Just as puberty and pregnancy, every women has to face a natural event in her mid life, it is called menopause. Menopause is a stage in women’s life where there is complete and permanent stoppage of menstrual cycle. It also indicates the end of her fertility. The age at which menopause sets in may differ from one women to another.
The average age of menopause is considered to be 51 years. The ovaries stop producing estrogen as the women reaches menopause. There are many other changes that can be observed due to hormonal imbalance that occurs during menopause.
Fatigue, lack of enthusiasm and tiredness is one of the foremost symptoms of menopause that almost every woman has to face to some extent.
What Causes Fatigue In Menopause?
During menopause, the ovaries start producing less amount of estrogen. Fewer amounts of estrogen and progesterone circulating in the body may have many untoward effects in a woman. Hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, palpitation, vaginal dryness, low sex drive, low energy level and disturbed sleep are some of the consequences of low level of estrogen and progesterone.
Many times night sweats and hot flashes can keep the woman awake at night.
Insomnia and disturbed sleep can affect her day time activities; she will feel drowsy, tired and fatigued. Besides, depression during menopause is common. It can make the woman feel unmotivated and tired.
Fatigue during menopause may not only cause everyday life miserable, but in a long run it can lead to undue health problems. Studies have linked insomnia with diseases such as hypertension, heart ailments, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and stroke.
Natural Remedies For Fatigue During Menopause
Few lifestyle changes can help in reducing the symptoms of fatigue during menopause.
- Stop drinking excess of tea, coffee and alcohol. Also stop smoking. They all are known to cause sleep disturbance and insomnia. When consumed during menopause, they will certainly aggravate the condition. If at all you want to drink tea and coffee, take it in moderate amount.
- During menopause, exercise during day or in the afternoon. Avoid doing it at night or near bedtime. Exercising few hours before bedtime can interfere your night sleep.
- Sleep in air-conditioned room or in cool place. Wear loose fitting clothes, use light bedding. All such minor changes can reduce the incidence of night sweats and hot flashes, which prevent sound sleep.
- Avoid eating large meals at night. Keep at least a gap of 3 hours between your dinner and sleeping schedule. It will prevent interference in sleep as a result of heartburn.
- Do not over exercise or else it can cause fatigue.
- Relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing are useful in reducing stress and depression which may be responsible for fatigue.
- The herb valerian is beneficial in inducing sleep. Many women undergoing menopausal changes have found improvement in their sleep. Thus day time fatigue is reduced remarkably.
- Other herbs such as chamomile and St. John’s Wort are famous for treating various symptoms of menopause including fatigue.
- A few drops of lavender oil, or jasmine oil sprayed in the room helps to get sound deep sleep.
- Drink enough water and eat healthy food during this period.
If all the above recommendations fail to relieve fatigue and insomnia, you have to talk to your doctor. There are several other medicinal options such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), antidepressants and medications that help in sound sleep.
The key to reduce fatigue during menopause is to have good night sleep. Once the woman has proper 6 to 7 hours sleep, she will feel energetic during day time with decreased level of fatigue.
