Feeling Drained in Midlife?
The answer to fixing your energy in midlife isn’t hidden in an expensive supplement or trendy biohack. These habits are so simple that most of us dismiss them and that’s exactly why we stay exhausted.
The truth is your body runs on science, not quick fixes. And when you understand why these simple habits actually work, it changes everything.
If you’re ready to stop dragging yourself through the day and actually feel alive again, let’s dive into five natural ways to boost your energy after 40.
1. Movement: Exercise for Energy
Let’s start with exercise not just for weight loss, and definitely not for punishment, but for pure energy.
I’ve realised that when I stop exercising, I don’t just lose fitness; I feel sluggish, tired, my mood dips, and everything feels harder. Movement literally recharges your body.
Why Exercise Works
Here’s how it works:
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More mitochondria: Exercise builds more mitochondria – your body’s little batteries, the power stations inside your cells. The more you have, the more energy you can actually produce.
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Better circulation: Movement gets your blood pumping, meaning oxygen and nutrients reach your muscles and brain faster. That’s why you feel more awake and focused after a workout.
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Happy hormones: Exercise triggers endorphins (natural mood lifters), dopamine (your motivation chemical), and serotonin (your calm, steady mood regulator). Together they reduce stress and boost your sense of wellbeing.
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Lower cortisol: Regular exercise lowers cortisol, your stress hormone, which is often high in midlife. Less cortisol = better sleep, fewer crashes, and steadier energy.
My Tip
Here’s the surprising part – the more you move, the more energised you become. It’s like training your body to produce more fuel on demand.
If you’re feeling exhausted, skipping exercise is the last thing you want to do. Start small: a brisk 10-minute walk or a quick 15-minute strength session at home. Three of these sessions a week makes a massive difference. The more consistent you are, the more your body rewards you with stamina, sharper focus, and that unstoppable “I’ve got this” energy.
2. The Most Underrated Energy Hack: Sleep
Now onto the most underrated energy hack of all: sleep.
I know it sounds boring, and most of us act like we can just push through with coffee.
But here’s the truth: if your sleep is rubbish, nothing else will work.
Why Sleep Matters
Poor sleep throws your hormones completely off balance:
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Cortisol (stress hormone) shoots up.
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Insulin sensitivity drops — you crave snacks and sugar.
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Inflammation rises.
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Hunger hormones (ghrelin and leptin) go haywire, so your body craves more and doesn’t know when it’s had enough.
During deep sleep, your body restores energy stores (ATP — literally the fuel your cells run on), repairs your muscles and tissues, clears waste from your brain, and rebalances hormones like oestrogen, progesterone, and melatonin. Skip this, and no amount of caffeine will dig you out of the hole.
My Tip
Once I understood the science, I made sleep a priority. Treat your sleep like your best anti-ageing serum. Protect it:
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Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
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Put your phone away an hour before bed.
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Aim for 7–9 hours – yes, even on weekends.
Sleep isn’t lazy – it’s your built-in energy reset button. Without it, everything else becomes 10 times harder.
If you’re not only looking for more energy but also want to lose stubborn weight and feel great in midlife, check out my free Midlife Reset Guide in the description. It offers practical, actionable steps to help you thrive.
3. Eating Less (Hello, Ketones!)
Here’s one you might not expect: eating less often can actually give you more energy.
When you fast ,even gently, your body gets a break from constant digestion and flips into fat-burning mode. That’s when it starts producing ketones, which are like a supercharged, cleaner fuel compared to glucose.
Think of glucose as a quick-burning firework and ketones as a steady candle flame. Ketones give your brain and body more ATP (your energy currency), which is why so many people report mental clarity, focus, and even a lightness in their body when they fast.
My Tip
I started with simple 12:12 fasting (12 hours eating, 12 hours fasting), then worked up to 14, 16, 18, and even 24 hours occasionally. My dreaded afternoon crash completely disappeared. Instead of raiding the biscuit tin at 3pm, I felt steady, focused, and more productive.
You don’t need to dive into 24-hour fasts or anything drastic. Just give your body a 12-hour overnight rest – say dinner at 7pm and breakfast at 7am and work your way up if it feels good. It’s not about restriction; it’s about giving your body the break it needs to reset and refuel properly.
4. Eat Real Food (Not Ultra-Processed Junk)
This one sounds obvious, but most people still get it wrong.
Ultra-processed foods – the cereal bars, crisps, and sugary drinks are designed to give you a quick hit and then drop you flat. They spike your blood sugar, your insulin shoots up, and then you crash.
Why Whole Foods Work
Real, whole foods – protein, fibre, healthy fats, and colourful plants actually feed your mitochondria (those little powerhouses that make energy inside your cells). They also lower inflammation, one of the biggest hidden drains on your energy. And when your blood sugar is steady, your mood, focus, and energy stay steady too.
My Tip
For me, one of the biggest shifts was swapping my go-to cereal bar for something as simple as Greek yoghurt with flaxseeds and berries. I couldn’t believe how much steadier I felt – no mid-morning slump, no desperate need for coffee. Just calm, sustained energy that lasted through the day.
Build your meals around real food: protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and fibre. Your body isn’t asking for another snack; it’s asking for proper fuel.
5. Protect Your Own Energy (People & Passions)
Energy isn’t just physical – it’s emotional and mental too. You can eat the healthiest diet and exercise every day, but if your life is full of draining people and joyless obligations, you’ll still feel flat.
Think about it. Some people leave you buzzing after a coffee chat, while others make you want to crawl back into bed. Activities work the same way.
When you’re constantly saying “yes” to what society expects – the events, the roles, the “shoulds” – your energy leaks away. But when you give yourself permission to follow your passions, to do things that genuinely excite you? Your energy expands.
My Tip
I started asking myself two simple questions:
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How do I feel after spending time with this person?
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How do I feel after doing this activity?
If the answer was drained, tense, or heavy, I stepped back. If I felt energised, inspired, or joyful, I leaned in. That tiny act of listening to my intuition completely changed my energy levels and my life.
Protect your energy like you protect your phone battery. Say no to what drains you, and plug into what lights you up. Spend time with people who fuel you. Do things because you want to, not because society expects it. Follow your passions. Pay attention when something makes you feel alive — and keep following that trail.
That’s where your real, lasting energy comes from.
The Bottom Line
Fixing low energy after 40 isn’t about another coffee, sugar hit, or magic supplement. It’s about getting back to the basics: movement, sleep, fasting, real food, and protecting your energy from the inside out.
Start with one of these five habits this week and let me know below — which one are you going to try first?
And if you’re ready for deeper support, I offer 1:1 coaching to help women recover from the midlife slump and create a future they’re genuinely excited about. You’ll find all the links in the description.
🌱 Ready for your next step? Check out: “Seven Daily Habits Women in Perimenopause Need to Feel Their Best.” I’ll see you there.
