WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR FEBRUARY 2021

Oh look ... we're actually getting a couple warmish days!

Machka9 wrote: »

I am trying to work out why I am so tired right after work ... and trying to figure out how to increase my energy.

Ideally, my husband and I would like to go cycling after work. I feel energetic all day, right up till I get onto the bus ... I look forward to cycling all day. But about 2 seconds after I get onto the hot stuffy bus, my energy absolutely disappears and by the time I get home all I feel like doing is napping.

I do drag myself out for a walk sometimes but feel like that's about all I can do.

The idea of changing into cycling gear and driving to a spot we can cycle is just too much.

A couple hours later I get a surge of energy again which can take me through to midnight. But by then, it's dark and we don't really want to go out.

I thought I would have more energy once uni finished.

I am sleeping a bit more now.

I don't have homework in the evenings.

But I still don't have energy.

M in Oz

Machka, I think a day of work is tiring.
I'm thinking of a book read long ago by jack kornfield. He was teaching a lot of meditation retreats and was tired and trying to find a way to be less tired, and the advice of his wise teacher was to teach less. I think life asks a lot of us(and you in particular, with your DH and uni of late). Personally up until I was 40 or so I could work a full schedule and still do plenty more (classes, sports,social activities). Though, also, in my younger energetic days, I would need a lot of sleep after intensive work periods. Now, after 50, I'm no longer up for being 150% active all the time. I can still work full time and do a bit more, but not always massively more. I need and want to kick back sometimes. My sister used to make use of her lunch breaks. She'd have lunch while working, and use lunch break to go for a much-needed walk around the area she was working at.

Do you use your gym equipment when you get your evening surge?

I get so tired after work sometimes I need a short nap and then sometimes I'm full of energy later.

We're not even allowed to go out after 6pm at present. It's becoming a drag as the days are getting longer.
Even during strict lockdown we could choose our time to go out.

bananasandoranges wrote: »

Machka9 wrote: »

I am trying to work out why I am so tired right after work ... and trying to figure out how to increase my energy.

Ideally, my husband and I would like to go cycling after work. I feel energetic all day, right up till I get onto the bus ... I look forward to cycling all day. But about 2 seconds after I get onto the hot stuffy bus, my energy absolutely disappears and by the time I get home all I feel like doing is napping.

I do drag myself out for a walk sometimes but feel like that's about all I can do.

The idea of changing into cycling gear and driving to a spot we can cycle is just too much.

A couple hours later I get a surge of energy again which can take me through to midnight. But by then, it's dark and we don't really want to go out.

I thought I would have more energy once uni finished.

I am sleeping a bit more now.

I don't have homework in the evenings.

But I still don't have energy.

M in Oz

Machka, I think a day of work is tiring.
I'm thinking of a book read long ago by jack kornfield. He was teaching a lot of meditation retreats and was tired and trying to find a way to be less tired, and the advice of his wise teacher was to teach less. I think life asks a lot of us(and you in particular, with your DH and uni of late). Personally up until I was 40 or so I could work a full schedule and still do plenty more (classes, sports,social activities). Though, also, in my younger energetic days, I would need a lot of sleep after intensive work periods. Now, after 50, I'm no longer up for being 150% active all the time. I can still work full time and do a bit more, but not always massively more. I need and want to kick back sometimes. My sister used to make use of her lunch breaks. She'd have lunch while working, and use lunch break to go for a much-needed walk around the area she was working at.

Do you use your gym equipment when you get your evening surge?

I get so tired after work sometimes I need a short nap and then sometimes I'm full of energy later.

We're not even allowed to go out after 6pm at present. It's becoming a drag as the days are getting longer.
Even during strict lockdown we could choose our time to go out.

I was energetic up till 2018 (51 years old). And then I got old.

Lunch: I run errands or walk and can cover up to 6 km in my hour. Today I probably only walked 1 km because I had the Dr appointment.

Gym: I use the equipment later in the evening only occasionally because it means going around outside in the dark to the basement area. But I have started doing about 15 minutes of weights upstairs.

M in Oz

I'm glad I'm officially 'old', so I don't have to worry about how much energy I've got. My day ends around 5 pm when we have our 'aperitif' and watch Pointless together at 5.15. Then dinner, then TV. Marvellous. I've never done much in the evening. Maybe on holiday, or a cruise, but mostly we just stay in and watch TV. Apart from when I was in my 20s, I've always been like that. I suspect having children to look after has something to do with it.
We used to go out once a week to French or Dancing, but not right now. My son and wife go to bed really early, around 9 pm, because the kids are up and running at 6.30. Rest is very important. My energy burst time is around 10 am, so I use that for my writing. If I don't do it then, it doesn't get done.
Mind you I retired from work at 55 and before that I was only teaching part time. I have to save a lot of energy for my writing or I don't do it. I have to be very careful what I spend my energy on and I hoard it carefully for my writing. That is my absolute priority.
I occasionally have a 30 minutes nap in the afternoon, but not too much or I don't sleep.
I am super careful about what I commit to and don't take positions of responsibility. Nor do I make lists of things to do. I woukd find that very disheartening. I try to keep my life as simple as possible and hate it when it gets cluttered up.
I am definitely a minimalist, in things, and in time. I like big gaps between commitments.
The only time I do much more is on the cruises, but I am absolutely exhausted when I come home! :laugh:

Love Heather UK xxxxxxxx

KJLaMore wrote: »

A quick message to Machka (and any others who feel they can relate)- I am with you on the exhaustion at the end of the day! For me, I don't think it is so much of an age thing, or even a physical wellness issue when it comes to the fatigue. For me it is all mental. Stress. And this past year it has become so evident. I have to write everything down because my brain can't handle remembering the simplest things. Covid=trauma. Having to change the way we live, the places we go, tracking the virus, the news, the warring opinions regarding how things are being handled...it is mentally exhausting to me and makes me want to just shut down. I think you have had four years of intense pressure and stress. Between work, school, your DH's injury, then Covid stuff. It is just too much. Take the time to rest and recover. Your energy level will come back. I am hoping mine does, as well. Sending you love and hugs.

