Energy Level - What's normal?

[Pilsy]

Does anyone else feel like she has less energy than she should?  I'm having a tough time figuring our whether there's something wrong with me or this is just life as a 36-yr-old with a toddler.  

I've always required a lot of sleep, and my daughter has only reliably slept through the night for the past month or so, which means I was getting too little and/or horribly interrupted sleep for about 15 months.  Maybe I'll feel better after a few more months of decent sleep (even if it's a little less than I'd like).  Is there any chance, or is this the best it will be from here on out?  


This is on my mind because 1) I'm still struggling with the decision of whether to have a second child and 2) I simply miss having enough energy for the things I want to do!


Thanks for any thoughts and anecdotes!  

[anna7602]

Have you had your thyroid checked?

[dcn]

I'm more tired than I was before Ds (and now I'm pg so I'm pooped a lot) but I generally have energy.

Are you eating enough? Have you had bloodwork done to check for anemia or vitamin d deficiency? Staying hydrated and getting enough sleep definitely play a role too.

[Deleted]

Some of it is definitely life with kids. There's just so much more running around than before.

That said earlier this summer I just felt so tired and exhausted all the time. To the point I was crabby and I couldn't hardly find the energy to even fake it through things I usually love to do. I have a kid who didn't sleep his entire first year of life so I chalked it up to that. Then he was sleeping and I called it "catch up." Then I was out of excuses. I went to the dr. and had my thyroid all sorts of stuff checked. Turns out mine was mild anxiety which manifested itself as sore and worn out all the time. A low dose of drugs later and I feel much much better. I'm still tired at the end of the day but it's more of a "Wow! I accomplished alot!" Tired moreso than the sinking, dragging, can't get off the couch feeling.

[Pilsy]

Aug 29, 2015 14:13:31 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

Have you had your thyroid checked?

Last time was during pregnancy.  

I need to find a new PCP. I've been putting it off, because I'm in PT now and already self-conscious about occasionally getting to work late on account of those appointments.   I will make a point of finding a doctor and having a physical when I wrap up PT this fall.  

[Deleted]

I've felt this way ever since I was pregnant for the first time. I think pregnancy must have effed something up in me. I did have my thyroid and blood levels checked a few years ago and they all came back within the range of normal. My iron in particular was normal but low so my PCP recommended taking a daily iron supplement. It does help but I'm not sure if that is psychosomatic or not, lol. Making a conscious effort to eat well helps too.

[Pilsy]

Aug 29, 2015 14:17:08 GMT -5 dcn said:

I'm more tired than I was before Ds (and now I'm pg so I'm pooped a lot) but I generally have energy.

Are you eating enough? Have you had bloodwork done to check for anemia or vitamin d deficiency? Staying hydrated and getting enough sleep definitely play a role too.

I eat plenty, too much sometimes.  I think I'm the only mom I know who hasn't lost all the baby weight.    

I drink a lot, and it's nothing but water, so I'm good there.  I'd like to get more sleep, but these days, I regularly get 7.5 or 8 hours which isn't bad at all.  I'm wired to need a lot, so I'd like more, but I'm in no position to complain.

[anna7602]

Aug 29, 2015 14:18:04 GMT -5 Pilsy said:

Aug 29, 2015 14:13:31 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

Have you had your thyroid checked?

Last time was during pregnancy.  

I need to find a new PCP. I've been putting it off, because I'm in PT now and already self-conscious about occasionally getting to work late on account of those appointments.   I will make a point of finding a doctor and having a physical when I wrap up PT this fall.  

My OB was able to check my levels.

Weirdly, getting the Mirena helped immensely with my energy levels. So, could be hormones in your case?

[Pilsy]

Aug 29, 2015 14:17:17 GMT -5 @justdairy said:

Turns out mine was mild anxiety which manifested itself as sore and worn out all the time. 

I have a history of anxiety, so maybe this is it.  

I've been enjoying not being on drugs and feeling confident I'm not depressed, but maybe I need to suck it up and accept I need some help to feel my best.  

[Pilsy]

anna7602, could be hormones.


I guess I really need to make an appointment. OB would be good, but since this might just be my anxiety, I'll have to try to find a PCP.


Thanks for the help, everyone.

[Deleted]

Aug 29, 2015 14:26:24 GMT -5 Pilsy said:

Aug 29, 2015 14:17:17 GMT -5 @justdairy said:

Turns out mine was mild anxiety which manifested itself as sore and worn out all the time. 

I have a history of anxiety, so maybe this is it.  

I've been enjoying not being on drugs and feeling confident I'm not depressed, but maybe I need to suck it up and accept I need some help to feel my best.  

