65 and so tired. Anyone else ?

Hey Lissajulie, I'm in a similar situation, just a bit younger than you. I took early retirement from my full time work, 18 months ago, to care for my husband. He's been diagnosed 10 years now. I don't know how I found the time to work! I try to get out for an hour every morning and use the gym or pool at the leisure centre, or if the weather's ok I might go for a run, (well it's more of a jog these days)! I also take a vitamin d supplement. I generally feel more energised after some exercise, but sometimes I do feel too tired to go. I guess my body knows when it needs a bit more recovery time, so I don't beat myself up about taking it a bit easier.

I am too. I wonder if at least some of it is the depressing state the world is in. Even video games and tech gadgets that usually give me a temporary lift have been delayed in development due to covid and various resource shortages. Then there are doctor shortages too. And awful hurricanes and heatwaves breaking records. I get this awful feeling that all the advances in medicine, technology, quality of life have begun a backward slide. Although I feel sure I don't have actual depression (I can still enjoy family and favorite shows etc) I do get the feeling I am just wearily trudging through the rest of my life

It is not your age, something is keeping you under par.
I feel much as I did at 45, I'm 73 now but apart from the odd ache from a trapped nerve, thinning hair and expanding waistline I haven't changed much.
I don't believe in supplements as I get everything I need from a balanced diet. I don't believe in menopause either. Medical advances have made that optional.
Have you considered you might be suffering from oestrogen deprivation?

There is some really good advice here Katyj I will be taking notice to see if it helps. Hope you try to cut down on the work you do I helped with elderly relatives too it’s hard work. Physically running around and mentally tiring and dare I say stressful.

I'm only 56 & feel tired all the time. This year I've had kidney stones lasered, 2 wks sick with food poisoning and then got Covid. I'm blaming my tiredness on everything that's been happening and hoping I'll get my bounce back soon. I'd love to get my bloods checked, but I know there's not a hope seeing my GP.
I might give some of the things you ladies have suggested a wee try.

Can I add getting your b12 checked. It’s not done on a normal blood test, you would have to ask for it. I became progressively tired over about three months to the point where I was dizzy and breathless. The practise nurse organised the blood test and am now on three monthly injections as I also don’t absorb it. I also take a b12 tablet and vitamin d. It’s been a game changer for me, I can feel myself going down a bit when the injection is due but nothing like what it was like before.

So many of us feeling our age. It’s good to share who knows what 65 should feel like. Under active thyroid and vit D seem to be common so if I don’t improve I shall have those checked.
I do have a busy life I’m not depressed ? but do suffer from anxiety which can be draining.
My mum should be in a care home, but is refusing. She has carers four times a day, but is at risk of falling. I’m always waiting for the next emergency call 24/7 there’s been a lot lately. Like so many on here caring is the most difficult thing, my heart goes out to all of you that care for someone or are feeling ill.

Keeping active plays a huge rôle in tiredness, sleep and much more. I think the last few years with Covid have been very hard on all of us. And I also have had 2 major operations.

I have returned to a more active life, started doing Gi-Gung, swimming, walking, cycling, again, lost some weight (still chubby but fit with it), and going out more, and I now feel better than I have for a long time. I know it is hard for some to be physically active, for all sorts of reasons- but honestly, try to get back to some physical activity, slowly but surely. I am sure it really helps, mentally and emotionally too.

Many things cause a feeling of lethargy and tiredness. Obviously we slow down as we age to some degree, but reading these comments it seems there are some people who are suffering a lot. A check up with your doctor is a good start.

We are happiest when we have a balanced life. Enough to happily occupy us but not overwhelm us. Doing things for others but also nurturing ourselves.

For me, daily exercise of body and mind is really important to my well being.
I eat healthily and keep my weight down. Vital to health and mobility. I walk a lot and lift light weights, stretch and do daily squats to keep fit and active. Just about to do the October walk 100 miles for Breast Cancer!

I am 75. I live alone which means I don’t have anyone else to take care of. But I have to look after my house and garden myself.

I love the garden and enjoy my home. I spend many hours gardening but don’t major on housework! Not much to do since I became a minimalist!

I volunteer one day a week helping the disabled to sail.

I have a son and two grandchildren I see but not too much - they are all busy.
I have several good friends I speak to and see regularly - and holiday with sometimes.

I enjoy my own company - it gives me time to recharge my batteries.
So far I have had good health. No medication and I feel great.

Every day I wake up and say ‘I love my life!’

It’s a good idea to regularly take stock of your life. Change the things that don’t make you happy. Put yourself first sometimes. Do more of what you enjoy.
Learn to say ‘No’ if you are being put upon and taken for granted.

These later years can be wonderful! Make sure you enjoy them - you have earned it!

I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid in the late 1990s when tiredness began to blight my life. I will need to take thyroxin for life and have a blood test every 6 months so the GP can adjust my dosage.

