Is this what I should expect at 73?

Hear, hear with the thyroid checked. I'm pretty sure your GP will order blood tests so ask for a thyroid one as well. They don't always put that on the slip. Good luck!

It may not be too much sleep but poor quality sleep perhaps. Pain or snoring (or worse, sleep apnea) may prevent you getting enough of the deep sleep you need. Definitely get the doctor to check you!

I was concerned because DH was spending more time nodding of in his chair and sometimes sleeping for an hour or so. He already has B12 injections for pernicious anaemia so I persuaded him to get his thyroid checked.

Thyroid fine but he has to go back for another blood test because the GP thinks he will need folic acid supplements.

I suppose we're bound to need more sleep as we age. I still have plenty of energy at 72 but often fall asleep around 6pm. I can sleep right through the evening news and wake up to that ghastly One Show signature tune.

I think it's normal to want to get things done in the morning and deserve a rest in the evening. We have to pace ourselves.

There is no such thing as might just be my age. As a personal judgement it is the route to a care home - and if anyone says that to you, especially a GP. Get them out of your life immediately.

Life is for living at any age and in any state of health, never just passively accept anything, push the boundaries.

A number of people have suggested possible causes: aneamia, Type 2 diabetes. I will suggest another - Sleep apnea. This is always connected with men and heavy snoring, but DH has just been diagnosed with it - and at the severe end, yet he rarely snores. I had been telling him for years that if I woke in the night, I would sometimes count to 30 between his breathes, but he wouldn't believe me. However he recently began having long 'rests' after breakfast as well as after lunch and in the evening and agreed to see a doctor. After using a home sleep monitor, for one night, he got the shock of his life to find that not only did he suffer from it, he was down the severe end.

So do not discount it, because you are unaware of it having this problem and rarely snore. Most people with it never know and therefore receve no treatment.

I am 76 in - OMG - under a fortnight, today I was up at 6.00 am as usual, went for a long walk at 6,30, spent 4 plus hours in the garden, spent an hour processing the crop from the kitchen garden, did the week's shopping, SM and local town centre and spent over an hour cleaning. I will probably be in bed by 11.00. My back aches a bit, but otherwise I still feel bright and active.

Agree with MOnica. I was prescribed a pilates class by my physio for improving my core strength. When I got there I found at 70, I was one of the youngest and 90 yr olds were doing the exercises. better than me
Don't let yourself descend into old age. You have to make sure you do something interesting every day.
You may have some underlying health problem but it may be boredom that makes you so tired.

^Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light^

And even if blood tests don't show anaemia, as mine didn't, it's worth taking iron tablets for a couple of weeks as an experiment. The non-constipating ones, as the chemist.

I did that - and cut out wheat which had always made me tired.
Within the week I felt as if I could conquer the world. I still do and I'm just a few month away from 73 as well.

I have always hated mornings and never want to sleep when normal people do. Now 72 I am just the same as when I was a child. When I can I will go to bed at 2am and get up around 10am. While I was working I managed on 4 or 5 hours sleep a night because of this but now average 7 or 8.

I have a dip between 4pm and 6pm when I more easily fall asleep if I am reading or watching TV but if I miss this I am no more tired than normal. I can easily fall asleep in the morning if I have to get up earlier than I want.

My brother warned me to have a check up if I sleep more in the day than usual. He had developed prostate cancer but is now recovering well.

I think we are all different!

I'm 70, yes it happens to me but I don't mind at all. I spent my working life ( 43 years) getting up in the dark to go to work at 6am, or getting home at 11pm after an evening shift. Plus many years of night duty. What with that and bringing up my two children, I used to daydream about a time when I could just hop into bed whenever I liked, and never have to set an alarm. Now I can do it whenever I like, and I enjoy every minute of it !

Teabagwoman Have you considered having some hearing aids fitted?

Deafness can be so isolating.

83 year old Aunt has recently got hearing aids and is SO much brighter. She is really delighted with them.

That is fine Stella, good luck to you.
But surely, hopping into bed when ever you feel like it, is a bit different to being too tired for anything most of the time?

MOnica I will investigate sleep apnea, thanks for the heads up. I’ve been talking to my daughter and she’s told me that she hates sharing a hotel room with me because she lies there waiting for me to take my next breath. I’d always associated it with men and snoring. Persistentdonor, I have hearing aids and indeed have invested, with NHS advice, in an expensive add on microphone which I do find very helpful provided there isn’t a lot of background noise. No matter what the Boots adverts say hearing aids tend to magnify background noise which then drowns out the person I’m trying to listen to. I can use the microphone to shut out all background noise but that doesn’t work well in group situations.. Believe me I try everything.. I’m very grateful to everyone who’s contributed because it’s convinced me to keep searching for a solution and not give in.

