So your period is coming up and all of a sudden your bed is your favourite place and pyjamas your favourite outfit.. Well join the club girlfriend, cause it is actually super common!
In the 10 days or so leading up to your period, your body is busy preparing for a baby. In the hope that the egg you released met some sperm and is ready the implant into the uterus, your hormones change in order to thicken the uterine lining - creating the perfect environment for implantation. When your uterine lining isn’t invaded by a fertilised egg, the hormones sustaining the environment aren’t needed anymore and the hormone levels plummet. This whole process, combined with the drastic shift in hormones is exhausting and can leave you feeling quite fatigued! Another common cause of fatigue in women is anaemia as a result of menstruation. Anaemia is where there is a drop in your haemaglobin (red blood cells) which are the cells used to carry oxygen around the body. A significant drop in these cells can cause severe fatigue! If you are consistently fatigued, make sure to go to your GP and check your haemaglobin and iron levels!
So what are my top tips for beating this awful lethargic feeling?
1. Give in to that sleepiness at night! Tuck yourself into bed early and aim for seven to ten hours of good sleep!
2. Get that body moving (even just a little). When you wake up, even though you might be dragging to get out of bed, try and do about 30 minutes of moderate cardio. This will release some endorphins (feel good hormones) and give you that little bit of extra energy to get you through the day!
3. Make sure to drink plenty of water and stay away from too many of those sugary/fatty snacks! The quick spike and drop in sugar can leave you feeling super lethargic, so best to stay away if you can and swap it with some protein or veggies! Also, try and combat that anaemia by stocking up on some iron rich foods (ie. Lentils, mushrooms, red meat etc.)
4. And if you’re really feeling low? Remember that some self love can go a long way! Stay in tune with yourself, and take that day to lay in bed and binge on Netflix if it’s needed!