and my energy levels are awful right now

i dontthink the lack of sunshine is helping at all. I’m really struggling and could sleep for England.

im on thyroid meds and my levels are stable so it’s not that but I have bursts of energy and a few days il feel great but then bam I’m knackered again

I think working nights in a demanding job probably has more impact on you than you realise. It’s not something I could do. Though I guess that’s not helpful. As you don’t want to change jobs. Plus 4 children! No wonder you are tired. Be kind to yourself.

I think we underestimate how much rest and recovery we need as we get older. I’m not saying don’t exercise etc. but your body will be feeling stressed due to the night working. So more restorative exercise such as yoga, meditation etc.

That’s it, @humptydumptyfelloff! I have days / weeks when I feel I could run the world then BAM I’m on my knees. I am pretty sure I have ADHD and it’s possibly cycles of burnout. When I was younger I was hyperactive but now that I’m older I find myself getting absolutely exhausted and I hate it!

Thanks for the solidarity.

Tbf, @Delatron, I do think you’re completely right on this. Since I had my eldest, life seems to have been on fast forward. I’ve now come up for air and 18 years have past. I think it’s all caught up and I’m a bit shocked. Nights are a total bastard, I don’t do loads but I do find them hard. No chance of getting out of them, sadly, Thankfulky I do (mostly) love my job.

I’ve booked a non urgent GP appt to moan at her about everything. She’s lovely, about the same age and very good. I do need a couple of other things sorted so it’s not just me whinging at her!

Sympathies OP - do not underestimate ADHD burnout. It happened to me. You mask, appear to be highly functioning and it just takes its toll.

I think recognising you need more rest (somehow!) is important.

Really, @Delatron? What did you do about it? Two of my 4 children have diagnosed, medicated ADHD and they sure as hell didn’t get it from DH! When I was doing all the endless questionnaires and assessments for them I was like hmmmmmmmm 💡.

My GP is more than happy to refer me for assessment. Of course I’ve done nothing about it…….

I literally go 28548437 miles an hour for ages then crash and hate myself for being “lazy”.

I have a reputation for being super organised and on top of everything but in reality I’m running just to stand still,

I know that perimen and progesterone can be tricky for ADHD women so maybe it’s all just a perfect storm?

It’s definitely the perfect storm! Most women can mask either until they have children or until menopause and then all the strategies they used to have stop working. Loss of hormones send dopamine levels even lower.

Similar situation here - DS 1 was diagnosed. DH definitely not ADHD and then when I realised how differently it presents in women..

I kind of fell apart when I had 2 young kids close together. Though I was trying to work full time with zero help - big mistake. Complete burn out ( and a cancer diagnosis but that’s a whole other story).

At the time I just thought I was crap and lazy and didn’t understand why I couldn’t do what other women did. But the cancer diagnosis made me pursue a career change.

Then I made the same mistake 😂. Swapped emotional stress for physical stress (retrained in the fitness industry). Ran many miles a week and just overloaded myself that way….

The body keeps score (it’s a good book!). Everything came crashing down when I got long Covid (which I don’t believe is a coincidence). I now work much less and no running.

I’m basically trying to heal a worn out nervous system and I think years of masking ADHD hasn’t helped.

I’m a bit of a cautionary tale. I think it’s hard when you love your career and I don’t have the answers. But do take rest and relaxation seriously. Don’t do the negative talk - everything is harder with ADHD. You’re not lazy at all.

I’m working on ways to increase dopamine naturally. Supplements can help. Gentle exercise. Meditation, breath work, acupuncture. Basically everything that I used to think was woo isn’t. Your focus is to reduce stress and increase resilience.