Fatigue and menopause

Is the menopause causing you to feel exhausted?

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Fatigue is a common problem throughout the menopause and can be emotionally and mentally draining. Trying to go about your day to day lives can often feel strenuous and exhausting. Here, our menopause expert Eileen Durward confronts fatigue and explains the multifaceted causes behind the symptom, as well as the herbal remedies that can be taken to alleviate the feelings of weariness.

An introduction to fatigue and menopause

Fatigue is a feeling of extreme exhaustion and complete lack of energy. Menopausal fatigue, or crashing fatigue, is when this feeling suddenly overwhelms a person. While fatigue is often exacerbated after physical or mental exercise, for menopausal women it can come at any time, without good reason, even after a good night’s sleep. In fact, often with this symptom, the woman is not sleepy or longing for bed, but completely lacking in energy and unable to continue with their normal activities.

Certain lifestyle factors may trigger the symptom. These include stress and anxiety, and so it is worth trying to keep these at a minimum, not least for your general well-being.

At this time of life, low thyroid function and low iron levels can also appear, causing similar symptoms. If you are feeling fatigued on a regular basis, it is best to get checked out in case it is down to one of these underlying health issues.

It is important not to confuse episodes of menopausal fatigue with a more serious condition such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or anaemia, when you will feel prolonged periods of exhaustion which do not go away with sleep or rest.

Certain lifestyle factors may trigger the symptom. These include stress and anxiety, and so it is worth trying to keep these at a minimum, not least for your general well-being.

Why does menopause cause fatigue?

Menopausal fatigue is often thought to be the result of hormone imbalances. As hormone levels, particularly oestrogen, fluctuate, you will notice differences in your energy levels. It is when the level of oestrogen is at rock bottom that you will experience fatigue.

These hormonal changes can influence your normal sleep pattern, so that women who had always slept well before the menopause find they are suddenly struggling to achieve adequate restful sleep. This is often a cause of fatigue during the day.

There are lifestyle causes which could also trigger fatigue. Many menopausal women feel that they are under greater time restraints, and often other menopause symptoms such as memory lapses can make a woman feel stressed. This is likely to result in an episode of fatigue.

What home remedies are there for fatigue?

Many menopausal women who suffer from fatigue find relief from simple home remedies:

Sleep well – while this may seem obvious, many people do not realise how much sleep they actually need. Getting between seven and a half to nine hours sleep a night is vital to be able to function properly the next day. If you are having difficulty sleeping our sleep hygiene tips may help
Stay hydrated – dehydration, more often than not, causes fatigue. Remember that certain fluids such as coffee and alcohol have a dehydrating effect and so water is a much more effective substitute
Keep stress to a minimum – constantly worrying and panicking will only increase your chances of wearing yourself down. It is important to give yourself a bit of time to relax each day
Eat a healthy diet – if you are taking in the correct nutrients each day, this will give you energy to see you through the day. Eating a lot of refined sugar or caffeine may give you a short-term energy boost, but will not help you in the long run.

Are there herbal remedies to help me?

As hormonal changes are the root of many menopausal symptoms, start off with soy isoflavones, a supplement that can see you through all stages of the menopause.

Eileen's TOP TIP: A.Vogel Menopause Support contains isoflavones from fermented soy, hibiscus as well as magnesium which can specifically help with tiredness or menopausal fatigue.

"Helped to eliminate all the unpleasant moments of my menopause." read more customer reviews

What about conventional medicine?

If you have found that home or herbal remedies are not working for you, then it may be worth speaking to a pharmacist or doctor. There are some conventional treatments available to ease your symptoms of fatigue. However, as your fatigue is likely to be caused by the menopause, you may be asked to consider a hormone treatment such as HRT to tackle the root of the problem.

If you are worried about your condition, have experienced persistent episodes of severe fatigue, or are experiencing fatigue even when you are getting enough sleep, then seeking medical advice is also advised. This is particularly important if you are also experiencing heavy periods as you could be anaemic, or worried about other symptoms such as the condition of your hair which may be an indication of an underactive thyroid gland.

