What Causes Low Energy in Older Women?

You may start feeling as though you have a little less energy as you age. But for many women, that feeling is not necessarily a byproduct of aging.

“Often, people do feel more tired as they get older,” says Aviva Romm, MD, a midwife, herbalist, and author based in Massachusetts. “But it’s because they’re not getting enough sleep, eating right, or exercising regularly — not because they’re older.”

Numerous lifestyle factors and health issues can cause fatigue and feelings of low energy in women, especially as they get older. If your fatigue worries you or causes symptoms that affect how you live, talk to your doctor about ways to address your situation.

How Do You Know if Your Energy Is Low?

Fatigue can affect both your body and mind, often resulting in a lethargic feeling. It can cause issues with your hormones and come from a hormonal imbalance, says Jade Wu, PhD, a certified behavioral sleep-medicine specialist, clinical assistant professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University in New York, and author of Hello Sleep.

Dr. Wu and Mikhail Kogan, MD, a geriatrician and chief medical officer at the GW Center for Integrative Medicine in Washington, DC, say that other symptoms of low energy and fatigue include:

• Stress or a feeling of burnout
• Boredom or not being mentally stimulated
• Overstimulation
• Change in eating habits
• Dehydration
• Loneliness
• Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions

Causes of Low Energy in Older Women

Sometimes, having low energy can be the result of changes to your lifestyle. But it also can point to more-serious health issues, especially as you get older.

Hormonal Imbalance

“Changes in progesterone levels, either rapid increases or decreases, can also be associated with fatigue,” Wu says.

Sleep Issues

Chronic sleep deprivation also impedes your body’s ability to release growth hormones that help it repair itself during the night, Wu says. So if you’re not sleeping enough, you may feel tired and fatigued.

The amount of sleep you need can vary, though.

“People in very early adulthood still have growing brains and possibly bodies, and often have higher physical activity levels and faster metabolism, all of which requires more sleep,” Wu says.

In addition to the amount of sleep you get each night, sleep quality also can affect your energy levels. If you regularly have trouble falling asleep, wake up multiple times each night, or wake up feeling tired, it may be a good idea to adjust your sleep routine to ensure that you’re getting the sleep you need.

Menstruation and Menopause

Dr. Romm says it’s normal to feel your energy drop in the days before you get your period.

“This is a big recurring factor for why women can feel tired,” she says. “Some women especially have really heavy periods, which can lead to very low levels of iron, and that’s definitely going to lead to feeling more tired.”

“Some of the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause can disrupt sleep, such as hot flashes, so that can lead to women feeling more tired, because their sleep is interrupted,” Romm says.

Exercise

Lack of exercise can make you feel more tired, and it’s something Romm says she notices regularly in her patients in their 30s and 40s.

If you have concerns about your ability to exercise, ask your doctor to come up with a plan that can help you stay active.

Diet

• Processed grains such as white pasta and white bread
• Candy
• Yogurt with added fruit sweetener
• Sugary cereals
• Cookies and cakes

Alcohol and caffeine can mute or amplify your energy levels, too. They also can affect your sleep timing and quality, which can make you feel fatigued.

Talk with your doctor and a registered dietitian before you make any drastic changes to your diet. And remember: No one diet works for everyone.

“There are probably hundreds of diets and cultural ways of eating that are really good,” Dr. Kogan says.

Stress

Stress has major effects on all aspects of your mental and physical health, and energy is no exception. Fatigue and stress have a cyclical relationship, where they each feed the other and amplify the effects.

For many women, stress can come from numerous sources, from home life to work life and everything in between, Romm says. The sources aren’t necessarily tied to aging.

Besides the psychological factors that can lead to stress, physical reasons such as digestive problems, vitamin deficiencies, and hormonal imbalances also can contribute, Romm says. You can talk with your doctor about ways to address these.

How to Increase Your Energy

You may reach for a short-term energy boost in a sugary energy drink or coffee. But be aware that these options could lead to more fatigue down the road.

As you look for ways to boost your energy levels, consider ways to address possible causes of your fatigue. For instance, you may want to:

• Adjust your sleep cycle, or even take a nap. Research has found that naps of any length can help you feel more alert, especially if you’re a shift worker.

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• Get in a quick workout to boost blood flow.
• Eat fatigue-fighting foods such as eggs, nuts, and skinless and lean chicken.

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Wu also recommends making sure your days are full of activities that are good for your body and mind. She says it’s a good idea to:

• Go outside and get some sunlight.
• Socialize.
• Do activities that you find fun or meaningful.
• Reduce stress.
• Practice mindful-breathing exercises.

When to Call the Doctor

If you find yourself feeling more exhausted than you used to, the reason likely isn’t just that you’re a few years older. But if lifestyle changes alone don’t work, and your fatigue grows, there may be other factors at play.

“I say you go [see a doctor] at the point where you’ve tried some of these basic methods and they haven’t worked,” Kogan says. “The reality is you either haven’t done enough of those things and you need professional guidance, or there’s something else going on that’s a bigger problem.”

Your doctor may ask you about your daily activities and mood. They also may run tests to find out if medical issues, such as those with your thyroid, are a factor.

If you think that your energy levels are consistently low and you can’t bring them up, call your doctor.

“Anything that becomes chronic gets a lot harder to fix,” Kogan says.

The Takeaway

• Low energy isn’t necessarily a part of aging, as lifestyle factors and health concerns can significantly contribute to fatigue, especially among older women.
• Fatigue is different from simply being tired, and it may show up as feeling burned out, bored, dehydrated, or depressed.
• Causes of low energy could be health-related, such as a hormonal imbalance or a byproduct of menopause. A lack of exercise, dietary factors, and stress also could play roles.
• Tackling the cause of your fatigue is a more-effective way of addressing low energy than is sipping more coffee or energy drinks, which can make fatigue worse.
• If your fatigue becomes worse after lifestyle changes or interferes with your daily life, talk with your doctor about ways to address it.