What is the problem? 

Many women feel tired and even exhausted during the menopause. This can affect the quality of their professional and private lives and should not be underestimated. Tiredness often goes hand in hand with sleep problems. A vicious circle often develops, as tiredness means less activity and sport, which in turn induces a lack of energy. Symptoms of fatigue include irritability, memory lapses or apathy. However, if you understand the causes and effects of fatigue, you can overcome it.

What are the reasons for this?

Thyroid and adrenal hormones as well as melatonin are hormones that are involved in the sleep process. All of these hormones influence sleep, metabolism and energy levels and can also be influenced by changes in sex hormone levels. This means that as the levels of sex hormones (oestrogen and progesterone) naturally decrease during the menopause, a woman's energy levels also decrease. This leads to a persistent feeling of tiredness.

If the quality of sleep is poor (e.g. due to hot flushes or stress), the ability to recover is also impaired. This is immediately noticeable through tiredness in the morning.

However, fatigue is not necessarily related to the menopause. It can also be a symptom of various medical conditions, including nutrient deficiencies, reduced thyroid function, low levels of B12, folic acid and iron.

What solutions are available?

Going to bed and waking up at the same time is the basic rule of sleep hygiene. Avoid screens for at least two hours before you try to fall asleep, as the blue light they emit tricks your brain into thinking it's daytime. Favor a relaxing routine before bed: a facial massage, a lavender spray you can spritz on your pillow, or a quiet reading session.

To avoid being overwhelmed, you also need to learn to say no. It's hard to turn down requests from others, especially from people who are important to you, but sometimes you have to put yourself first. If you want to do everything for everyone, you run the risk of putting yourself on the road to exhaustion. Allow yourself time to relax to avoid too much stress.

Paying attention to your diet is also a tool to avoid fatigue. Too much sugar is often the cause of chronic fatigue. Excessive consumption of sugary foods leads to a sharp drop in energy levels, as the body has to put more effort into digesting these foods than healthier foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables or lean meat. In addition, too much sugar can lead to chronic inflammation, which hinders the normal production of thyroid hormones responsible for maintaining the body's functions, which in turn leads to chronic fatigue.