My level of exhaustion with newborn twins was next level.
Like, they shouldn’t even have called it exhaustion. It was something else.
I remember walking through the grocery store with two carts, two babies, and two car-seats feeling dizzy and short of breath I was so tired.
Then people would try to tell me that they were soooooo tired, and I would say, “you don’t know what tired is.”
But, there is a difference between being physically exhausted and mentally exhausted.
Are you physically exhausted?
For me, personally, I need eight solid hours of sleep or I am pretty grumpy. If you know that you aren’t getting the right amount of sleep that you need consistently, then you might want to check out this article: 7 Tips to Get the Sleep of Your Dreams.
My “physical” exhaustion improved as my twins got older and I was able to get a normal night sleep again because lack of sleep was a temporary situation. Though I’m not gonna lie, I often wondered if I would ever sleep again.
Getting more sleep was a simple fix. Time solved that problem. Eventually, I did get a good night sleep again. But, despite the eight hours of sleep, I still had that exhausted feeling.
Are you mentally exhausted?
For a while, even though I was getting a decent night sleep, I was dealing with “mental” exhaustion. I just felt tapped out. All. The. Time.
I didn’t want to be bothered, and everything felt like a chore. I found myself complaining constantly. Honestly, I didn’t like it, but I also didn’t know what to do about it.
Ultimately, I realized that I was doing everything for everyone else, and nothing for myself. It took a long time (and a major breakdown) for me to realize that I needed to make myself a priority again, but once I did, that constant feeling of exhaustion subsided.
A few questions you can ask yourself:
- Is exhaustion a way of life for you?
- Are you trying to do #allthethings?
- Have you stopped doing things for fun or that bring you joy?
If so, then you probably don’t need more sleep, you just need more time for YOU. Give yourself permission to be you again. To have fun. And, to be unproductive.
Because sometimes a little time spent on yourself can be all you really need.
PS – Have you taken the free 5-Day Brave & Bold Challenge? Your life is waiting.