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Health

Tiredness

(91 Posts)
Bopeep14 Fri 01-Mar-19 11:05:59

Can anyone recommend anything to combat tiredness. I am feel constantly tired all the time, yes i have a busy life looking after grandchildren, but its getting to the stage were i am starting to flag mid afternoon and i still have four hours to go before the little one is picked up. Some nights i am to tired even to eat a proper meal. I have had blood tests done and all have come back normal. I just need an energy boost, any ideas.

icanhandthemback Sat 02-Mar-19 10:13:22

I can echo the advice regarding Vitamin D and this is the right time of the year to test. Some people have more trouble processing Vitamin D than others so you could be taking a small amount to supplement and it still not be enough.
Are you sleeping properly? Are you getting restive, therapeutic sleep or are you suddenly waking yourself up with a snort? The fatigue for sleep deprivation can be overwhelming.

Gonegirl Sat 02-Mar-19 10:15:40

OP has actually said she takes vit D daily. (RTFT wink )

aggie Sat 02-Mar-19 10:18:19

Suggest you read it too Gonegirl

Alexa Sat 02-Mar-19 10:20:43

Getting plenty of sleep is essential to get rid of tiredness.

May also try small meals or nourishing snacks instead of set main meal times. Plenty of water or similar.

Nanny41 Sat 02-Mar-19 10:25:21

I have started to feel tired in the afternoon,I dont have a stressful life,my blood tests are all normal, so I put it down to getting older, but dont like to admit this, it could be as simple as that, getting older,and then its quite normal to have a little rest/sleep.

Barmeyoldbat Sat 02-Mar-19 10:25:37

I have an autoimmune disease called PBC (google it) and might well worth be looking at. Otherwise I suggest that you look at your lifestyle, are having a enough me time and do you really need to do all this childcare. As I keep saying we can't be mothers naturally at our age due to a reason and one is we haven't got enough energy

GrandmaMoira Sat 02-Mar-19 10:32:13

Are your GC still young enough to have an afternoon nap? If so, sleep when they do. I often feel I need an afternoon nap and think it's common as we get older.

Ashcombe Sat 02-Mar-19 10:33:13

I would echo the comments about dehydration. Recently I read that it was advisable to drink a glass of water on waking, before meals and at bedtime. I’ve tried this and, despite extra loo trips in the night, I am sleeping better and feel more alive in the morning. My weight has gone down a little and I’m losing the dark circles under my eyes. (The last two could be due to a reduced intake of alcohol!!)
Bopeep14: you don’t say how many days a week you care for GC. I hope it isn’t full time as that would be draining. I hope you can find a way to reduce that commitment and seek a further consultation with your GP. Take care of yourself.

Esspee Sat 02-Mar-19 10:36:51

Are you possibly lacking oestrogen? Menopause can be terribly draining.

Lesleyann9 Sat 02-Mar-19 10:43:27

I suggest B vitamins also relaxation periods if possible. Check for chronic fatigue.

Greciangirl Sat 02-Mar-19 10:44:29

I am 73 years old, and constantly tired. But that is probably because I don’t sleep well.
After looking after dgs, 3yrs old, I feel absolutely knackered.
It’s a horrible feeling of lethargy. I sometimes feel so tired that I feel sick.
I’m sure if I had eight hours a night, it might be different.
I take vitamin D daily too.

okimherenow Sat 02-Mar-19 10:51:11

I’d consider blood tests
Also multivitamins
Also a snooze after lunch sometimes is a wonderful pick me up
X

okimherenow Sat 02-Mar-19 10:53:25

Ps
Have you considered an exercise class at your local leisure centre... contrarily that is a real energy boost as is meeting up with new people.. I’ve begun Pilates at 79 ... wooo hard but exhilarating..