23 Comments

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Jean — 10.06.2021 09:32
Hi I had breast cancer 6 years ago and was put into a forced menopause 2 years ago I eat well sleep well don't drink alcohol but I am so tired to the point it is making me depressed I find doing daily tasks so difficult and I live on my own with my young daughter I can't rake hrt as it is not recommended after cancer also I am told I snore so bad I am wondering could this be the reason thank you
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- eileen — 10.06.2021 09:18
  Hi Jean Excessive snoring can indicate a condition called Sleep Apnoea; this condition can cause symptoms such as: Waking up with a very sore or dry throat. Loud snoring. Occasionally waking up with a choking or gasping sensation. Sleepiness or lack of energy during the day. Sleepiness while driving. Morning headaches. Restless sleep. so it may be wise to get a general health check from your doctor just to rule this out. I would also ask them to test you for low iron, low thyroid function, low vitamin D and B12 as all of these can cause fatigue, low mood/depression too.
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Elizabeth downie — 20.09.2017 13:46
i am taking oestrogel and utrogestan but i am so tired and fatigued xx
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- eileen — 21.09.2017 13:23
  Hi Elizabeth If you a re still not feeling better on your medication it is important to go back and see your doctor. Ask them to check the fatigue further (such as low iron or low thyroid function) and also to see if this combination is the best one for your specific situation.
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Sue — 17.08.2017 06:33
Hi, I am 53 and had breast cancer 3 years ago, since then I have taken Tamoxifen. Last year I had a full hysterectomy. Since then I have gradually felt more and more poorly. I am having hot flushes half hourly during the day. At night I am awake although feeling exhausted, I have hot sweats every hour or so making me feel as if I am about to have a panic attack. I have been on Citalipram and other drugs but have refused anymore as symptoms were not improving and I felt more sluggish and out of control. I am lacking confidence, I feel exhausted, I need to sit /sleep every afternoon, my joints ache so much and even more after excercise. This is so miserable! Can you help me with any advice or products?
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- Ruth James — 03.09.2017 16:24
  Hi Sue. I am a breast cancer surgeon and would strongly recommend that you speak to your breast care nurse and oncologist about your symptoms. They will have good advice about how to manage them safely. It is important not to take any herbal remedys without discussing it with your doctor. Many of these products contain phytoestrogens. Some women with a history of estrogen sensitive breast cancer do decide to take HRT because their menopausal symptoms are making their lives a misery but this decision should only be made after you have had a full discussion about the risks involved.
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- Eileen — 04.09.2017 12:17
  Hi Ruth Thank you for replying to Sue.
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- Jean — 10.06.2021 10:32
  That is great to now that you can still take HRT even though you are estrogen sensitive thank you
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Beverly Burn — 24.07.2017 14:51
Fabulous website
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- eileen — 25.07.2017 07:57
  Hi Beverly Thank you!
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Liz — 23.07.2017 09:52
I'm 52 and no period for 2 yrs. Ive hot flushes, no energy, don't sleep well, and doctor has me on prozac for the flushes bit sometimes don't work. Mood is woeful and my partner broke up with me over 4mths ago so I'm find it hard not to be depressed.
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- eileen — 24.07.2017 14:48
  Hi Liz I am sorry to hear that things are hard for you just now. You could try our Menopause Support as this is known to help gently raise and balance oestrogen thus reducing symptoms. However, have you had your iron, thyroid levels and vitamin D checked out as these can all cause fatigue. If not I would ask your doctor just to rule them out. Acupuncture may be of benefit for you just now so worth looking into as well.
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Gill — 21.07.2017 10:08
Can you take these with a interactive thyroid
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- eileen — 21.07.2017 10:30
  Hi Gill There are no contraindications taking with thyroid issues or thyroid medication. Although they contain soya it is fermented so is very different to whole soya foods such as soya milk which is not advised.
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- Cathy — 08.08.2017 07:03
  It's an under active thyroid
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- eileen — 08.08.2017 14:03
  Hi Cathy There are no contraindications with either an underactive or overactive thyroid.
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Maria Parkinson — 20.07.2017 15:40
Hello Eileen I just turned 50 recently and I'm a stay at home mum. I am extremely tired in last few weeks during the day I sleep well so can't understand it ..I could sleep on couch but don't let myself. I have suffered all my life with heavy periods and take cyklapron tabs every month to help I also take iron tablet I take eltroxin for thyroid ..should I start on this menopause supplement?
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- eileen — 21.07.2017 09:29
  Hi Maria If you are still getting regular, heavy periods then Menopause Support wouldn't be appropriate just now, but you may find taking a magnesium supplement 200mg twice a day can help with the fatigue. The changing hormones can also affect on-going health issues such as the thyroid so it is important that you get this and your medication checked really regularly as some women find they need their medication adjusted to take this into account. You do need more rest at this time so having 30 min me-time is really important, if you don't want to sleep in the afternoon why not try 30 min meditation or relaxation instead, this can be really beneficial!
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Tracey — 07.06.2017 16:18
I'm 46 and suddenly don't feel in control of my life. I'm so tired and irrational all the time. I have always worked full time and have juggled babies and children and family things. I have none of that , and I can't cope with anything feeling this fatigue. Need something to give me energy.
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- Lou — 03.07.2017 07:59
  Hi Tracey I'm 48 and suddenly feeling tired all the time. Like you I've been juggling the family, working and doing all at home. I too feel like I want to 'turn the light off' but hate this as I'm worried what's going to happen around me as I'm the one who keeps it altogether. I need something to boost me. Did you find anything? Lou x
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- eileen — 03.07.2017 13:55
  Hi Tracey and Lou Fatigue is so common in the menopause and it can be difficult to try and cope with everything, your body is being tested by all the hormonal changes going on and if you have a very busy life as well you can end up running on empty. So the rest and relaxation is vital. If either of you have had heavy periods on the run up then you could be low in iron, you can ask your doctor for a test, also ask to be checked for low thyroid function, and low vit D just to rule these out. If you are looking for a general tonic try Biostrath, it's not one of our products but you can get it from most healthshops and big pharmacies.
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Rosemary ferguson — 25.03.2017 05:18
Really sick of feeling uuk
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- Eileen — 27.03.2017 10:32
  Hello Could you let me know if you still have periods? and Is this sickness feeling in the morning or all throughout the day?
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