How to Reclaim your Energy (when your hormones are out of whack)
I don’t think I can remember a single client who has said to me she was happy with her energy levels. Feeling “wired and tired” seems to have become the norm for so many, but despite how you may feel, your body is designed to produce plenty of energy to get you through the day without feeling tired.
There are many potential underlying causes of fatigue in women. From a hormonal perspective, imbalances in several hormones can often play a role. These include our cortisol (stress hormone), insulin (blood sugar balancing hormone), thyroid (metabolism hormone) and sex hormones.
To top it off, low energy availability, low levels of certain nutrients, too much or not enough, exercise, the wrong workout at the wrong time, poor sleep, digestive issues, exposure to certain toxins, imbalanced lifestyle choices and specific medical conditions can also play a role.
BUT LOW ENERGY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE YOUR NORMAL!
I know it can be a bit of minefield to pinpoint the exact cause of your fatigue on your own, so here are my top 7 tips to start you on your way to better energy balance:
Start the day right! Choose a good quality source of protein such as whole oats, nuts, seeds, eggs, beans, a smoothie made with a quality protein powder or full fat unsweetened goat or sheep’s milk yoghurt at breakfast. This will help stabilize your blood sugar and protect you from those energy dips later in the day.
Avoid fasted, high-intensity exercise in the morning until your energy is back on track. This may feel good initially, but when your body is already stressed, those exercise-induced endorphins coupled with low energy availability will talk dirty to your hypothalamus. Your hypothalamus is a little region in the brain that has a BIG impact on your metabolism, energy and most of your hormones. The hypothalamus is immensely powerful. It’s known as the neuroendocrine gateway of the body and it’s your hormone-command centre. It has the ability to switch your body into “low power mode” (aka. low energy mode) when you’r under any form of stress. Trust me, we don’t want to p*** it off too much!
Use a little coconut oil in smoothies, drinks or cooking. This is a good fat that won’t make you fat! The medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil (MCTs) help increase your metabolism and give you energy. Try a tsp in a herbal tea, first thing.
Reduce stimulants like coffee & alcohol as much as possible. These can really mess with your cortisol and insulin response, causing big highs and even bigger lows, leaving us feeling more wired and tired than before. If you LOVE the taste of coffee, try having just one cup of good quality organic coffee mid-morning (away from food), add a little fat (in the form of full fat plant or dairy milk, butter or coconut oil) or choose water-filtered decaf options.
Eat nutrients that support energy production in the body – B vitamins, magnesium, vitamins C & E, iron, zinc & and selenium. These can all be found in a variety of vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, fish & meat. Get your iron, B12, folate & vitamin D levels tested as these can all impact your energy levels and you may need to supplement.
Take a screen break – according to a 2019 study looking at 185 million hours of work time, we check email/instant messaging, every 6 minutes! 40.1% of our day is spent multitasking with communication tools, whilst 40% of us use computers after 10 p.m., reducing sleep quality. We live in an age of constant alert (we are literally transcending the boundaries of natural time) and this is incredibly draining on our energy. Switch off your phone after 8pm, limit your phone screen time to twice a day if needed and remember to take regular laptop breaks at work or home. I’d also highly recommend a social media CULL! Unfollow any accounts that don’t UPLIFT you or that glorify unhealthy relationships with your body, food, your career or relationships.
Get a good night’s sleep – try getting to bed 15 minutes earlier each week for the next 6 weeks, aiming to be in bed by 10pm and get 7-8 hours of kip each night. Studies show the hours before midnight (10-12pm) are more restorative so the earlier you get to bed the better!
A word of advice: See your GP. If you feel tired all the time, you eat healthily, you sleep OK and you don’t feel like you’re overdoing it at work or in the gym, I’d highly recommend a visit to your GP as a precautionary step. Unexplained fatigue needs to be investigated as it may not be related to hormones or lifestyle.
Finally, if you have been diagnosed with hypothalamic amenorrhoea (or suspect this is you), consider getting in touch to get the right support that works for you and your unique needs. #beenthere
I hope this has given you a little insight as to why you might be feeling a little bit off at the moment. If it resonates with you or you'd like to know a bit more about any of these insights and how they might apply to you, feel free to drop me a line or book a call in my diary to have a chat.
Have a great day!
© Holly Dunn Nutrition