Tired

[proud_canadian]

I am so tired... all the time! I have always required a lot of sleep, but recently I am just beyond exhausted. I used to not have to leave till 8:30, so when DH got up at 6:15-6:30, I would stir, but would usually stay in bed dozing till 6:45-7:00. I went to bed around 10:15-10:30.

My work schedule recently changed and I now have to leave home around 6:30, so the alarm goes off at 6:00 and I get straight up and shower and get ready and out the door within a half hour. I have been doing this for about a month now and my body just does not seem to be adjusting. I have started going to bed earlier like 9:45 to 10:00, and I fall aslep within seconds. I am thoroughly exhausted.

I don't drink coffee, but have been drinking a mountain dew once a week or so for the caffiene because I am almost falling asleep at work. I don't drink more than once a week because I don't want my body to become dependent on it, plus I don't like eating/drinking crap.

Overall I life a fairly healthy life, I eat lots of fruits and vegetables, am a normal weight, get exericise (but not every day). I am 35 years old, and female.

Should I be having such a hard time adjusting to this and still being so so so tired. Is there anything I can do to have more energy throughout the day?

 

[FayeW]

I'm exactly the same. The time change knocked the stuffing out of me. Have been thoroughly exhausted since then. I think that your change in work schedule and the time change have combined for a double whammy and it's just going to take a little while til your body gets used to it.

When I was a kid, I looked forward to being old enough to go to bed whenever I wanted.... I didn't expect that would mean 9:30 on a a Saturday night, though!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Maybe try going to bed even earlier and getting up earlier. My wife has never done well with the up and rush out routine. Feels exhausted all day. So, now she gets up at 5 and then mills around like you used to in order to leave at 6:45.

 

[skylizard]

You could have an underlying medical issue. Have you had a physical exam lately? Have your thyroid levels checked out, along with your iron and vitamin d levels. There are a lot of reasons you could be so tired.

 

[aaarcher86]

I go through spurts like that with big changes. Are you stressed? That wipes me out. If I have a lot on my mind it will manifest physically with exhaustion. It's annoying. Any cold symptoms? If your body is fighting off an infection that'll tire you out too. And also, it could just be a combination of all of the above.

If the exhaustion started with a noticeable change in your lifestyle (work schedule) I wouldn't jump on the train of it being a big medical issue. If you haven't had a check up in awhile it sounds like it'd be a good time but it doesn't sound like it's something crazy.

 

[mumto3girls]

Just a thought, but the only time I have been exhausted like that is in the first trimester of all 3 of my pregnancies.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am so tired... all the time! I have always required a lot of sleep, but recently I am just beyond exhausted. I used to not have to leave till 8:30, so when DH got up at 6:15-6:30, I would stir, but would usually stay in bed dozing till 6:45-7:00. I went to bed around 10:15-10:30.

My work schedule recently changed and I now have to leave home around 6:30, so the alarm goes off at 6:00 and I get straight up and shower and get ready and out the door within a half hour. I have been doing this for about a month now and my body just does not seem to be adjusting. I have started going to bed earlier like 9:45 to 10:00, and I fall aslep within seconds. I am thoroughly exhausted.

I don't drink coffee, but have been drinking a mountain dew once a week or so for the caffiene because I am almost falling asleep at work. I don't drink more than once a week because I don't want my body to become dependent on it, plus I don't like eating/drinking crap.

Overall I life a fairly healthy life, I eat lots of fruits and vegetables, am a normal weight, get exericise (but not every day). I am 35 years old, and female.

Should I be having such a hard time adjusting to this and still being so so so tired. Is there anything I can do to have more energy throughout the day?

Well, you need more sleep for one thing. You also need more food with calories more than likely.

I would adjust your sleep schedule even more. Go to bed at 8pm instead.

As far as the healthy eating, you may not be getting enough calories and protein for your increased day.

I would start journaling your diet for 2 weeks and that way you can calculate how many calories you are getting. A good website is My Fitness Pal or you can just jot it down and look stuff up.

Also if you have not had a routine physical from your doctor in a while, I recommend getting one and checking out your blood panels esp. with regard to thyroid.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Just a thought, but the only time I have been exhausted like that is in the first trimester of all 3 of my pregnancies.

That was my very first thought too

Maybe try going to bed even earlier and getting up earlier. My wife has never done well with the up and rush out routine. Feels exhausted all day. So, now she gets up at 5 and then mills around like you used to in order to leave at 6:45.

My son is like this. He is tired all day if he has to wake and go wuickly. He'll get up at 5:00 so he can mess aroun and wake up slowly before leaving for school at 6:45.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

You had a season change and a time change (if you have that in Canada), and then a pretty drastic schedule change. Yes, it's normal to feel like you're tired and dragging for a while. Very normal. It doesn't mean you shouldn't check things out medically, or make positive changes that might help, but it also doesn't mean that something's necessarily wrong. Add in the stress of the upcoming holidays and it could drag on for even longer. Try to take it easy over the next month or two. Be good to yourself.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Get your thyroid checked.

 

[Straitlover]

Get your vitamin D level checked, too. I read somewhere that peopel above a certain lattitude are Vit D deficient because of not getting enough of the sun's rays. When I was at a deficient level, I could barely put one foot in front of the other some days.

