How to maintain your energy as you age: Tips to beat fatigue and feel your best

It’s Saturday night, and once again, you glance at your phone, politely turning down invitations to meet your friends. You cancelled last week for the same reason: You just don’t have the energy. You tell yourself, “Sometimes, I just need to sleep in.” But what if  ‘sometimes’ starts turning into always?

It’s easy to chalk it up to getting older, especially when the big 3-0 looms on the horizon. But here's the truth: Feeling drained and low on energy isn’t something we should accept at any age. Contrary to popular belief, fatigue isn’t an inevitable part of growing older. Physicians point out that it's a myth that exhaustion is a rite of passage.

In fact, in a 2010 study published in The Journals of Gerontology, among older adults, low energy was more often cited as the reason it’s hard to get out of bed than even chronic joint or back pain.

Fatigue is a red flag. If you’re feeling sluggish, drained, or unusually sleepy, it’s time to take notice. So, how do you recharge your energy and restore your bandwidth? Let's explore the options.

Prioritise nutrition

Fuel your body well, explains Luciana Ponsford, a Dubai-based holistic physician. “Start by filling your plate with nutrient-packed goodies like whole grains, lean proteins, and vibrant fruits and vegetables—they’re like premium fuel for your energy engine. Don’t forget to sip water throughout the day; even mild dehydration can leave you exhausted.”

And while that sugary snack might promise a quick pick-me-up, it can actually lead to an energy crash later. Swap it for something wholesome, and watch your stamina soar.

Strength training

As we age, a decline in muscle mass—known as sarcopenia—plays a major role in feeling more fatigued. Ponsford explains, “This process begins as early as our 40s and can lead to a drop in stamina. You can check grip strength as a quick way to gauge muscle health and suggest incorporating weightlifting into routines to counteract this.”

You don’t have to bulk up, but you can work on building muscle into your 80s and 90s. It’s never too early or late to start lifting weights. Studies show that resistance training can boost energy and help older adults maintain independence in daily tasks. In fact, a 1994 randomised controlled trial in the New England Journal of Medicine found that high-intensity resistance training was effective in reducing physical frailty in nursing home residents with an average age of 87.

Watch your sleep patterns and check the room’s surroundings

When you spend the night tossing and turning, you likely wake up feeling groggy, irritable, and drained,  setting the tone for the day ahead. Suddenly, everything feels harder: you’re snappish, unfocused, and struggle to concentrate. If this lack of sleep becomes a pattern, it can take a serious toll on both your physical and mental health. As Dubai-based Joanna Klune, a sleep specialist explains, beyond just a bad mood and low productivity, chronic exhaustion can amplify anxiety and even lead to depression.

So, for starters, aim for 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Consistency is key to regulating your body’s sleep-wake cycle, helping your body naturally wind down at a set bedtime. Try scheduling a bedtime for yourself and setting an alarm if necessary. These routines signal to your brain that it's time to rest, helping to distinguish day from night and relieve stress.

A little afternoon nap doesn’t hurt either. A 2022 systematic review found that taking a short nap during the day didn’t affect nighttime sleep duration for older adults, but it did help reduce daytime fatigue.

Ponsford also suggests: De-clutter your room before you sleep. Remove anything that harms your well-being. In the words of Japanese organizational expert Marie Kondo, does it spark joy? If it doesn’t, well, it can be discarded.

And finally, light, heat, and noise can all disrupt your sleep patterns. Ponsford recommends making your bedroom a tech-free zone—put away your phones and avoid using your laptop in bed. These devices emit blue light, which stimulates the brain and keeps you alert. Prolonged exposure to blue light messes with your circadian rhythm, raising your body temperature and heart rate while suppressing melatonin, the hormone that helps you feel sleepy. To improve your sleep, make it a habit to turn off blue light sources as night falls.

Check oral hygiene

Have you ever been kept awake by a tooth ache?

It may surprise you, but oral hygiene plays a critical role in energy levels as we age. When we neglect our teeth and gums, bacteria can build up, leading to gum disease and infections that trigger inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation doesn’t just affect your oral health; it can drain your energy, explains Ponsford. Untreated dental issues can also impact your sleep, as tooth pain may disrupt your rest.

So, you need to maintain good oral hygiene through regular brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups helps prevent gum disease, cavities, and infections, keeping your energy up by reducing inflammation and discomfort. Moreover, a healthy mouth is essential for proper nutrition—painful teeth can make chewing difficult, leading to poor diet choices or inadequate food intake, both of which can sap your energy.

Manage your stress

There are a few things that age us as quickly as stress. Work, household chores, children, just about everything keeps the wheels in our mind turning, relentlessly. And slowly, it wears us down. As Klune explains, “When we're stressed, the body enters ‘fight or flight’ mode, triggering the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. While these hormones are helpful in short bursts, prolonged stress keeps them elevated, which can disrupt our sleep, cause fatigue, and make it harder to concentrate.”

It also affects our metabolism, leading to fluctuations in blood sugar levels that can cause energy crashes. Over time, chronic stress can deplete our physical and mental resources, leaving us feeling worn out, anxious, and unable to fully recharge. Managing stress is easier said than done, but it requires a balance of factors, including proper nutrition, regular exercise, and strong social connections, to keep it in check.

All said and done, if your fatigue continues to become a pressing problem, check with a doctor to rule out any diseases.