I would check. 
And you may not be depressed. I passed the depression screening with flying colors. Happiness/up and down emotions isn't my problem at all. A constant overwhelmed feeling with 2 little kids, a job, a husband who works 100 hrs. a week and trying to have fun in life is. As is just wandering from one thing to the next and never really accomplishing anything because I'm so worried about "next!" 

I don't think I'll need them forever, but I'm sort of okay if I do. I feel 100xs better. I'm happier. I'm more confident. I feel like doing things. I'm patient and kinder and a general decent human to be around on them. If drugs do that, so be it. Someone once said on her if it was heart disease, diabates, arthritis or anything else you'd take the drugs to improve your life, so why not these. I really remembered that.

It may not even take much. From the way I talk about it on here lately, you'd all think I'm higher than a kite on anxiety crack or something. I'm not at all. I'm on the lowest dose they can hand out and it's made an extreme difference.

[Pilsy]

Aug 29, 2015 14:33:00 GMT -5 mr+ms said:

It took me a loooong time to recover from sleep loss after DD. She was 4 yrs old before I could even think about kid 2; until then I thought we were OAD. 

This is encouraging!  Even if other things are at play, I'm sure this is part of it.  


And @justdairy, thank you.  All valid points.  I've given others this same pep talk before, so I should know enough to follow the advice!    


And just so I don't misrepresent myself, I should point out that I'm not lying around doing nothing all the time.  I work FT, volunteer for my alma mater (though for only a couple hours a month), serve on a board, and manage a rental whose demands ebb and flow.  We have no local family and for a year, I did all the daycare drop-offs/pick-ups and bedtime on my own, which made it tough to meet up with friends.  I think we went on four dates in the first 12 months.  It wasn't exactly depressing but it did zap me of energy if only due to the monotony.  H has agreed to help with pick-up and bedtime a couple times a month now, and the couple times I've been able to get out after work (once alone for shopping, the other to meet a friend for dinner) were fun and reenergized me some.  Perhaps making this routine will help! And I will see a doc to see if any tests reveal an issue or meds might give me the boost I need.  

[Pilsy]

Aug 29, 2015 14:40:05 GMT -5 farmvillelover said:

Exercise helped, as did finding time here and there to do things for myself whether it was getting together with friends for brunch or moms night out, shopping for a few hours by myself, or a block of time for a mani/pedi/massage/solo lunch.

I think these are big.  Getting my H to make these things possible has been a challenge but I think the changes he's agreed to and possibly paying for babysitters more often is going to make a real difference.  


If we have a second, I'm going to make a point of getting some time for myself earlier!  

[fortnightlily]

It should come as no surprise that I constantly wonder this myself. I've never been a high energy person, but I feel it so much more acutely with a toddler.

I also don't drink caffeine and wonder if that's everyone else's magic bullet.

Lately I'm trying to eat less sugar and more protein and see if that helps. Started vitamin D recently too. I know exercising would probably help but I have no time or motivation.

Also, I just napped through half of my son's nap.

Also, I'm getting over my seventh cold so far this year. Have you been sick a lot too? That won't help.

[Pilsy]

Aug 29, 2015 15:20:59 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

It should come as no surprise that I constantly wonder this myself. I've never been a high energy person, but I feel it so much more acutely with a toddler.

I also don't drink caffeine and wonder if that's everyone else's magic bullet.

Lately I'm trying to eat less sugar and more protein and see if that helps. Started vitamin D recently too. I know exercising would probably help but I have no time or motivation.

Also, I just napped through half of my son's nap.

Also, I'm getting over my seventh cold so far this year. Have you been sick a lot too? That won't help.

You're probably thinking, "Give up on the second kid already, Pilsy!"  lol  

I've never been the one with crazy amounts of energy, either, but this is definitely much worse than before.  I mean, I do what I have to do, and I play with my daughter all weekend, but I want to collapse after that.  

I think part of it is being an introvert and having so little time alone.  I used to be able to have some down time before my H got home at night, and now that's all spent on dinner/bath/bedtime for the little one.  

I don't do caffeine, either. That's a thought.  I really haven't been sick much, though.  Thanks for commiserating!  I wish more energy for both of us!

[curbsideprophet]

When DD was 15 months I was not ready to think about having another. At 18 months I was able to start entertaining the idea. Once she was two I was ready to go for it. I think the amount of sleep I was getting definitely played a roll in that.

[Pilsy]

Aug 29, 2015 17:41:35 GMT -5 jenny1980 said:

If I don't take an iron supplement, I feel exhausted. Maybe you're a little anemic?

This could definitely be related.  I've been anemic in the past, and while I gave up red meat a long time ago, up until maybe 6 months ago, I ate tons of spinach twice a day.  I'll definitely get checked.  Thanks!