Coping with Tiredness

Share:
Practical Ways to Cope with Inevitable Tiredness

Were you told, before you became a mum, how tired you would feel day-to-day?

Did you believe it?

Tiredness is a regular state of being as soon as you become a mum. No one tells you about how the overwhelming tiredness as a parent would soak into your bones. You become highly irritable, your body and mind become slower and you desperately seek solitude, away from the noise of loud children.

When you’re tired, it’s hard to make it through the day without damaging your mood, relationships and job.

Some days, you can just feel like lying about and not do much in the morning… but there is life to be done. As a mum, you find ways to work with tiredness, because when you have your kids around, you are ‘on duty’.

It’s easy to believe that other mothers ‘handle it all perfectly’, and then feel down about the fact that you either struggle yourself to get out of bed in the morning or make it past 3 pm with your eyes still open, but you really can’t judge a book by its cover. Most mothers go through bouts of excessive tiredness where they are just plain worn out, both physically and mentally.

There never seems to be enough hours in a day to get things done, and somewhere you have to fit some sleep in there as well. The tiredness constantly lingers, and some days it can be hard to handle, but there are ways to cope.

Sure, your tiredness might just pass on its own, but maybe getting active about it will help you to feel less like a ‘mombie’ and more like that woman in full control of her life.

Here are my 4 key tips for coping with those days where the walls of your tired bubble seem to get thicker and thicker:

Get active

Moving more can actually help!

When we are tired and just sitting around, it is like the walls of the tired bubble get thicker and thicker. So getting out for a short walk with the dog, go for a casual swim, have a session in the garden; even putting come fun music on and dancing around the house whilst cleaning can lift your energy levels and help you push through the exhaustion.

Remember, being active is not only good for you, it’s good for your kids too: you are role-modeling a healthy approach to life, increasing your mood so that it flows onto your family and having them join you outside is providing them with opportunities for fresh air too!

Check out your vitamin and mineral levels

There are a hundred and one reasons why we can feel tired, but making sure that your engines are topped up can be helpful. Whether you are simply dehydrated or are deficient in iron, zinc or some other random thing that your body really needs, you’re going to be running on empty.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day and try to see a reputable doctor or naturopath to help you to regain happy body chemistry.

Invest in Self-Care

At no other time is it more important to invest in you than when you are depleted of energy and utterly burnt out. Making time to do something low-key that replenishes your ‘cup’ will get you through the motions of the day by improving your mood, giving you a small burst of energy and allowing you to cope with any motherhood challenges that may come.

Revisit some of our others articles if you need tips and strategies to make this happen when you need it the most.

Seize Opportunities for Catch-Up

If you are running extremely low on energy, sometimes creating or taking advantage of opportunities can help us to catch-up on sleep and rest.

Taking a day at the weekend for yourself, instead of for your family/partner/kids/friends, will give you the time to nap, return chaos to order in your life and regain the energy needed to be more productive back at work and happier at home.

Also, don’t feel guilty or ashamed for asking for help or taking it from those who have already offered. If someone you know and trust offers to run an errand for you or look after the kids for just a few hours after work or on the weekend, this may be exactly what you need to boost your energy levels and return to a sense of ‘normal’.


I know that there are a hundred and one things to do or enjoy after the kids have gone to bed… and whilst self-care during this time is SO important, so too is sleep: super important.

Your energy, your focus, and your attention are your greatest resources. They’re what you use to make a difference in the world, at work and at home. Protect them as best you can by taking the time you need to recharge.