How in the world do you make exercise a priority when you’re a busy mom with little kids, especially when you have low energy? You know you’ll increase your energy by exercising but you lack the energy to exercise. And you’re probably limited on time, right?
First of all, you’re not alone. It’s extremely common to experience low energy as a busy mom. There’s a reason for it but it doesn’t have to be your normal. Keep reading for why we tend to experience so much exhaustion as moms.
The reason for your low energy as a mom of littles is likely due to something called postnatal depletion which can last up to 10 years after giving birth… multiply that for consecutive births and even more with breastfeeding. This is so common and not enough moms know about it. But I hope you are feeling seen and heard right now- that’s exactly how I felt when I first learned this (3 kids in 3 years, total exhausted “mombie”).
So what is postnatal depletion?
Think of it this way- your baby is going to take exactly what the baby needs to develop and grow from YOUR body. That means you must be getting everything you need PLUS what baby needs and it’s not just calories, it’s MICRONUTRIENTS. Think of your body like a kitchen with a pantry full of ingredients. Your body is the chef making the baby recipe and you need vital nutrients to both make your baby and also support your own efforts as the chef. Each consecutive birth empties the pantry. And if you aren’t replenishing those nutrients in optimal amounts, you’re both going to feel it.
Again, exhaustion is common but it does not have to be your normal.
Exhaustion doesn’t just show its ugly face by feeling tired, it also shows up in poor sleep quality. It’s that waking up tired, struggling through the day without a nap, and then an inability to fall asleep or stay asleep once you do go to bed. Have you ever been there? Me too!
So we turn to caffeine to drag ourselves through our days and sleep aids or alcohol to get through the nights. Neither actually gets to the root problem and both actually deplete our bodies further. Caffeine depletes B vitamins which are our primary energy movers. Sleep aids don’t typically allow our bodies to get into a deep sleep where all the good restorative stuff actually occurs. Alcohol gives a false sense of sleep but also keeps us from a deep sleep and depletes vital “sleep/relax” nutrients like calcium & magnesium.
Bottom line, there is a reason why we are feeling exhausted as moms. It’s common but it doesn’t have to be your normal. Energetic mom can be your new normal! Stay tuned for PART 2 on what you can do about it so you are the energetic mom you want to be…
