Are you always feeling exhausted and not sure why?

Are You Always Really Tired and Not Sure Why?

Many women, especially over 40, experience persistent fatigue that doesn’t seem to have a clear cause. It’s not just “getting older,” and it’s not in your head.

One possible (and often overlooked) reason? Hormonal exhaustion.

What is Hormonal Exhaustion?

Hormonal exhaustion happens when your body is under chronic stress, (physical, emotional, or environmental) – and your hormonal systems (especially the adrenal glands) become disregulated. The result? Your energy, mood, metabolism, and even motivation all take a hit.

This is particularly common for women entering perimenopause or menopause, where hormone fluctuations naturally become more dramatic.

Common signs include:

Waking up tired, even after 7–8 hours of sleep
Afternoon crashes or brain fog
Feeling “wired but tired” in the evenings
Increased anxiety or irritability
Cravings for sugar or caffeine just to get through the day
Trouble losing weight (especially belly fat)

So, here’s what’s actually happening under the surface:

1. Estrogen & Progesterone Start to Fluctuate

These are two of your key sex hormones. In your reproductive years, they rise and fall in a fairly predictable pattern. But as you approach menopause, they become more erratic, and eventually decline.

Estrogen affects serotonin and other neurotransmitters that regulate energy, mood, and sleep.
Progesterone has a calming, soothing effect on the brain, it’s like nature’s anti-anxiety hormone. When it drops, sleep quality often suffers and stress sensitivity increases.

The result: You feel more wired, anxious, and less rested – even after sleep.

2. Cortisol (Your Stress Hormone) Becomes disregulated

With lower estrogen and progesterone, your body becomes more reactive to stress. That means cortisol, your main stress hormone, stays elevated longer than it should.

Chronic high cortisol leads to:

Poor sleep quality
Midsection fat gain
Sugar cravings
Suppressed thyroid function (slows metabolism)
Blood sugar swings
Energy crashes

The result: You’re stuck in a “tired but wired” cycle – fatigued all day but restless at night.

3. Melatonin Gets Thrown Off Too

Melatonin is your sleep hormone, and it’s closely tied to cortisol and estrogen. When cortisol stays too high in the evening (hello, stress!), melatonin production drops.

You struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep
You wake up feeling unrefreshed
Your sleep isn’t as deep or restorative

The result: Sleep doesn’t “work” the way it used to – and you can’t recover the same way from stress or exercise.

4. Thyroid Function Can Be Impacted

Your thyroid controls metabolism and energy production. The hormonal changes in perimenopause can increase the risk of subclinical hypothyroidism (low thyroid activity), especially if you’re under chronic stress or not eating enough.

Signs include:

Sluggishness
Weight gain
Cold hands/feet
Low mood or “foggy” brain

The result: You feel constantly drained, even if you’re doing all the “right things.”

What You Can Do About It?

You don’t have to accept fatigue as your “new normal.” Here are a few powerful, hormone-supportive changes that can help:

Support your adrenals – Focus on restorative practices like walking, yoga, breathwork, and managing stress.
Balance blood sugar – Eat regular meals with protein, fibre, and healthy fats to prevent energy crashes.
Prioritise quality sleep – Your hormones reset at night. Try to get 7–9 hours of restful sleep consistently.
Reduce overtraining – Too much high-intensity exercise can backfire, particularly late in the evening. Try and keep high intensity sessions to the morning or swap to strength training if you can only workout in the evening.
Nourish don't punish – Your body needs support, not restriction. Nourishing foods, rest, and recovery are key.