Energy level

[Sad Eyed Lady]

Herbgeek mentioned "energy level" in another post and it made me think of how my energy level is not what it used to be. I am 59 years old, try to eat healthy, no drugs, just an occasional glass of wine, never smoked, no prescription medications, and I exercise on a regular basis. Yet, I just don't have the energy I used to have. Today I was doing some shopping and at the grocery, (the last thing to do before going home), and I noticed how tired I was. I am wondering if those of you who have reached "a certain age", whatever that may be for you, are experiencing a lower energy level? Although I feel really well most of the time, I just get more tired than I used to.

[leslieann]

I was so fatigued over the last winter that I was shocked: here I had stopped commuting between countries, was only working ONE job, and I was more tired than ever. I started an allergy elimination diet and found out that I react badly to wheat gluten and dairy foods, and have some of my energy back. I am still struggling with sleep quality due to night sweats ("women of a certain age") but the diet stuff has made a big difference for me.

I don't have the energy I had when I was twenty but at least I have the energy I had when I was forty (currently 55).

[herbgeek]

I'm not sure how much is a reduced energy level, and how much is better wisdom. :) I would often do things when younger due to extreme stubborness, so while I might have been tired, I would never have admitted it. I pick and choose my battles and efforts now, because i know that energy is no longer unlimited (if it ever was, and I think that might have been an illusion of youth to thin I was unlimited ),

But I do appreciate a 20 minute nap now much more than I used to. LOL.

[Tenngal]

also noticing decreased energy levels at age 55. I wonder how much of this is hormonal? If any? I also do not smoke, drink or take prescription drugs. I am overweight more now than in the past and really need to get more exercise. I work fulltime and really have started to schedule less activities outside work. It has become draining to me to have to attend to many meetings. Not sure if this is really physically draining or mentally. I just want to be home more.

[Polliwog]

I'm 67 and I definitely notice a change in my energy level. Some of that, though, is that I get worn out being around a lot of activity. I need my downtime. I work 4 days a week, although part time. I go in to the office around 10:00am. I notice that I need more sleep than I used to, and I don't bounce back as fast after being sick. All in all, I am pretty happy at this age, even with some decreased energy.

[jania]

I'm in my early 50's and definitely see a difference in my energy level, there's less of it! I try not to blame age on everything that is changing for me physically but I really do see a slowing down that has been creeping over me slowly through the last few years. I don't bounce out of bed in the morning and go for a run, I find I can be exhausted by the end of my work week and I am beginning to "rest my eyes" at night like my parents use to do (gasp!). I really focus on having a good food diet, exercise regularly though not as extremely as I use to and get the rest my body seems to need. I think it is important to recognize and respect changes as I age but not collapse under them.

[janharker]

Not to be raising unnecessary fears, but many women don't know that fatigue is a sign of heart problems for women.

[Selah]

I am 45 and have noticed a huge level of decreased energy when I compare my activities now to what I could do in my twenties. I also eliminated gluten from my diet several years ago and many health problems have cleared up because of that change, but my energy level didn't really change--in other words, it is still much lower now than it was twenty years ago. I need more time to recover from social activities, and more time to recover from stressful situations.

On the other hand, I have gotten so much better at not bothering getting involved with people/situations/projects that will not bring anything good, that I don't really have to be that active anyway! But it still boggles me to see the likes of people my age and older who have very busy, active, fulfilling lives that they live with tremendous energy and stamina. (Hillary Clinton, President Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Jon Stewart, Qunicy Jones, etc.) They don't seem miserable or frazzled...they just have enormous stores of energy and also seem to take care of their minds, their health, their work, and, presumably, their spirits. If only I had spent the energy I had in my younger years being as focused and productive as they all were!

[Mrs-M]

I've slowed tremendously over the past 10 years, for sure. Less energy, less drive, less interest. I don't bounce out of bed (these days) like I used to, and days where I go from early to late are few and far between, although I do still go steady from morning to night, just not like I used to.

[Mrs-M]

Originally posted by Selah.
But it still boggles me to see the likes of people my age and older who have very busy, active, fulfilling lives that they live with tremendous energy and stamina. (Hillary Clinton, President Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Jon Stewart, Qunicy Jones, etc.) They don't seem miserable or frazzled...they just have enormous stores of energy and also seem to take care of their minds, their health, their work, and, presumably, their spirits.Yes, and let me add Jay Leno to the list. You know what I've learned from watching these people? They all have money, lots of money, and money drives and steers and energizes. That's the only difference.