Gosh, how much housework to 2 (?) people generate?

Teabags, you have some excellent advice on this forum and I a glad to see you are going to take up Monicas advice on sleep apnea. I did have this myself, I use to stop breathing and scare the living daylights out of y husband. But once I diagnosed and given a machine to use at night the problem went. I also took my Drs advice and lost some weight, I wasn't much overweight but once I lost the weight it went away and the machine wasn't needed.

I also think ou need to get some blood test done and I am sure your Dr will do these when you see him. Once sorted you will be feeling a different person. Good luck

Well MOnica you certainly lead a very active life, am especially impressed by the SM bit . You are right that sleep apnoea is an important and much overlooked consideration for daytime lethargy. My OH suffered from it when he had to sleep on his back after hip replacement. I think the gaps between breaths were worse for me listening to him, he was blissfully unaware.

Yes, Lazigirl sometimes I would lie a wake, giving DH a little shove to break the cycle when he stopped breathing for too long, but it took 10 years from me telling him about it and him starting to fall asleep in a chair immediately after breakfast every day, for him to finally decide (with encouragement) to go and see a doctor.

The biggest shock was how severe the sleep apnea was, without him being aware of it. I have accompanied him to all medical appointments because I am the only person who can describe his sleeping habits as I am the only person (I think ) who has been awake with him when he was asleep in bed and been able to observe and describe it.

I think I also have sleep apnea and must go and see the doctor. My kids have told me that my snoring is very loud - and I stop breathing too. I am waking up tired, my legs feel heavy, and if I sit on the sofa to watch tv I nearly always fall asleep, especially if I've just eaten. Not enjoying ageing, teeth are giving me a lot of trouble too!

Just wondering teabagwoman whether you take any medications even low level for hypertension or any over the counter stuff because these can have an effect upon your metabolism - either way all the good advice about visiting your GP is important because every one of us is different and fatigue can also be associated with hormonal deficiencies - the menopause doesn’t affect every woman the same way and many women retain certain levels of hormones long after the menopause whereas others find they are depleted fairly quickly so comparisons with others is our age are not that informative as benchmarks - you know how you feel - see the GP. Good luck.

Try multivits. Absorption of micronutrients in the gut tend to decrease we get older and the vitamins are needed for keeping cells working efficiently.

teabagwoman I'd do less housework, I think. Does it need to be done to the point of taking up so much time and making you so tired?

Why not write to Mick Jagger (76) to ask him if it's normal?

I found I was becoming easily tired after only being up & about for a short time, it turned out I am anemic (sp)., I was put on iron supplements & Folic Acid, even my husband has said I seem to have more energy.
Also good to check as I have internal bleeding & waiting for checks.
Good to check it out.
Triciax

Life is hard work! Just because your DC are grown up. It doesn't end there.
My Mil who's in her 90s walks everyday, with sticks now, never refuses an invitation, writes emails and is still the main carer for her DH!
She is slowing down a bit and has discovered M&S ready meals but she still bakes scones and occasionally cakes. I think she is exceptional but she is remarkable. She remembers her gt GC names and birthdays!

Well I am 74: and I’m tired nearly all the time.
I’ve had thyroid check, not anaemic.

But, I don’t sleep very well. About five hours a night if lucky.
I try to nap in the afternoon but never seem to be able to drop of.
Really feeling it now.
I’m sure if I could get eight hours I would be fine.

Teabagwoman
Can you recall when this 'routine' you are subjecting yourself to first started.?
Old habits can die hard and for many, who have not only been wife /mother ,maybe a 'carer' , a head cook and bottle washer but also having full time or even part time work it can be difficult once finding they do not have that kind of life any more to' let go slow down'. Your body is telling you this by your tiredness listen to it. You can still be active but not in the way you have been subjecting yourself to so talk to your GP explain your tiredness , don't hold back in explaining your lifestyle, and be guided by him /her.

I'm almost 73 and keep going most of the day. Don't get tired unless I have a very hectic day of walking or other activity, even then can do things in the evening. Sometimes I don't get to sleep till 1 or 1.30, but always wake about 7.30. You may need a course of iron tablets. Don't accept tiredness every day.