Why does menopause make you feel tired?
Tiredness is a common sign that affects many of us during menopause, often making daily life feel more challenging.
Menopause fatigue may feel like physical or mental exhaustion, with a study of 300 women in the US finding that nearly half (47%) of women felt physically and mentally exhausted in the time leading up to menopause. This figure jumped to a huge 85% in women who had reached menopause (compared to just 20% of pre-menopausal women who reported feelings of exhaustion).
While it’s normal to feel more tired than usual from time to time, your body is undergoing some pretty big changes in the lead up to menopause – ones that may affect you both physically and emotionally.
What causes fatigue during menopause?
Before we discuss why menopause can leave you feeling fatigued, let’s recap what menopause actually is.
Technically speaking, menopause marks the moment when your periods stop entirely, but this isn’t official until you haven’t had a period for 12 months. The time leading up to this, when your periods become irregular, is known as perimenopause.
During perimenopause, your ovaries start slowing down and levels of important hormones, such as oestrogen, decline. These hormonal changes are connected to many of the other signs typically associated with menopause, including brain fog, low mood and stress.
Sleep disruption
Leading up to, during and after menopause, levels of oestrogen and progesterone steadily decline. This hormonal shift is linked to sleep disruption around menopause – specifically, difficulty falling asleep and poor quality of sleep. This may partly explain the relationship between menopause and tiredness.
Night sweats are another reason for poor sleep during menopause. Having hot flushes at night can disrupt sleep and make it hard for women to fall asleep.
Low mood
Around menopause, women are more likely to experience depression and other mental health conditions such as anxiety. This increased risk may be down to changing oestrogen levels, which impact the brain.
A lack of sleep and feeling tired can also make certain signs feel worse, including irritability, your ability to concentrate and anxiety.
So, addressing problems with sleep may help you manage some of the mental health symptoms you experience due to menopause.
Stress and responsibilities
Midlife often brings a lot of responsibilities, whether it’s managing a career, parenting, maintaining relationships or caring for others. Juggling all these things can be enough to make anyone feel worn out!
Add menopause signs into the mix, and it’s easy to see how your stress levels can increase. As fatigue is a natural by-product of stress, this may be another explanation for why you’re feeling exhausted.
Menopause fatigue risk factors
Not all women will experience fatigue as a sign of menopause. However, certain factors can increase your likelihood of experiencing fatigue, including anxiety, low mood and sleep issues.
While this may sound concerning, there are several things you can do to help manage fatigue during menopause.
How to manage fatigue during menopause
If you’re looking to manage fatigue during menopause, here are a few ideas to consider implementing in your day-to-day routine.
Focus on improving your sleep
A good bedtime routine can help make it easier to get a good night’s sleep. One study found that menopausal women may benefit from techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation and meditation.
Try to exercise more
Exercise may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you're feeling tired, but you may find that it actually boosts energy levels and reduces fatigue.
Staying active by playing sports or exercising may also help you to stay asleep during the night, improving your level of sleep quality and making you sleep deeper.
Don’t be afraid to try a few different types of exercise to see what works best for you.
Ask for help
If you’re really struggling with menopause and fatigue, it’s best to discuss this with your doctor. They’ll be able to rule out whether any other health conditions could be the cause of your signs.
Your doctor can also talk to you about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), particularly if other menopausal signs are significantly affecting your quality of life. This involves taking hormones such as oestrogen, which your body produces less of as you reach menopause.
While HRT can help with several menopausal signs, it can have potential side effects, so it’s important to speak to your doctor about the best approach for you.
Fatigue is a common sign of menopause, and it can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming, but with the right strategies and support, you can make this challenging time easier to navigate.
If fatigue is shaping how you feel day to day, you can explore more ways to manage it on the CanesMeno® hub.
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