Always exhausted
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Anonymous
| I have a PCP appointment coming up so will ask my doctor but in the meantime, I want to get a sense of what is normal. I am 38 with 2 early elementary-aged kids and work full-time, in the office with a 45 min commute three days a week. On weeknights, I am exhausted. I come home and cook dinner and by the time dinner is over, I could fall asleep on the couch. I usually can muscle through bedtime and then pass out shortly after my kids do between 9 and 10. I am a little overweight and working on it but otherwise pretty healthy. Is this normal or concerning? Feels like of crappy to not be able to do anything for myself after my kids are in bed but perhaps that is just the phase of life I am in. |
Anonymous
| Honestly, your life sounds exhausting... Maybe the time you need for yourself right now is sleep. If you said "I am exhausted after I take a shower and need to rest before I dry my hair," that would be concerning. Sounds like you have a very full plate. |
Anonymous
| Sounds exhausting but make sure doctor checks thyroid and ferritin levels. I used to get winded walking up the stairs - turned out my ferritin levels were in the single digits. |
Anonymous
+1. I feel the same and have had all the medical tests… nothing really wrong. Ironically when I go on vacation I feel fine. |
Anonymous
Seconding this. Though I will say for me, low ferritin caused me to get winded with ordinary movement using my muscles, especially climbing stairs as the PP said or walking on an uphill grade, but I don't think it affected my tiredness in the larger sense. It felt like getting short of breath rather than needing to sleep. Your life does sound genuinely exhausting! But low iron is so common, it's definitely worth getting it checked. |
Anonymous
| You need bloodwork, including testing for anemia and thyroid hormones. Wanting to fall asleep on the couch every weekday, even with a full time job and little kids, is not normal. |
Anonymous
| I am a believer that we all have different capacities and I’m just on the low end. I am not the person who can do their hobbies late at night or work out at 4am. My batteries are crappy. |
Anonymous
| I can relate but am wondering...isn't this basically the modal situated people with 2 elementary school kids? What is everyone reacting to saying that it sounds exhausting? |
Anonymous
| My thyroid decided to conk out in my late 30 and early 40s. Definitely have it checked. Are you single parent? If not, your partner needs to be doing their share. I’m a single mom so I don’t have help. |
Anonymous
| Sorry, did you mention when you wake up, you need between 8 and nine hours in bed. You should aim for 7-8 of actual sleep. |
Anonymous
|
Op here thanks for the responses! I will definitely ask about full blood work. I did have a thyroid issue a few years ago - it didn't occur to me that this could be related but that makes sense.
I go to bed before 10 and get up at 5:30-6, so I do get the recommended amount of sleep, technically. I am fortunate have a DH who does a ton of cleaning work around the house. When I crash after kid bedtime, he consistently does the dishes and cleans for the next day. The days where I telework I feel a lot better - the commute is definitely exhausting. To the PP who said this is basically most people with kids and jobs - I agree! That is part of why I am concerned about it. Seems like other people do it and seemingly don't feel terrible all day. But I will continue to take my sleep as my me time. I am a big reader so maybe if I make more of a ritual about getting into bed with a book, that will be better. I mostly feel bad that I don't spend quality time with DH during the week most nights. |
Anonymous
| My crushing fatigue was sleep apnea. I'm a different person now that it's treated. |
Anonymous
| In this region it is often Lyme. |
Anonymous
|
I think you are normal! I'm the same age as you and same situation (two elementary kids, work outside the house). I get sleepy EARLY and my friends say the same. My friends all say they fall asleep before 10.
Is your sleep quality good? wake up in the night? |
Anonymous
| It could be diabetes. |