3 Causes of Low Energy in Females

Extreme fatigue is not normal. It’s not normal to ask yourself “Why am I so tired?!” on a daily basis. More and more women are struggling with debilitating fatigue symptoms and don’t know why. Doctors dismiss it as “modern life” or “stress” or “depression” or even worse… “nothing at all! Your blood tests came back fine!”. But the truth is-there is a reason why you feel tired all the time, and what you need to do is get to the root of your problem so you can heal. If you’re feeling tired all the time, this article is for you. We’re discussing 3 causes of low energy in females, and sometips on how to boost your energy starting today. 

Common Fatigue Symptoms 

Most people don’t know this, but deep rooted fatigue problems are often a hormonal issue, and come with a long list of other potential symptoms, including:

• Daily tiredness and extreme fatigue
• Low libido 
• Poor mood
• Inability to handle stress
• Emotional mood swings
• Mental health struggles
• Salt/sugar cravings 
• Weight gain/issues 
• Acne and skin issues 
• Thinning hair 
• Horse voice 
• Increased PMS symptoms 
• Easily irritable 
• Puffy under eyes 
• Poor sleep (constant sleep disturbance, sleep apnea etc)
• Dehydration 

If you connect with any of these symptoms, keep reading. I’m going to discuss the three common causes for these issues and then how you can get to the root to heal. 

1- Adrenal Fatigue

Our adrenal glands are responsible for regulating and producing adrenal hormones like cortisol, DHEA, aldosterone, norepinephrine, and adrenaline. They are also in charge of managing blood pressure and blood sugar, regulating our circadian rhythm, and even producing sex hormones. 

When our adrenals are functioning well, we will have balanced energy, mood, libido, and brain clarity. When our adrenals aren’t functioning properly (or getting proper nourishment) we can experience extreme chronic fatigue. 

Unfortunately, with our modern world being our modern world, and productivity being the name of the game, adrenal fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome is super easy to come by-making it one of the top reasons we see low energy in females. 

The root cause of adrenal fatigue is HPA axis dysregulation or dysregulation of your body’s important communication network: hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. A lot of modern-day issues can cause poor adrenal function and adrenal fatigue, including 

• Excessive sugar 
• Processed foods
• Emotional stress
• Physical and environmental stress 
• Poor sleep
• No support 

When your body experiences chronic stress from this, it weighs heavily on your nervous system, HPA axis and adrenals-resulting in low energy levels. 

If you are relating to any of this, take our quiz “The Real Reason You’re So Tired” to find out if you have common (and not talked about) symptoms of adrenal fatigue. 

Tips for Supporting Adrenal Hormone Levels for More Energy 

Stress is necessary for survival, don’t get me wrong, but too much stress and your adrenals can be seriously overworked. The goal here is to eliminate any unnecessary stress. We can do that by:

• Incorporating a daily stress-reducing practice like a walk, meditation practice, bath, alone time with a good book, massage 
• Make sleep hygiene a priority. Get to bed early! 
• Cut back on coffee and caffeine 
• No stimulants after 10 am 
• Include adaptogens like ashwagandha, reishi, and schisandra (all found in our Beauty Collagen Complex and Organic Immunity Greens) 
• Get tested 
• Get support: sign up for our coaching waitlist 

2- Thyroid Issues

Approximately 1 in 8 women will be affected by a thyroid condition at some point in their lives. The risk for women is 10x higher than men, according to the American thyroid Association. 

Your thyroid gland is about the size of two thumbs. Despite being tiny in size, it is extremely important for your overall health and energy levels. The thyroid is responsible for making hormones like T3, T4, and THS for energy and metabolism. Oftentimes, if you are deficient in iron, your thyroid can’t produce the right amount of thyroid hormones, leading to a thyroid issue. 

Keeping thyroid hormone production in check is crucial for consistent energy, healthy weight, a well-functioning metabolism, and a resilient mood. 

Whether it’s underractive or overactive, people often experience low energy and extreme fatigue as common symptoms. You may also experience anxiety, depression, fertility issues, fatigue, constipation, brain fog, weight issues, blood sugar crashes, and sugar and carb cravings. 

Tips for Balancing Thyroid Hormones for More Energy 

• Keep blood sugar balanced: eat first thing in the morning and eat consistently throughout the day. Make sure each meal is balanced with healthy fat, protein, and complex carb. 
• Drink LOTS of water 
• Avoid consumption of toxic foods like rancid oils, processed sweets and carbs 
• Prioritize foods for thyroid hormone balance:
• Get tested for hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism 

If you feel like you may be struggling with thyroid issues or have a thyroid imbalance, tune into our episode on Natural Support for Thyroid Issues. 

3- Period Fatigue

Normal fatigue as part of the monthly cycle is, well, normal and a common symptom of PMS. Right before and during our bleed, feeling a little more tired is ok—it’s the energy low point in our cycle thanks to a drop in estrogen. Give yourself a pass because this is your creative zone and a perfect time to slow down, journal, and connect deeply with yourself. You are shedding new layers—its a new beginning a fresh start!

So now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk extreme fatigue. Extreme tiredness and lethargy are not normal. Feeling out of control or unable to leave bed is a sign of hormonal imbalance.

During your period, if you are constantly tired and feeling sluggish during the day and experience heavy periods, that can be a sign of iron deficiency due to a consistent heavy period.

Common symptoms of a heavy period:

• your period lasts longer than 7 days
• you need to use more than 6 tampons or pads per day, or you’re soaking through 2 tampons or pads per day
• you change your pads or tampons after 1 to 2 hours
• you have to change your tampon or pad during the night
• you pass blood clots the size of a quarter or larger
• you have to plan daily activities around your period

The causes of heavy periods can be from lifestyle factors like stress, poor sleep, nutrient deficiency, and low body weight. Other more serious causes include:

• estrogen dominance
• not ovulating
• PCOS
• endometriosis
• more serious medical condition like cervical cancer

For a woman, the health of your period is the 5th vital sign. Low energy in females during your period is normal, to an extent. When it is paired with heavy bleeding, mood swings, or horrible sleep—we’ve got a deeper hormonal imbalance that needs to be addressed.  

Tips for Balancing Sex Hormones for More Energy 

• Ditch conventional cosmetics, they are laden with endocrine-disrupting chemicals that through sex hormones like estrogen out of whack 
• Buy organic when possible. Non-organic foods are sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals that also act like hormones in the body, throwing sex hormones out of whack 
• Adopt stress management techniques daily that can help regulate the nervous system and calm the body. Stress is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to the endocrine system. 
• Consider seed cycling for hormonal balance 
• Love on your lymph system with liver cleansing herbs (think burdock and schisandra) and lifestyle practices like massage, sauna, dry brushing, and movement. 
• Eat hormone balancing foods. Check out these articles for more information 

I hope this article has helped you understand a bit more about why you could be having low energy. What is your next step in healing? Let me know any questions in the comment section below. For more hormone help and information about adrenal fatigue follow me on instagram @elevays.com