How to help with energy levels?

[turningpointe]

My almost teen is a dancer, but this is relevant to anyone who is performing at a high level.

DD is tired. She is going through puberty, she is coping with the aftermath of probably her last growth spurt. Things ache. She's tired. She wants to push herself but is feeling despondent on an evening as she thinks she is holding back.

What can I do to help?

She doesn't go to mainstream school, so she does get to sleep in most mornings. I am wondering about an extra vitamin or a routine she can get herself in to.

If anyone has any ideas, that would be great.

Dancers are often lower on sunlight than other kids, due to time spent in the studio. If you can get her outside during the day, that may help. Also making sure she has enough calories to fuel her body if she is doing a lot of hours of dance.

Both my kids take multi-vitamins (Wellkid and Wellteen Her, depending on age) and this helps to make sure they are getting everything they need, especially vitamin D.

Yes, I think a significant factor is exactly that @user1471539385

However light filled big-windowed studios and houses are, it's not the same as actually being outside. If anything, it's a false sense of security...

Puberty is tough. That and trying to physically improve at something at the same time is tougher.

I wish our dog needed walking more. As it is, the dog will happily sleep in until late morning too 😆

There's a directory of practitioners on the One Dance U.K. healthier dancer website. Might be worth seeing a specialist nutritionist to set out some dietary help for her energy levels?

www.onedanceuk.org/decide-type-practitioner-see/

I was also going to ask if she gets enough sunlight?

Is she home Ed or at Voc school? Depending on roommates getting a good nights sleep can be awful at voc school.

My dd would say that finding a totally non related dance hobby helps her relax and rejuvenate. For years she only watched TV whilst stretching or “using the time” in some other dance related way.

So she now schedules me time every day and switches off from dance by reading comic books, audio books and knitting.

Healthy snacks like dried apricots (iron) and bananas. She also takes vitamin D.

Thank you @Throughabushbackwards

I think she may well listen to someone else above me for diet advice 🙄😆

She's not boarding at the moment @Comefromaway (great name!) although she did in the past. She's at home with me. I spotted this morning that she appears to have taken off her screen time reports, so I will be taking to her about sleep 😁

It's difficult when typical teenagerdom is all in the mix too.

Thank you. Have dug out my supply of vitamin D for her to start taking with me.

My dd did 5 years of commuting in lower school (apart from production and a period of time when family illness meant she had to board. It was exhausting. That growth spurt period takes a toll.

😁 @Comefromaway she just staggered across the sitting room from her bedroom, the whole while complaining her legs were "dead" and has theatrically collapsed on the sofa 😁

Oh bless. But I’m guessing she’s just had 2-3 weeks off. And so has stiffened up.

How many hours a week is she dancing?

Have you considered whether there might be an underlying health issue? I would want to check this out, personally.

Is this a new issue or has she always been a bit low on energy? How much training did she manage to do during lockdown? My dd is also a dancer and did her best at home, via zoom etc, but she has definitely felt the impact from going back to "proper" dance during the last week. So it could just be a temporary loss of fitness that she'll get back within a few weeks?

Yup, it's been tough after lockdown and however hard they work on a soon, they do undoubtedly work so much harder in the studio!

An easy day today with some fresh air and sunshine and hopefully by next weekend, she'll be back in the swing of it.

@paralysedbyinertia I will definitely get her checked out if it carries on/gets worse. I am sure it's just puberty though alongside getting back to dancing in person.

I may make her favourite chicken parmigiana for dinner ;-) Cheer everyone up a bit!