Just wondering if you manage anytime just for you..sounds like you have a busy life and may be a little depressed or, maybe feeling a bit under pressure to do for others but you are important too. Take time to put yourself first. Hard but not impossible to do. I walk. Alone. Its like therapy to me. My friend finds going swimming is her chill place. In the meantime rest if you are tired. Age brings its changes but sometimes its good to just be yourself. X

It does sound like you're doing a lot Katyj. You don't say (unless I've not picked it up in a later thread) what looking after your mum entails. It may well be psychologically demanding too, which is often debilitating. It's reassuring that your blood tests were negative.

I'm the same age and, since having Covid twice this year, I'm lacking in energy a lot of the time. I swim everyday (proper swimming ie 45 mins of constant front crawl) and walk but it hasn't increased my energy levels. Have you had Covid too?

Perhaps this is what being 65 is like?!!!

Do you sleep with a light on- even a dim one? Or use your mobile or watch television till you go to bed? Both can disrupt circadian rhythm and you don't sleep as well.

Try turning everything off an hour before sleep and give it a week to catch up.

If nothing seems better then, see if a blood test shows reduced thyroxine.

Good luck!

I'm 70 and have found that tiredness has just crept up on me over the past couple of years. I just don't have any stamina.
I eat properly and take A-Z vitamins and minerals, as well as fish oil capsules.
In my case I think it's down to not absorbing nutrients well, I come from a family with a lot of coeliac and other autoimmune problems.
I also seem to need more sleep now, though I don't sleep as well.

I had tests done yearly and my vitamin D count was low. I think it was due to breathing tablets I take. Have more energy when I take the vitamin D tablet.

I’m 73 and I’m definitely feeling my age.
Always worked full time and looked after my home and children. I used to be able to go through my home from top to bottom with no problems. I’m lucky if I can manage one room now. ? In my defence, I do have several health issues, but I still hate that I can’t manage what I used to do. It’s life!
KATYA, you do seem to be juggling quite a lot of work. Maybe your body’s trying to tell you something. There’s some good advice on here for you and I agree, vitamins are essential and can help with tiredness.

I just think we expect too much of ourselves. If you've always been active and agile, it hits you harder to realise that you won't always be like that. I have a daily routine whereby I do the energetic things in the morning, then gradually wind down late afternoon, early evening. People of our age group grew up with a strong 'got to do' ethic. Just a accept that you need to slow down gracefully and just be.....that will do for me.

Don't underestimate a house move. I'm 62, moved in Feb, still feeling exhausted. Everything that used to be in person or on paper is now on line and self serve. Eyes and mind are worn out.

Are you kidding ??! You’re doing a lot! No wonder you’re tired x

Exercise especially in the fresh air will help no end, and vit D tablets.

Tiredness is definitely a side-effect of aging which, as mentioned above, is not for the faint-hearted! I think we have to accept that as we grow older we need to pace ourselves and gradually do less.
Our mental health is far more important than perhaps we realise and I honestly think that those lockdowns have had a huge effect on that. I haven't actually had COVID myself (or at least not to my knowledge) but for me the lockdowns came at the tail end of a hugely bad time in my life. Six years ago my partner died of a massive heart attack while I was away overnight - I came back and found him. Then just four days later my son-in-law also died unexpectedly. Then my sister died 9 months after that. It was all a lot to take in and assimilate, along with supporting my daughter and granddaughters. Then along came COVID lockdowns and isolation ....... I didn't realise how depressed I had become until a couple of weeks ago when I just suddenly felt brighter and caught myself singing to myself as I was doing my housework. It was rather like the feeling of a sunny day after a period of bad weather! I have no idea what brought on the change. Anyway, that's said just to illustrate the change that depression can bring to our lives without us really being aware of it.
But tiredness does seem to go hand-in-hand with aging, even to those who have full and fulfilling lives (think the wonderful Judi Dench). So a deal of pacing ourselves comes in. There's a difference between the weariness of old age and the sheer exhaustion that comes at a younger age from the demands made upon us. With the latter you need to do a cull of the demands made upon you and learn to say "No" in the nicest possible way, and with the former you need to just put your feet up when you need to (easier to do once the cull has been completed ) and enjoy old age. And at 81, that's exactly what I do!
I still teach one class a week of tai chi (I used to teach three pre-covid) and I do take a vitamin D supplement and Echinacea tablets.
Good luck katyj - if you allow it, old age can be pretty good!

Definitely not your age. Do you eat plenty fruit and vegetables - do you get the chance to walk regularly in the fresh air.

??? exactly what I was going to say.

69, no problems until I caught covid in August now even vacuuming leaves me exhausted

I was ok up until about 18 months ago (I was 73 last February). I then started to feel more tired (I have been living with a heart condition for nearly 22 years and also have AF, but was living a near normal life).
As others have mentioned, the tiredness thing kind of crept up on me. After dodging it for 30 months, I finally succumbed to Covid 5 weeks ago and, whilst the symptoms were no worse than the 'flu/a bad cold, I have felt incredibly short of energy and tired since I tested negative.
I have also felt quite low and depessed, which I have never ever been in my previous years.
None of this is much use to you but, as others have shown, you are most certainly not alone in feeling this way.