I agree! I think it is stress or mostly stress.

I guess I had naively thought that when uni finished most of the stress would ease. The uni stress eased, but of course finishing uni didn't ease the carer stress or work stress. In fact, when I finished uni all of a sudden my workload increased because when I finished uni, our hardworking and diligent grad student also finished his "apprenticeship" program and got a job elsewhere ... and I have taken over a lot of what he has been doing over the past 2 years. And there is a list of additional things which need doing at home which I had shoved to the back burner while I was in uni. Fortunately not all of them have hard deadlines, but some do.

I am happy to report that I have finished the dressing room to the point I wanted before the house inspection. That house inspection is a hard deadline! The next two evenings will be a lot of tidying and cleaning and touching up in preparation for that ... but I am quite pleased with the dressing room now. There is a little bit more to do but it can wait till after the house inspection.

Thursday evening, the house inspection will be complete, and that might be a good evening to relax a bit. Take a breath.

I hope your energy level comes back too. Love and hugs to you too.


M in Oz

"Get to do"s and "chose well"s
Note to self: take those vitamins WITH your meals. :sick: blearg. Nausea most Sunday, finally eased with meal. It took 2 ibuprofen to knock out the 3 day headache.

Penny meant grandson not nephew. Blame my oops on the headache.
Machka since I live in house #2, I’d opt for the warmer weather house #1.
Annie
Lisa, Margaret, KJ, Teresa, Dee, Okie, Rita, Beth, Kylia, BRR! Hope y’all are safe and warm. Likewise all our TX gals (Cathy, Suebdew …)
Tracey absolutely yes! The grant prep work done this year will support next year’s attempt. That’s why I was not disappointed but relieved when the board agreed to drop it this year. Understand it’s difficult to keep asking Rodger to clean the things you see but he doesn’t, but if he ever hopes to have you return to “full duty,” you need to obey the restrictions, reduce the stress and heal. Please don’t feel bad, it’s for his long term good too! Would he accept some kind of game, like “I Spy” to help him see what you see? I couldn’t imagine Joe ever dusting ANYTHING. He’d swish a toilet, sweep or vacuum a floor, just not to the edges, a compromise I have to swallow. Thanks for asking Dee about the four princes book, “The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom”, just put it on hold at our library .
Carol, WOW, what a great return on your investment
Pip that painting/photo of Yogi, so expressive!
Beth Thanks! the pup’s sleeping half off the bed, couldn’t open the second pic til the second post. Made me go “Oooohhh!” out loud.
Machka it is no wonder to me that you are tired. Tracey’s and KJs comments about long term stress, sleep deprivation and how long it takes to recoup from them are right on. After Papa passed away, Mama slept the whole summer. She’d cared for him in his wheelchair for 17 years and was completely worn out. As a band-aid, could you try eating a piece of fruit as you leave work? Might give you the energy to change into your cycling gear when you get home.
Welcome back @DonnasWay0805 ! Would you remind us what you’d like to be called and your general locale?
Kay so glad to see you post, was missing you! What kind of device (phone, tablet, laptop) do you use for mfp?
Katla glad you’re staying warm and cozy, hope you’re feeling better.
Heather like you I’m glad to be officially “old” also somewhat grateful to the pandemic for the excuse not to go out in the evenings. The only evening activities I used to attend were Line Dancing Tuesdays and Fridays, monthly fire district board meetings, Advent/Lenten Wednesday soup suppers. Now I'm trying to drop in to the fire hall Monday evenings from 5:30-6 to establish relationships and follow up on THINGS THAT MUST BE DONE (insert whip crack here) by someone other than me , My energy surges are all either very very early mornings or very very late nights. By 1 in the afternoon, I’m done, unless have a socially distanced buddy stroll scheduled. Joe is trying to teach me to adopt his “only one thing per day” rule but, nope

Woke around 1:30, Joe got up too so we sat together and watched an old City Confidential as we sipped our morning beverages. He then breakfasted while I caught up here. He hinted that he might take the dogs to Chrissey Field when the day brightens, only intermittent showers are expected. This is much needed as the dogs, and we, are cabin fevered. I’m a little sleepy so will nap an hour or so, then spring up ready to go. I really REALLY need to get back to walking. Fingers X’d.

Lighter, lovelies!
Barbara, the Southern Oregon Coastie AHMOD

Machka9 wrote: »

In other news, I might try to track down a heating pad this week during one of my lunches.

They aren't common here but I think a medical supply store might have them.

M in Oz

I'm sitting here with a heating pad wrapped around my knees that I just got from Amazon last week. I bought it for Corey, but have used it myself every day since it arrived. My knees do not like cold weather at all.

Feeling old in Arkansas... Here's the comparison of yesterday and today:



Lowest temperatures I've seen since I left Montana in 1980-something. Corey and I went to Anchorage, Alaska, a few years back in January and it wasn't this cold... grrf.