How can I Deal with Fatigue During Menopause?

In addition to many other symptoms such as moodiness and hot flashes, it is common for women to experience fatigue during menopause. This is a symptom that can be managed in a number of ways. Many women turn to hormone replacement therapy to manage fatigue and other menopause symptoms. One can also try natural remedies, including exercise, healthy diet, and some herbal supplements.

For women who are experiencing fatigue during menopause, the first step is to consult a doctor to make sure that the fatigue is a symptom of menopause and not the symptom of a larger, more serious issue. Fatigue can be an indicator of a cardiovascular problem, disease of the kidney or liver, diabetes, or thyroid issues to name just a few. Once all other possible causes of fatigue have been ruled out, it can be treated as a symptom of menopause.

Some women choose to use hormone replacement therapy in order to deal with fatigue during menopause. Others try and take a more natural approach by increasing their level of exercise and using ginseng in order to battle fatigue and boost their energy. Before making any decision about how to deal with fatigue during menopause, it is important to make sure that the methods are approved by one's doctor. Also, the aforementioned methods can be combined. Some women find that hormone replacement therapy is effective, but is most useful when it is coupled with regular exercise.

The type of exercise that is most commonly prescribed as a remedy for fatigue during menopause is walking. Walking for just 20 to 30 minutes daily has been proven to help improve most peoples' energy levels and can certainly work for menopausal women as well. For women who are already quite fit, or women who become more fit by following a walking regimen, walking can be replaced with jogging or running. Other exercises that might help to boost one's level of energy and battle fatigue during menopause include hiking, swimming, cross-country skiing, and yoga.

Two other good ways to deal with fatigue during menopause are to stick to a healthy diet and to refrain from overloading one's schedule. Eating a healthy diet that is full of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats can boost one's energy. It is also important to avoid smoking and limit alcohol and caffeine intake. However, making sure that one's schedule isn't completely overloaded is also very important to battling fatigue during menopause. Many women find that it just isn't possible to keep up the pace of life that they maintained prior to menopause.