 

[minnie1012]

I commuted 2 hours to NYC for 13 years and I was constantly tired. I woke up at around 4:40AM and left my house at 5:40AM. I didn't get home till around 7:00PM sometimes later. I tend to need a lot of sleep so I would go to bed around 9:30 but would still be tired. For the most part I was able to function during the day (I also don't drink coffee) but was useless when I got home. Green tea and unsweetened iced tea helped somewhat but I was beat every night when I got home.

So if you can't function throughout the day, maybe get your thyroid or iron levels checked as others have mentioned.

 

[lulu2]

Try liquid iron, found in most health food store

 

[pigletgirl]

Just a thought, but the only time I have been exhausted like that is in the first trimester of all 3 of my pregnancies.

Get your thyroid checked.

Get your vitamin D level checked, too. I read somewhere that peopel above a certain lattitude are Vit D deficient because of not getting enough of the sun's rays. When I was at a deficient level, I could barely put one foot in front of the other some days.

Ditto to all of the above. Go get checked out, OP! If nothing comes up, at least you'll know from a medical stand point all is well.

 

[Imzadi]

You could have an underlying medical issue. Have you had a physical exam lately? Have your thyroid levels checked out, along with your iron and vitamin d levels. There are a lot of reasons you could be so tired.

Get your thyroid checked.

Yes! This. I have thyroid problems. The pills are heat sensitive. I had to have some shipped to me in the 87 degree temperature in August. Then half of the shipment sat on the postal truck for a few days. I saw it on the tracking. The first batch was fine, the one that was stuck on the postal truck was weakened by the heat.

Just a small change in thyroid meds can make a HUGE difference. Some people can't even change brands back & forth as they vary in tiny amounts of actual drugs. That weakened second batch wreaked havoc on my system. I reported in another post here that I ended up sleeping 16 hours for a few days straight. I was so exhausted. I'd get up to eat, feed the cat, but was so exhausted, I'd climb right back into bed. Even after all that sleep. I'd wake up still exhausted. I finally was able to change to a new batch of pills and have been slowly making my way back to having a reasonable amount of energy. It takes longer to build back up than it does for the thyroid problems to decline.

Anemia - iron levels can also make one exhausted, as well as Vit B12 levels.

IFor the most part I was able to function during the day (I also don't drink coffee) but was useless when I got home. Green tea and unsweetened iced tea helped somewhat but I was beat every night when I got home.

So if you can't function throughout the day, maybe get your thyroid or iron levels checked as others have mentioned.

If one has adrenal issues along with thyroid issues, drinking lots of caffeine for energy is actually bad. It taxes & weakens the adrenals even more. Caffeine is a stimulant, but the energy actually has to come from somewhere. The adrenals produce adrenaline, which is what gives us extra bursts of energy, like for the fight or flight response we've all heard about.

Try liquid iron, found in most health food store

Oh, yes!!! I take nature's Bounty Vit B Complex, with liquid B12 - which has to be taken in liquid form under the tongue, as it does not digest or metabolize properly when eaten in solid pill form.

Even before getting my meds straightened out, I started on the Vit B12, and it made the most amazing difference to my energy levels, brain fog & memory problems I was getting due to the thyroid & adrenal problems. . . Umm, what was I saying?

It looks like this bottle in the box. Usually Rite Aid & Walgreens has Buy One Get One Free sales every other week. That's when I stock up on the bottles.

 

[wiigirl]

Just a thought, but the only time I have been exhausted like that is in the first trimester of all 3 of my pregnancies.

 

[proud_canadian]

OP'er here... haha
Definitely not pregnant! I've had a hysterectomy!

Going for a checkup in 2 weeks so will definitely mention it then.

Just was wondering if there is anything else I can do to wake myself up more or to adjust to this earlier wakeup time.

 

[threecrazykids]

I know this is going to be vague, but I'm not able to look up the link right now...but check online for something like "what time should I go to bed" or something like that.

I read an article not too long ago where it describes the typical amount of REM sleep, and other stages that your body requires to feel well rested. You enter the time of night you go to sleep and it calculates based on typical sleep patterns what time you need to set your alarm to wake up and feel refreshed.

It was really interesting because I found that just changing my sleep pattern by about 15 minutes made a HUGE difference. It had something to do with the last hour of my sleep I was waking up about 15 minutes into a sleep level that when my alarm went off I felt like the living dead.

I wish I had the link but it was a HUGE difference for me. I will look later and see if I can find it...but you enter the time you go to sleep (and I think it allows typically 10-15 minutes of leeway for you to fall asleep) and then the time your alarm goes off. It breaks down what time you would need to wake to hit the right cycle (regardless of hours of sleep) that your body would feel awake that next day. Weird stuff, but really cool!

 

[Imzadi]

OP'er here... haha
Definitely not pregnant! I've had a hysterectomy!

Going for a checkup in 2 weeks so will definitely mention it then.

Just was wondering if there is anything else I can do to wake myself up more or to adjust to this earlier wakeup time.

Since you've had a hysterectomy, then yes, many of your hormone levels could be way off. Get them all checked!

 

[NFLDERS]

OP'er here... haha
Definitely not pregnant! I've had a hysterectomy!

Going for a checkup in 2 weeks so will definitely mention it then.

Just was wondering if there is anything else I can do to wake myself up more or to adjust to this earlier wakeup time.

All good advice. A simple idea from my experience. I use a radio alarm set 1/2 hr earlier and lay there waking up pleasantly and fully before getting up. My radio is set on a music/*talk show mix. The 2 hosts are great *talkers!