Swimming and exhaustion

[frazzled101]

About 4 months ago I started swimming 3 mornings a week with my friend. On my first day my technique wasn't good enough to swim a length at all. I'm improved over the weeks and am now doing 40 lengths in just under 40 mins, so very much a slow and steady pace.

I get up at 5.50am to go, but I'm normally be awake from 6.20/30am anyway. I normally go to bed at 10pm.

My problem is the ridiculous tiredness. I have dozed off in my chair while working at my computer and also while writing a shopping list. I'm fine once I'm moving around, but if I have to sit still I'm a disaster.

That's not normal is it? I love going swimming and due to back problems it's the only exercise I can do, but the exhaustion is really putting me off.

Can you not swim in the evening instead ?

Can you perhaps swim fewer lengths?

Sounds quite normal... exercising means you need more sleep! Try going to sleep earlier to get more sleep and see if it helps. There's nothing like that early morning post exercise glow to set you up for the day.

40 lengths is a lot, unless it's a small pool and 6am is an early start. I'm healthy but I cannot exercise that early.

Can you half the lengths, get an extra 20 mins in bed or swim later in the day?

I love swimming but it always makes me very hungry and very tired - even a 10-15 minute dip makes me ravenous and prone to napping. I'd say it's normal.

I wouldn't expect to be awake at 10pm if I'd been up at 5.50am to swim 40 laps? Can you go to bed earlier? Even if you sleep like a log from the second your head hits the pillow you're not getting 8 hours.

Alternatively, get up a little later and do 20 laps 5-6 times a week? I'm sure you'll still get the benefits to your back and your health from a shorter swim.

Or maybe do both

I have similar weariness. I only swim on the 3 days I wfh - I do 7am to 8am and do around 2000m. I have two boiled eggs when I get home before work, have a 30 min nap over lunch, and stay off the carbs until dinner time. It’s not perfect - if I’m in a boring meeting I’ll feel myself nodding, but it helps most of the time.

I swim that kind of distance and speed 2-3 times a week, and walk/run 5k plus on another 2-3, but don’t suffer from exhaustion and don’t need a nap. On the one hand I’m well over 60, but on the other hand I only work 1-2 days a week. And I get up at 7:30 ish not 5:50.

So I don’t think it’s the swimming per se, but the combination of very early mornings, work and swimming. The early mornings would see me off.

I don’t think that’s normal!
even going to bed at 10 you’re getting the best part of 8 hours sleep (assuming you go to sleep and don’t sit up watching tv or reading when you get in bed).
40 lengths really isn’t a lot, jeez some of the PP are making out like you’ve swam the channel before breakfast 🤣 it’s a km in a 25m pool and if it’s taking you 40min then that’s a very leisurely pace.
that said, early morning exercise does always catch up with me mid afternoon if I’m at work and I prefer to stick to later mornings at weekend or evenings after work.
are you eating breakfast after swimming?

I took up swimming to cope with perimenopause. I'm still tired! But worth it overall, aches and pains much reduced, sleep abit better, somewhat fitter and more relaxed. I wouldn't give it up now.

Swimming does this - when/what are you eating and drinking? It's most often dehydration I think, plus you're exercising fasted.

I looked into this because I fell asleep every time I went swimming and in the end I had to stop going.
Because of the water temperature, your metabolism goes into overdrive to warm you up and then it continues for hours afterwards, which leads to that exhausted feeling.

If you're getting up earlier you need to go to bed earlier. You may also need to eat more. Experiment with more protein and/or carbs. You may need to take more in as a result. And well done, swimming 1km is a brilliant achievement!

I would keep going with the swimming you are doing really well. I resumed swimming after a years cancer treatment and its amazing and doing 3 to 5 hours a week cuts reoccurrence risk 50% as well as better mental health. My sleep is poor but that's menopause for you, I go in evenings and can find it hard to sleep after. I would keep going but maybe switch time you are going to later in day and also you will need to adjust sleep times. I think what you have is normal when you are getting back to exercise and took 40 mins off your sleep schedule.

Can you try

Going to bed earlier
Taking magnesium
Making sure you have enough foods with B12

Thanks for all the comments!

@NotFastButFurious I went to the pool this morning thinking I was beyond amazing but I agree with you, I don't think 40 lengths in 40 mins is excessive.

The pool only opens early 3 morning a week and I have to go at 6.30 to be back in time for work. In the evenings by the time I'm home from work, have the kids in bed and prep for the next week it could be 8.30pm.

In the past when I was able to go running or go to bootcamp I always went early in the morning, but I've never felt this exhaustion before.

I definitely will try earlier to bed, and maybe taking it a bit easier when I know I'm working from home that day. I don't feel as bad when I'm in the office because there's so much chat/activity around me.

I only learned to swim 18mths ago but even then, it has taken me to just recently to be able to swim a full length, so o really want to keep going at it.