BusterTank Sat 02-Mar-19 10:59:13

I was like this but tired as soon has I got out of bed . I started taking multi vitamins , primrose oil tablets and when the menopause kick in vitamin B12 . Around five o clock I still begin to yawn but not in desperate need of a nap. I buy asda own brands so it works out to be a rounds 5 pounds a month . I tell you what , its the best 5 pounds I ever spent . I also found cutting down on coffee , not drinking fizzy drinks and drinking more water helped . Good luck and get started on those vitamins , you,ll feel a new woman .

Gonegirl Sat 02-Mar-19 11:02:46

Sorry aggie, did I miss something? confused

teabagwoman Sat 02-Mar-19 11:04:43

I’d consider everything everyone else has said and also look at ways of making life generally easier for yourself. I now do most of my shopping on line, use the dishwasher and the tumble dryer if things are getting hectic and have drastically reduced the number of plants in pots in the garden. My next project is to replace herbaceous plants in the borders with low maintenance shrubs. I have my main meal at lunchtime and try to get all cooking done in the morning. I don’t do as much childcare as you but still find it exhausting. I’m 72 and am finally accepting that, while the spirit is only too willing, the flesh is weak. One other thought - I’ve recently bought a new mattress and my sleep has considerably improved.

Poppyann1 Sat 02-Mar-19 11:05:04

Bleep,Hope you get it sorted soon.im sure I'll feel horrible later today as I didn't get to sleep till at least 6 30 this morning. Woke up at 9 50.not going to get much done today yet I could have knocked the house down through the night.

ReadyMeals Sat 02-Mar-19 11:07:00

Well since the tests all came back normal, your tiredness is therefore normal for your age and activity level. As my doctor once said to me "you learn to live within your limits".

Poppyann1 Sat 02-Mar-19 11:07:04

Sorry Bopeep 14.Think tired ness is kicking in already.

Gonegirl Sat 02-Mar-19 11:27:49

Apologies to icanhandthemback and thanks to aggie.

Niucla97 Sat 02-Mar-19 11:36:30

Glad you've had blood tests keep checking it out. Last year a friend of mine was constantly tired, she put it down to the heat. September she eventually went to the DR who gave her sleeping tabs , which was the last thing she wanted, They mad little difference so back she goes, this time she anaemic so she was out on a course of iron tabs,

Not happy she asked for a second opinion. She found out just before Christmas that s he had bowel cancer. She had an operation a few weeks ago and is awaiting the results.

So take care and don't leave these things to chance.

loopyloo Sat 02-Mar-19 12:06:52

Dear Bopeep, really think you should go back to GP. Did you have an Hbaic done? How old are you? Are you overweight at all? Do ask for a print out of your results. And what about your blood Pressure?
Not that we need to know all the answers but to help you sort it out.
The common things are common. Perhaps type2 diabetes is creeping up on you. This happened to me and I could sleep and sleep. Now controlled with better diet.
All best wishes.

Bopeep14 Sat 02-Mar-19 12:55:04

Just to let you all know i am in my late 50s look after granchild 1 year old full time during the week and also hubby and i have two other grand children 3 and 8 on a saturday mum and dad work in retail, so have to work Saturdays. I have looked after grandchildren for 8 years but for the last few months am finding myself exausted, never felt like this before. I know its too much but i cant let my family down child care is so expensive. ?

grandtanteJE65 Sat 02-Mar-19 13:07:16

How old is your grandchild? Is it possible to play a quiet, sitting down game for an hour, when you need a rest, or tell a story?

Missing meals because you are too tired to eat, will, unfortunately, probably make you more tired. Do you take a snack when you start to flag? I discovered the hard way that I was hungry, when I started to flag, but I didn't feel hungry, so it wasn't until I started to shake that DH said, "You need food!".

Peardrop50 Sat 02-Mar-19 13:13:58

Bopeep, none of us want to let our family down but if you become ill you will be no use to them at all. Please discuss your tiredness with your family and see if you can't come up with a solution that gives you a day or two of time to yourself or shorter child minding hours daily. Good luck.