[Miss Cellane]

Yes, and let me add Jay Leno to the list. You know what I've learned from watching these people? They all have money, lots of money, and money drives and steers and energizes. That's the only difference.


And the money lets them employ staff. Staff who cook and clean and buy the food and the toilet paper and watch the kids and run the errands and keep the calendar and mow the lawn and make the plane reservations and hire the limo to get you to the airport and all the other thousand and one little things that the rest of us have to do on our own, which all take some of our energy.

I don't know if it's that money energizes or that money allows you to use the energy that you have on the big things.

I spent 4 hours today trying to line up visits to look at apartments for rent. Jay Leno would call a broker and tell him/her what he wanted and in a day or two the broker would call back and take Jay, at his convenience, to look a few carefully handpicked, pre-inspected places that meet his criteria. Whereas I had to make several phones call and emails, most of which were never returned--I contacted 7 places, I heard back from 2. I'm going to have to drive miles to see each apartment, and hope they might be reasonably suitable, based on a three line description on Craigslist.

In large part, money buys you time to focus on the things you really like.

[Mrs-M]

Miss Cellane. Bingo!!! Your entry captures the very essence of what I was trying to say. :) Thanks for that. P.S. Wish I was gifted with the same magic..... Even just a little bit.

[Rogar]

I'm 59 and in pretty good health. It would be unreasonable to expect the same energy as in my 20's, but somewhere in the last 10 years or so there has been a drop in my energy level as well as my drive, though not near sloth-like. I try to eat a breakfast that is balanced in carbs and protein and also take mineral and vitamin supplements in the AM. I think maybe this helps. Also excersize and maintaining a healthy weight seem to help me. I must confess to a can of Red Bull ever now and then for an extra boost. Also, I think the hot summer months and the depths of winter are naturally times of low energy for everyone.

Sometimes I see these folks of PBS shows like Gary Null that are older and full of energy. So have wondered if some of the special diets might help. Other than that, I think it's just part of the aging process.

Leno? I can't recall when I stayed up that late:)

[janharker]

When my friends watch what I do in terms of physical activity, they comment on my high levels of energy. I'll turn 55 this Saturday. What I can say is that when I finish the physical output, be it mowing the huge yard with a push mower, rowing competitively, volunteering in some community event, I sleep very well that night. And since I'm retired, most days I don't have to be tied to an alarm clock. I wake up when I'm rested.

That said, I believe that the first ingredient to having energy is a good diet. Then you have to get as much sleep as your body needs to recover.

[leslieann]

Sleep does make a difference. Oh, when I write that I think, duh, that's obvious. I rarely sleep straight through the night now; up to go to the bathroom, awake to toss off the covers (night sweats/hot flashes), awake again to pull the covers back over. I didn't realize that those brief barely-awakenings were significantly affecting how rested I feel but it is true. It makes sense; the sleep cycle is interrupted repeatedly and so I don't get all those various stages of sleep that are necessary to feeling really good. On the very rare occasion that I actually sleep all night long, I feel wonderful in the mornings....(since dropping gluten and dairy as noted above). I have had two or three nights like that in the past three months and the next day does feel great.

I also wonder if maybe my willingness to push myself has decreased. I used to leap out of bed and go running early, before getting to work at 7:15. Cross training in the evening, committee meetings, a second job, stuff like that, all of that was a regular part of my life along with the house, kids, dogs stuff. My life is different now, and I am unwilling to force myself to do things (optional things, that is) so maybe that plays a part. Somehow I figured that life is short and I could choose to act rather than feel driven to keep on doing. So maybe my "lack of energy" is more realistic energy, or maybe it is about years of accumulated fatigue. Who knows? I do like it when I feel like doing things, though, as sitting on the couch has never been particularly fulfilling for me.

Good thread....

[Aqua Blue]

I am in my late 50's. I have had chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia since my early 20's. I used to be able to force myself to continue, even tho I was exhausted. When I hit my early 50's I simply could not force myself anymore. I couldn't get by on 8 hours of sleep, it has to be 10 etc.

[janharker]

I just finished reading a good book full of quality studies and written by a nutritionist that points out that eating a gluten free diet helps chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.