After 50 energy level

christinewatson68

So, I’ve been an active woman (running, CrossFit, kayaking) the last 6 years but since going through menopause I have lost all energy and have not been able to maintain an exercise schedule at all. My body is betraying me - any suggestions ?

kimny72

christinewatson68 wrote: »

So, I’ve been an active woman (running, CrossFit, kayaking) the last 6 years but since going through menopause I have lost all energy and have not been able to maintain an exercise schedule at all. My body is betraying me - any suggestions ?

I haven't been through it yet personally, but several friend/family members told me they needed more sleep after menopause. Like, measurably more sleep. You might also play around with your macros/meal timing and see if shifting your calories around a little bit helps.

I'm sure you'll get more personal experiences, just wanted to get you started!

AnnPT77

Have you had blood tests for thyroid, iron, B12, other nutritional factors? Is it possible that you have sleep issues (sleep apnea, that sort of thing)?

I'm menopausal, but how I got there doesn't really let me understand what most women experience during the transition. (Chemotherapy put me in menopause - hard stop, no transition - at about age 44. The chemotherapy affected my energy level enough that I didn't get a read on the effect of the menopause. ).

What I would say is that my energy level at this point (age 62, 63 next month) doesn't seem materially worse than when I was younger . . . but I do find that issues like rest days/recovery, sleep and nutrition are more important than they once were, and the penalty for short-changing any of them lasts longer.

Subjectively/anecdotally, protein seems particularly crucial to me, if I'm getting strength-challenging exercise especially. There's some research suggesting that we absorb protein less well as we age, making it more important to get enough, and that in older people it may be more important to spread it through the day (even though timing meals for nutrition isn't usually very important for other than elite athletes). For me, carb timing related to workouts can also make a difference, but I'm not talking anything radical.

I hope you can find a path to improvement!

33gail33

Following for suggestions. I wish I could help but in the same situation sadly. Maybe we do need more sleep - but insomnia makes that pretty much impossible at this stage.

spiriteagle99

I'll second the recommendation to get your iron/ferritin and thyroid checked. Have you been exposed to Lyme or West Nile?

I didn't notice any real difference in my energy after menopause. I have low thyroid, which was diagnosed before menopause, and occasional anemia which was diagnosed just a couple of years ago. Both caused a lack of energy until I addressed them.

mbmart60

I am post menopausal (naturally 7 years ago) also hypothyroid (congenital since birth). For years I had been able to skip my medicine for up to 2 months at a time and was pretty active running and weight training. However in the last few years it has taken less time for the effects of not taking meds to manifest itself. (Weight gain tired, no energy. My practioner has restarted me on lowest dosage of thyroid from one of almost double for all of my adult life. So all this to say get it checked, it is one of the most under diagnosed conditions in women. Hope this helps

lalalacroix

I am 50, menopausal and overweight. Honestly my energy levels are through the roof. The days that my energy levels are lower usually follows nights with little sleep. So for me, getting a good night's sleep really keeps my energy levels high.

JustaJoe00

just wanted to say hang in there, and you'll find a way to wake up your body again....good luck.

lizziebeth1028

Post menopausal here! I've found that I now have to pay attention to all the things I could ignore when I was a young kid in my 40's working out Like getting proper sleep, hydrating, varying the intensity of my work outs, taking a much earned rest day, warming up properly, cooling down properly, pacing myself better, eating well, enough calories, enough protein, and number one advise for menopausal women - STRENGTH TRAINING. As we age we naturally lose muscle mass, our fluctuating hormones really speed up that process. So it's important to work on maintaining and building muscle!! So this old cardio bunny from back in the day now puts more emphasis on lifting weights, strength training, body weight exercises then I do on along cardio burnout sessions. And I found as I get stronger I have more energy!

Rocknut53

christinewatson68 wrote: »

So, I’ve been an active woman (running, CrossFit, kayaking) the last 6 years but since going through menopause I have lost all energy and have not been able to maintain an exercise schedule at all. My body is betraying me - any suggestions ?

Perhaps, your mind is betraying you (assuming you've had all the physical elements checked out). We've all been conditioned to accept menopause as the cutoff point for feeling youthful and energetic. Yes, physically it can affect you, but I've found the more I focus on eating mindfully, exercising purposely, and just not letting myself accept the "inevitable" the better I feel. The only issue I have that can affect my energy level is not getting enough sleep which is usually brought on by some stressor in my life (a couple deaths in the family and bringing a new puppy into the household, among other things).

urloved33

christinewatson68 wrote: »

So, I’ve been an active woman (running, CrossFit, kayaking) the last 6 years but since going through menopause I have lost all energy and have not been able to maintain an exercise schedule at all. My body is betraying me - any suggestions ?

and a good shift for me was getting my cardio in before the day begins...it perks me up throughout the day - I lift at night. I do eat much better than I ever have and don't binge on junk food all that often or all that much in volume.

emmamcgarity

51 and post here. Sleep deprivation definitely can affect me more than before. I have also noticed that I am more sensitive to caffeine preventing me from sleeping. I have to cut off caffeine after lunch or I won’t sleep well. And if I don’t sleep well my energy level suffers.

UltraRunnerGale

I'll be 60 in February and I haven't noticed any of those things, but I've always been a "jump out of bed, ready for the day" type of person. I get around 6 hours of sleep a night and am still high-energy. I usually get up at about 4:15ish but by 9 or 10pm, I'm ready for bed. LOL!! Menopause has caused a plethora of other issues, but not sleep and energy. Good luck!!

motivatedmartha

christinewatson68 wrote: »

So, I’ve been an active woman (running, CrossFit, kayaking) the last 6 years but since going through menopause I have lost all energy and have not been able to maintain an exercise schedule at all. My body is betraying me - any suggestions ?

62 here! I really recommend you get some blood tests sorted as there may be some underlying deficiences. It may just be that your body is adapting to the changes but it is worth getting checked out. I have found it harder to be as active in the mornings in recent years - although insomnia means I sleep a lot less than I would like I am awake pretty early I am very loth to leave a comfortable bed, especially as the drivers of work and family are not there to give me a kick in the backside - hubby nags instead But in general, life after menpause has been good and I am slimmer and fitter than I have been for years. I do recommend at least some good resistance training in your exercise regime even if you don't want to lift. I also find walking in beautiful places makes exercising a pleasure for me and not a penance.

Machka9

christinewatson68 wrote: »

So, I’ve been an active woman (running, CrossFit, kayaking) the last 6 years but since going through menopause I have lost all energy and have not been able to maintain an exercise schedule at all. My body is betraying me - any suggestions ?

I'm right in the middle of it all, and I do find I need to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night instead of my old "usual" of 6 hours of sleep. But otherwise, I'm still active.

Maybe you just need a bit extra sleep at night?

GottaBurnEmAll

Post menopausal here. I second the recommendation to get everything checked.

If everything checks out okay, I further recommend good sleep hygiene. Go to bed and wake at the same time every day so that you get a consistent amount of quality sleep and enough sleep. Try to zero in on just how much you need. This seems to have become more important for me.

Another thing that seems to help me is eating enough protein. Make sure you're getting at LEAST .6 - .8 grams per pound of body weight per day, if not more. I find the higher my protein intake, the better and more energetic I feel.