Menopause Fatigue

During menopause, a women's menstrual cycle ends, eventually ceasing permanently, and causing strong hormonal changes that affect her body. Among other symptoms, many women suffer from menopausal fatigue, and they end up feeling completely exhausted, and possessing less energy than they had before the onset of menopause.

Causes of Menopausal Fatigue

In a way, menopause fatigue is a response to all the extreme changes that occur in a woman's body during menopause. The ovaries run out of their supply of eggs, decreasing estrogen levels. These hormonal changes have a heavy impact, resulting in symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, problems with short term memory, decreased sex drive, nutrient deficiencies, and vulnerability to urinal and vaginal infections. The menopausal woman's symptoms leave her feeling physically and mentally tired. Her symptoms can keep her awake at night, or sleeping lightly, and unable to sustain deep sleep, which is the most regenerative sleep state. Stress, as well as fluctuating hormone levels, can cause fatigue. It's very common for the menopausal woman to experience high levels of stress as she adapts to her body's changes.

Treating Menopause Fatigue

Many women discover that hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) works wonders for them during menopause, making common symptoms, like fatigue, less extreme. Natural supplements like Chinese ginseng can help as well. Ginseng is a perennial herb, which has been used to treat stress and fatigue for thousands of years. For those who find that a great deal of their fatigue originates from an inability to sleep soundly, first, make sure that your sleeping conditions are ideal. Try not to eat heavily before bed. Instead, have a light snack containing tryptophan: turkey, fish, yogurt, milk, cheese, etc. Avoid exercising at least 4 hours before bed time, and try to stick to a fixed sleep schedule. Also, once can discuss the hormone melatonin with your doctor. Melatonin is naturally present in the brain, and regulates sleep. Those with low melatonin levels often benefit from this hormonal supplement.