Admittedly, I have been really quite stressed for a long time and it's getting worse and sadly not currently something 'fixable' but everything combined is having such a detrimental effect on my energy levels and I just want to sleep all the time.
I am 53 next month and have been in peri for many years. I also have endometriosis, adenomyosis, IBS, adhd and a history of depression and anxiety so I know that I struggle but no matter what I do to help myself I just can not fix this overwhelming exhaustion and it is really punching the life out of me.
I go to bed exhausted, my sleep is either really deep and satisfying or the complete opposite and restless as hell (although, tbh it has been the latter for a while now). I wake every day with high anxiety for the day ahead, I do not wake refreshed at all and feel like a zombie until around midday. I will get a few hours in the early afternoon when I may feel a little more human-like then crash again towards the end of the day (I only work a few hours a week and then it's not until the afternoon). I constantly battle the urge to fall into a deep sleep around 7pm, if I do this then I can't sleep when I do go to bed but often I am just too knackered to fight it so that becomes a no-win situation.
What can I do? Obviously everything is a million times worse at this time of year but do try to be healthy, I eat as well as I can (although can be a bit difficult with daily digestive issues), make sure I avoid any known trigger foods, I have protein with every meal and I only drink water. I walk for around an hour a day (split into two smaller walks) with my dog over fields and woodland and have to really push myself most days as I feel wobbly and drained. I am not overweight. I don't take any meds which could leave me so tired, in fact I currently take no meds only co-codamol or paracetamol a few times a month for my endo/adeno pain and peppermint oil sometimes for my gut issues. I try to combat my stress with daily relaxation techniques, hypnotherapy and have just finished my last counselling session (I have had quite a bit of counselling over the last few years) but none of this helps.
I was anaemic for many years but following iron infusions and a gynae op to stop my bleeding 4 years ago my iron levels have now returned to normal, including ferritin which had previously been at 3 for years. I had a full blood panel taken at the end of summer last year and all results returned as normal. Normal levels for iron, vitamin D, B12, folate, FBC etc. Thyroid levels are all normal too.
I honestly don't know what else I can do for myself to combat this exhaustion? Alongside the restrictions of my current chronic health issues I am finding this exhaustion and malaise just too much.
Any suggestions? I know there is little I can do about some of my chronic health issues and certainly not with my source of current stress sadly (my mum is terminally ill with advanced dementia) but I just want to be able to get through the day without desperately wanting to go to bed.