A Gentle Ease Into January
If you are feeling exhausted this January and quietly wondering what is wrong with you, especially after having a break, please hear this first.
You are not alone. And nothing is wrong with you.
Midlife brings a lot to carry. Family. Work. Hormonal changes that affect sleep, energy, and mood. And the constant mental load so many women hold without even realising it.
Add in the intensity of the festive season, when routines disappear and nervous systems stay permanently switched on, and it makes complete sense that many women begin the new year feeling depleted rather than refreshed.
If you have not rushed to join the gym, restarted an exercise routine, or launched into a shiny new eating plan, especially while there is still some Christmas cheese to enjoy, please be kind to yourself.
What would you say to a friend who has been juggling all of this? Try speaking to yourself in the same way. If the thought of pushing harder makes you want to curl up and retreat, that is not a lack of motivation. It is your body asking for something different. Not more pressure. More support.
5 Tips for the Month
Gentle Ways to Recharge
Instead of overhauling everything, focus on small, supportive habits that help your body and mind recover.
Aim for consistent sleep and wake times throughout the week
Your body runs on a clock - the circadian rhythm. This controls when you feel sleepy, when you feel awake, your mood and energy, digestion, body temperature and hormone levels. When you go to bed and wake at differing times this disrupts the circadian rhythm and the result could leave you….
Feeling tired but wired
Struggling to fall asleep
Waking in the night
Having low energy and brain fog
Having more stress and cravings, lack of motivation
For midlife women especially, consistent sleep is one of the most powerful ways to support energy, mood, and overall health.
Don’t undereat- nourish your body
You might think you need to be ‘good’ after the Christmas period and get back on track, but don’t do this by undereating which will starve your body of the nutrients you need and may leave you with feelings of anxiety, fatigue and lead to cravings for the foods you are trying to avoid.
Ensure you are eating a whole-food diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, fibre, lean protein and healthy fats. Think of what you can add to your diet rather than what to remove - nuts and sunflower seeds/ pumpkin seeds/ flaxseed sprinkled on breakfasts and salads or soups, chopped up carrots/ peppers/ cucumber before a meal or to snack on, wholegrain bread rather than white… And avoid eating after your evening meal to avoid glucose spikes near bedtime which may disrupt your sleep.
Get outside for walks in nature
Movement is so important but it doesn’t have to be in the gym and walking in daylight is known to be hugely beneficial for our health and improve mood. We produce vitamin D when sunlight hits our skin ( essential for many functions in the body including immunity, bone and muscle health, mood and brain function). The calming effects of noticing the nature around you can lift your mood more than a coffee and the movement benefits your heart health too.
If you have told yourself to exercise but just can't motivate yourself for that class, put your trainers on and leave the front door. You will feel the benefit and your mood will be lifted.
Tidy one small space in your home to regain a sense of control and calm
You don’t have to overhaul the whole house but choose one drawer that has been niggling you, it could be in the kitchen, bedroom, playroom - and clear it out. The sense of order is calming for your nervous system and leaves you with a renewed sense of control.
And one final suggestion. Journalling.
Try writing about how you are feeling, what you are finding hard, what you are hoping for, and a few things you are grateful for. Writing things down gets those thoughts out of your head and reduces that sense of overwhelm. It will help to restore calm and quietly lift your mood. You can do this on any scrap of paper. Start by answering these three questions:
How am I feeling right now -physically, emotionally, and mentally?
What is one thing I’m grateful for today?
What small action can I take today to support myself?
Small, supportive habits done consistently will always do more for your health than any strict plan or big January reset. Allow yourself time to build back up this new year.
Invitation
Health Discovery Call
If this resonates, you do not have to navigate it alone.
I offer a free, no pressure Health Discovery Call for women who want to feel better without burning themselves out in the process.
On the call, we can
• Explore what is really draining your energy
• Identify gentle, realistic next steps
• Create clarity around what you need right now and how to have more support
Here is how to book
• Click on the link below to take you to my website where you can click on ‘book a free discovery call’
•Then- show up exactly as you are. No preparation needed
You deserve support. Not another thing to push through.
I look forward to meeting you where you are
Take gentle care,
Zoe