Authored by Heaven Stubblefield in Women’s Health
Published on 10-31-2009
Menopause is something that every woman will have to go through at some point in life, and there are many unfortunate symptoms that accompany this time. One of the main problems experienced by women going through menopause is fatigue. Here we’ll explore some of the causes of this fatigue and different ways to deal with it.
Menopause is caused when a woman permanently ceases menstruating, which effectively ends natural fertility. Once you know for sure that menopause has started, then you have to recognize the symptoms of fatigue if you are going to do something to counteract them. The most common fatigue symptoms that are experienced by women during menopause include experiencing sleepiness during the day, difficulties with the everyday routines, mood swings, lack of energy and the increased need to take naps during the day.
There are fortunately many things that women can do which will help to deal with the problem of fatigue and menopause. Most of these changes relate to the lifestyle, but they are not hard to do. One of the best things to do is exercise as early in the day as possible, since this will help fight fatigue and other symptoms of menopause. Even though it is hard to get up and do something when fatigued, it is nonetheless important and should not be done close to when you go to bed. Then the physical activity will most likely result in not being able to sleep.
A good and sound sleep is imperative when trying to overcome fatigue symptoms during menopause. Therefore, stimulants should not be consumed before going to bed. That means no caffeine, alcohol or nicotine. Another simple lifestyle change would be to just plan on eating smaller meals instead of large ones. However, fatigue is especially prevalent with women who have constantly changing shifts at work, which include alternating shifts or working overnight. This is logical, because these women will not have regular sleeping patterns. That means they have more trouble sleeping, and fatigue is guaranteed. The best way to avoid this happening is to reorganize the work schedule and get it to be as regular as possible.
Although simple changes are enough to help some women suffering from menopause and fatigue, others need a little more help than that. In those extreme cases, it is necessary to go to the doctor and obtain medical help. Medications are available only as prescriptions, and only a doctor will be able to determine what would help a particular woman. Medications may be necessary due to other medical conditions like thyroid or respiratory system problems.
One way that doctors can help women going through menopause and suffering from fatigue is to prescribe HRT, or hormone replacement therapy. Adding deficient hormones helps women to sleep better and thus reduces fatigue. Antidepressants can also help many women who feel fatigued when going through menopause, but these can be dangerous due to side effects. Anyone using a medication like Prozac, Effexor or Paxil will have to constantly be checked by the physician.
