Why am I so Tired and Anxious All the Time?
Some of the more common and easily recognizable menopause symptoms are things like hot flashes, night sweats, and weight gain. I definitely experienced my share of those beginning in my late 40s. I knew these were the tell-tale signs of menopause. But I also experienced mood swings, anxiety, and crippling fatigue.
How I Dragged Myself Through Menopause
When I started menopause in my late 40s, I was completely blindsided by how TIRED I was. I had once been a bundle of energy, going to work as a high school teacher, working out, keeping up with teenage kids and pets, playing tennis with friends, camping, hiking, and so much more. When menopause hit, my energy and motivation suddenly left the building. I really felt as if I was dragging myself through life.
My mood also changed. I felt like I was constantly on edge. When things got even a tiny bit stressful at work, my heart palpitated and I struggled to breathe. Talk about scary! At home, my husband and kids would fray my last nerve and I would angrily explode. This behavior was not my previous pattern at all. How did I go from a kind, loving mother and wife to a ticking time bomb? I didn't want to feel this way, but it was like I had lost all self control. I felt so helpless in my situation.
The Physiology Behind Feeling Tired and Anxious
Menopause = hormonal changes. No surprise there. But I didn't realize just how important the delicate dance of hormones— estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, insulin, thyroid, and cortisol— are to all of our bodily functions. Hormones regulate energy levels and our bodies' reaction to stress. My body was struggling to tap into my energy stores, which made me tired and listless. On top of that, my system could not regulate itself in reaction to stress. Sometimes the smallest annoyance, like my husband leaving his clothes on the floor, would feel like a physical snapping in my brain. I felt a physical pain sensation when faced with a stressful situation. At work, I would feel my heart race if I felt behind on my work. Again, hormones regulate the physical reactions to stress, and the fluctuation of hormones in menopause caused my heart and pulse to race. I often felt as if I was having panic attacks.
How to Manage Menopause Symptoms
When our mothers went through menopause, the only answer for their symptoms was pharmaceuticals, often in the form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). While some women respond well to this treatment, it's not for everyone. Today, we have a better idea of how lifestyle changes can improve our hormone balance, manage symptoms, and give us back a sense of normalcy. One of my favorite resources for learning about menopause is Dr Mary Claire Haver's website The Pause Life (www.thepauselife.com). Dr Haver's Ultimate Menopause Toolkit urges you to evaluate six areas of your life to enhance your well-being during menopause.
Nutrition
Dr Haver created The Galveston Diet to counteract inflammation that causes many symptoms of menopause and disease. The diet focuses on whole foods and limits processed food and sugar. From my own experience, rejecting processed foods and sugar is key to combating inflammation and reversing menopause symptoms. I also incorporated intermittent fasting into my daily routine, and by Day 3, I had my energy back and my mood was stable again. No more dragging myself through the day! I slept soundly through the night, stopped having night sweats, and these days I rarely experience hot flashes. It's amazing what a few simple dietary changes can do.
Exercise
Simple, regular movement, such as walking and stretching, will keep us going in our later years. Now we know that weight resistance exercises can help reverse osteoporosis, create endurance, and keep us strong enough to move and enjoy life with a lower risk of injury as we age. Women in their 40s and beyond are encouraged to pick up heavier weights, use barbells, and incorporate weight machines to foster anti-aging. These types of exercises are great for regulating metabolism, decreasing stress, promoting healthy body image, and increasing energy. When you feel good, everything seems better.
Pharmacology
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is the first treatment for menopause that usually comes to mind, but there are many medications that can target specific symptoms. For example, there is Lunesta for insomnia, Fosamax for osteoporosis, Zoloft for mood, and Ozempic for weight management. If you're curious about these types of medications, discuss possible options with a trusted healthcare professional and decide what's best for you. Personally, I am not okay with the range of side effects and long-term negative health effects of some prescription drugs, so it's my choice to tackle my symptoms with supplements, diet, exercise, and intermittent fasting. This is exactly what I did. I found that intermittent fasting on the 20:4 schedule helped me sleep at night, got rid of my hot flashes and night sweats, helped me stay calm and focused, and took away my inflammation. I didn’t need a handful of medications. Way cheaper, less time consuming, super effective, and NO side effects.
Stress Reduction
When I hear the advice to reduce stress for health improvement, I get angry. I know, the irony! I get angry, because if I could reduce my stress at work and with my family, I WOULD! While we can't remove our job, coworkers, traffic, deadlines, dishes appearing in the sink, and men's clothing ending up on the floor, we CAN choose to take a deep breath and decide to be grateful for the job that puts food on the table and the loving loyal husband that throws his clothes on the floor. Journaling to express and process our feelings also helps. It's not “woo woo”, it actually helps our bodies recalibrate. Furthermore, counseling sessions can help you manage your expectations and adopt realistic strategies for navigating the tough stuff that WILL pop up in life.
Sleep Quality
Getting a full 7 to 8 hours of restful sleep is essential to regulate cortisol and decrease inflammation in the body. Many chronic conditions stem from lack of sleep. When I first started menopause, insomnia was a symptom that nothing could fix for me. Then I tried intermittent fasting. It helped me get to sleep and stay asleep. I know a lot of women and men who take Pharmaceuticals and other over the counter medications to aid with sleep. While these can help with sleep, they often create a dependency and can cause side effects.
Community
This is one incredible life hack. When I'm down or frustrated, just hearing a friend's voice over the phone can soothe my mood. Talking with other women who are going through the same issues helps us feel that we are not alone. we need each other. It's not optional. If you want to decrease stress and feel more grounded, get with others who love and support you.
Dear Reader, I hope you have some new tools in your arsenal to manage this rollercoaster called menopause. I have addressed each one of these categories from Dr. Haver in my own menopause journey, and let me tell you, this works. If you are feeling overwhelmed, start with one idea. Maybe start with a 30 minute walk daily. Too much? Try a 10 minute walk. The strategy with the most bang for the buck (for me) was intermittent fasting. It's a no-cost, no time way to improve your health. Will you experience some hunger during the first few days? Absolutely! Will that go away along with your menopause symptoms? Most likely! Why not try it? You have nothing to lose.
Cheering for you,
Jennifer Kaye