Extreme fatigue can certainly be a symptom of menopause for some women. As hormone levels fluctuate and decline during the menopausal transition, women may experience fatigue along with other common menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, and mood changes.
Several factors can contribute to feeling abnormally drained of energy during menopause:
- Estrogen deficiency - Estrogen helps regulate energy metabolism and blood sugar control. As estrogen levels drop, women may experience fatigue, sluggishness, and low stamina.
- Poor sleep - Many women have trouble sleeping during menopause due to hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, and hormone changes. Chronic poor sleep leads to daytime exhaustion.
- Stress - Hormonal changes, menopausal symptoms, and life stresses during midlife can tax the adrenal glands and stress response. Adrenal fatigue can leave women feeling wiped out.
- Thyroid issues - Thyroid problems become more common in perimenopause and can cause deep fatigue, among other symptoms. Estrogen helps regulate the thyroid gland.
- Iron deficiency anemia - Heavy menstrual bleeding prior to menopause causes iron levels to drop for some women, resulting in anemia and profound weakness.
- Medication side effects - Some medications prescribed to manage menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and insomnia can cause drowsiness as a side effect.
- Mood disorders - Depression and anxiety may develop or worsen during menopause, and extreme fatigue is a common symptom of these conditions.
- Lifestyle factors - Lack of physical activity, poor diet, excess alcohol consumption, and chronic stress can all contribute to low energy levels.
In summary, hormone changes are often the root cause of menopausal fatigue, but lifestyle and health factors can play a role too. The degree of tiredness experienced varies widely in individual women. Some may occasionally feel more sluggish than usual, while others struggle with debilitating, persistent exhaustion that severely impacts work, relationships and quality of life.
If you're
feeling much more fatigued than normal during perimenopause or after menopause, don't just chalk it up to "normal aging." Make an appointment with your healthcare provider to identify any underlying causes.
You don't have to settle for feeling drained and lifeless. Various treatment options may help, including:
- Hormone therapy - Supplemental estrogen and/or progesterone can help alleviate severe menopause-related fatigue by regulating hormones. Discuss risks/benefits with your doctor.
- Thyroid medication - If hypothyroidism is causing your fatigue, thyroid replacement hormones may help resolve your symptoms.
- Iron supplements - Iron tablets can reduce exhaustion from iron deficiency anemia. Eating iron-rich foods may also help.
- Antidepressants - If depression is contributing to your chronic tiredness, your doctor may prescribe an SSRI or similar medication to stabilize mood.
- Adrenal support supplements - Adaptogenic herbs, B complex vitamins, magnesium, and vitamin C may support tired adrenal glands and stress response.
- Lifestyle changes - Improving sleep quality, reducing stress, following an anti-inflammatory diet, exercising moderately, and allowing time for self-care can all help boost energy. Consider working with a nutritionist or personal trainer for guidance.
The experts at
Balanced Hormone Clinic specialize in treating menopause-related fatigue and helping women
regain their zest for life. Their comprehensive treatment plans are tailored to your hormones, health status, risk factors, and lifestyle to produce real, lasting relief from exhaustion while improving overall wellbeing.
Convenient telehealth appointments, top-quality compounded hormone therapy medications, and exceptional patient care allow you to
look and feel like your vibrant self again. Contact Balanced Hormone Clinic today to schedule your fatigue relief consultation!
