Almost every woman has, at one time or another, felt so fatigued she wanted to cry. But for some women, and for a variety of reasons – including menopause, caring for a newborn, working odd hours, chronic anxiety, and poverty, to name only a few – fatigue is a constant, not an occasional, problem.

Overcoming fatigue is essential in achieving total sexual wellness. So what’s the solution? Stimulants don’t really give us more energy, though they are what many women turn to when they feel too tired. Stimulants create false energy, leaving us more exhausted at deeper levels. One more cup of coffee, one more soft drink, and one more jolt of fear increase energy, to be sure. But these choices also deplete our bones of their minerals, weaken our core energy, and prevent truly restful restorative sleep. Even herbal stimulants, like cayenne and guarana, are, well, stimulants. They push us too hard and erode our long-term health.

So how can you boost your energy in a healthy and effective way? Here are 10 tips:

1. Do Nothing -Extreme fatigue indicates a profound need to do nothing. Ask family and friends to give you a day totally off … and take it! 
2. Be Gentle With Yourself -The internal processes that occur during puberty, motherhood, menopause or any other profound change in your life require tremendous amounts of energy. Even if you provide yourself with very high-quality nutrients and use your energy wisely, you may still feel unreasonably tired. Be gentle with yourself as you navigate the journey of womanhood.
3. Give Yourself a Break – every hour, take a 60-second break. Breathe deeply; stand up and stretch; drink a glass of water or some herbal infusion. Schedule a regular time to meditate or take a nap every day. Small frequent rests help more than an extra hour of sleep but do both if you can.
4. Set Aside An Hour A Week To Do Something Indulgent For Yourself –  a long soak in a hot bath, a manicure, a walk alone in a beautiful place. Nourish yourself and you will have more energy to give to others.
5. Treat yourself to a massage once a month. A skillful massage releases tension, helping you get more benefit from your sleep and downtime, thus liberating more energy and helping you begin the upward spiral into increased vitality.
6. Try seaweed – Seaweeds of all kinds help restore energy by nourishing nervous, immune, and hormonal systems. Make it a habit to eat seaweed as a green vegetable at least once a week. Try kelp in your oatmeal, wakame in your beans, kombu in your soups, hijiki salads, toasted dulse, sea palm fronds, and deep-fried nori!
7. Check Your Nutrition – Warming herbs such as ginger and cinnamon increase energy (but may increase hot flashes, too). Make a tea with 1 cup/250 ml boiling water and 1/2-1 teaspoon (1-2 grams) of the powder of any one of these. B vitamins build energy. Find them in whole grains, organ meats, sweet potatoes, avocados, egg yolks, fish, and whey. Both oat straw and nettle infusions are good sources of B vitamins, as are red clover blossom infusion, peppermint leaves, and fenugreek seeds. Low levels of potassium, iron, and iodine contribute to fatigue. Celery, cabbage, seaweeds, nettle infusion, and red clover infusion are excellent sources of potassium. Molasses, chocolate, seaweeds, nettle infusion, and dandelion leaves are all superb sources of iron. For iodine, seaweed shines, but sea salt, mushrooms, and greens grown in gardens fertilized with seaweed also supply significant amounts.
8. Check Your Iron – You may need more iron: eat a spoonful of molasses or try a dropper-ful of yellow dock tincture several times a day.
9. Get Moving – Energy is attracted to energy. Get moving and watch your energy levels rise.
10. Eat More – When you’re too tired to eat, you get more tired. (If this sounds like an old wives’ tale, remember that old wives were the wise women. But, actually, it’s the latest scientific thinking.) In addition to at least one really good meal a day, eat high-quality snacks hourly.

Take the time to rest, do things you enjoy, and eat a diet that supports boosting your energy so you can live a delightful and energized life.

Until next time #GYNEGirls and #Preggos…

Dr. Drai