Why You Feel Exhausted But You’re Doing Everything ‘Right’.

So many women I speak to say the same thing:

I’m eating well. I’m exercising. I’m sleeping.

But I’m still exhausted.

Exhaustion isn’t always about effort.

It’s about total load.

Mental load.

Hormonal load.

Emotional load.

And a nervous system that never truly switches off.

When this happens, tiredness doesn’t look like yawning.

It looks like being wired but flat.

Craving sugar at night.

Feeling emotionally fragile before your period.

Digestive symptoms flaring when life gets busy.

Here’s what actually supports a dysregulated nervous system, practically.

Eat earlier in the day:

Skipping or delaying food keeps cortisol high. A proper breakfast tells your body it’s safe.

Reduce daily stress spikes (not stress entirely):

Think less caffeine, fewer intense workouts, fewer ‘push through’ moments.

Anchor your day with predictability:

Similar mealtimes, consistent sleep routines, familiar foods.

Fuel before you rest:

Rest doesn’t work if the body is under-fueled. Instead of trying to recover on ‘empty’, give your body enough energy so that rest can truly happen.

Support sensory feedback:

A nervous system that’s overwhelmed often needs clear physical signals of safety.

Think warmth, pressure, grounding, rhythm.

This can look like warm meals, a hot shower, walking barefoot, singing loudly, deep pressure from clothing or blankets, or slowing movements rather than constant rushing.

This isn’t about doing less… it’s about doing things differently.

If this feels familiar, you’re not broken.

Your nervous system is just tired of carrying everything alone.

If you take nothing else from this, let it be this:

You don’t need to push harder to feel better.

Your body isn’t failing, it’s simply communicating, you just need to tune in and listen.