menopause, fatigue and its causes. What's in it and what helps.

The menopause. Women over 45 can sing a song about it. In addition to all the ailments, there is often an additional problem that makes everyday life more unproductive and strenuous: the fatigue in the menopause.

Suddenly occurring fatigue, lack of pleasure and a leaden heaviness. From work to leisure activities, everything can be affected. You are a woman in menopause? Clearly, it is surely the climate – the medical term for menopause – that leads to this fatigue, right?

Sometimes it has nothing to do with fatigue, but affected women simply feel powerless and energyless. This can also come through menopause and is another common symptom. After all, 80 percent of women between 45 and 54 feel fatigue, lethargy or a drop in performance during menopause.

Where does this fatigue and lack of drive come from and what can you do about it? We take a close look at the phenomenon and the connections.

Menopause, fatigue and lack of drive: are they the hormones?

Around the menopause, your hormone balance changes considerably. Your body produces less estrogen and that actually promotes your calm, healthy sleep. So the menopause can prevent your sleep phases from working as usual. Your altered hormone balance can completely confuse your sleep like a tornado.

The fluctuations in the estrogen level also change your energy level. Especially if your body produces very little estrogen, you are most likely to suffer from fatigue, exhaustion and lack of drive. Then something completely normal happens: you feel like you’re being wheeled the next morning.

In addition, there may be nightsweats during this time – typically between three and four o’clock in the morning. Of course, this also disturbs your deserved rest.

If you suffer from insomnia, natural remedies or supplements such as valerian, hops or balmoften help you. They regulate your sleep.

You have sweats? Then the sagehelps, which naturally cools your body.

This sounds almost oblique, but sweaty sports can also help you. Whether it’s circulation or blood vessels, both are strengthened by it. This makes it easier for your body to cool itself down.

In addition, the sport has a side effect: After that you are soothingly exhausted and the bedtime becomes easier again. According to the sleep researchers at the University of Regensburg, evening sports help to fall asleep better. The scientists emphasized that sex can of course also be counted for evening sports.

Relaxation exercises are also not wrong. Here every woman has her own working “thing”. Meditation, autogenous training or yoga are just examples to come to inner peace.

If you don’t have any sleep disturbances and still suffer from fatigue, it can still come from the hormone change. Your body produces fewer sex hormones,which allows you to automatically feel tired. Your whole metabolism is affected by this change and can simply be tired due to the additional effort.

But beware! The hormonal changes usually do not prevent falling asleep. If you have trouble finding peace just after laying down, it’s not the hormones. Here you should hear in yourself whether it is worries or disturbing thoughts. Otherwise your doctor can help you here.

Psychosomatics must not be underestimated. The pondering, doubts and fears rob energy every day. Unfortunately, these symptoms are also typical for menopause and prevent healthy sleep. But don’t worry! During this time, there is no more depression. According to a 2015 study in the journal Climacteric, even basic life satisfaction could make you immune to menopause symptoms. A positive approach to life with fun and joy helps.

It is therefore repeatedly emphasized that it is not only the hormonal change that causes the usual symptoms. Social life is also changing: sexuality, professional life and partnership can change and the children are suddenly out of the house. It is a time of change.

The thyroid gland and menopause: fatigue and exhaustion due to an underfunction

Because we are already in the metabolic world, we must not forget the thyroid gland. Due to the climate around the menopause, there is sometimes begleitend a problem with the thyroid gland. This can cause a thyroid underfunction. If you have only a slight underfunction, you can feel it directly in the form of fatigue and exhaustion.

In case of suspicion, you should definitely talk to your doctor of trust and check yourself by blood test. The missing thyroid hormone (L-thyroxine) is then added in tablet form and your fatigue should get better again.

With such a subfunction, iodine can also help you to make the thyroid hormone in your body. Fish, seafood or dietary supplements can help here. The advantage of the supplements: They are also available in vegan form.

There are also studies that show that the thyroid gland needs
selenium
to work well. Again, you should pay attention to your household. Conveniently, fish also helps lamb, mushrooms, Brazil nuts or natural rice. Of course, the mineral is also available as a supplement.

As usual with nutrient defects, you should also consultyour doctor oder beforehand. Arzt

Iron plays a role in fatigue during menopause

If you are still at the beginning of menopause, your menstruation may become more irregular but also stronger. As a result, you lose more
iron
than usual. Iron deficiency is not uncommon, especially during this time. After all, the mineral is essential for blood production.

Unlike men, women generally lose more iron as a result of menstruation. During menopause, this loss may continue to widen. According to statistical surveys, the diet is also less rich in iron for women than for men. After all, the red meat beloved by men is on average less common in women and in smaller amounts on the menu.

If you suffer from an iron deficiency, you mainly produce less hemoglobin. This in turn is responsible for storing and transporting oxygen. The usual symptoms of a lack of hemoglobin are pallor, a lack of concentration, headache and fatigue. If the iron deficiency becomes acute, there can also be anaemia (anemia), which needs urgent treatment.

Green vegetables, whole grains and legumes are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Red meat has just as much iron. However, if you have these symptoms relatively strong, your iron storage will be quite empty. A visit to the doctor is also indispensable here.

In the case of acute deficiency, an increase is also possible due to iron preparations. You usually only need that for a few weeks. Think of it as an iron cure for the body. In general, however, it helps if you take vitamin C. This promotes iron absorption about seven times more!

The German Society for Nutrition therefore recommends that women of childbearing age take 15 milligrams of iron daily. Women after the change are 10 milligrams a day, according to the company.

Here, however, caution is required! Excessive iron levels are harmful to health, even dangerous. Damage to the heart, liver or pancreas may occur. As the legendary scholar Paracelsus said: “Only the dose makes it that a thing is not a poison.”

Drink, drink and drink again. This also helps with fatigue during menopause

We had mentioned it before: you may be suffering from sweats. Especially then there is often also an acute lack of fluids. If you are completely sweaty at night, this can mean one or two litres of fluid loss.

Even if you are not sweating, your body needs at least 1.5 litres of fluid a day. If you are then affected by excessive sweating, you should drink more trinken urgently.

By the way, the sweat is not salty for nothing. Unfortunately, you also lose important mineralsall the time. You should therefore either adjust your diet to one with correspondingly high mineral contents – fruits, vegetables and whole grains are a good start – or even if there are stronger deficiencies, think of supplements.