Morning malaise, my 'new normal'.

Nathan

Nathan

SF VIP
Location
High Desert- Calif.
Morning malaise is a subjective feeling of discomfort and being unwell that can manifest as fatigue, aches, irritability, or lack of motivation, even after sleeping
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Code: 
Some symptoms of Malaise 
Lack of Motivation: Not wanting to engage in usual activities or feeling unenthusiastic. 
General Discomfort: Vague body aches or a feeling of soreness without a clear cause. 
Irritability: Feeling more agitated, frustrated, or easily upset than usual.

If I'm lucky it takes me at least two hours in the morning to feel-like-me.

Some symptoms:
Lack of Motivation: Not wanting to engage in usual activities or feeling unenthusiastic.
General Discomfort: Vague body aches or a feeling of soreness without a clear cause.
Irritability: Feeling more agitated, frustrated, or easily upset than usual.

As somewhat of an amateur alchemist I see a possibility that my Serotonin levels may be low, around 6 hours into the night. I don't know. But, usually normal food and activities of the day mostly help lift the dark cloud.
 

Nathan, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you still going to your Muay Thai Chi classes? And yes, it could be a lack of Seratonin. I know Lexapro helped me because it is an SSRI. I had the same symptoms many years ago. Definitely a lack of motivation and irritability were present prior to getting on a regimen.
 

While i have some stiffness in my joints on awakening i usually meditate soon after and do some gentle stretching. But my highest energy and motivation is in these early morning hours. That lasts longer in cooler months. I had always been a full-throttle till things 'done' person, but have had to learn to take breaks without succumbing to malaise. A mid-day meditation has helped with that.

Finding i do procrastinate more than i did when younger and still working. Perhaps that has something to do, for me at least, with not pushing myself: Not having to be at work and get certain things done on most days and having to push on days 'off' to get must do home things done may remove (relieve?) the pressure to 'get in gear' quickly every morning and stay there.

But something in my nature nags me to be 'productive' every day. To the point i have to designate some days as being less focused on accomplishing--something. Giving myself permission to not anything beyond must do care and feeding of self and household.
My daughter teases me about it because i often give in to puttering around doing something constructive even on those days.
 
Our body clocks have so much to do with this. I've always been a morning person, with my best thoughts and energy early in the day, but by evening, all that is gone. Sometimes I need caffeine even to get through the mid afternoon, but if I use it, then I can't sleep at night. I wish it would all balance out, but not for me.
 
After the terrible two years I've had health wise I really realize how fortunate I am. Up at 4 am every morning and constantly moving.......all day. I just noticed today while walking, how much new energy I have now since my treatments. Too busy for aches and pains now.
 
I have Malaise every morning. Usually takes me about an hr to come out of my wake up funk. Trying to have a conversation with me in the first 15 min I'm awake that involves too many questions and too much thought makes me a little grumpy. And is often followed by a request for more time to wake up before having such discussions. 😁
 
seadoug said:
Nathan, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you still going to your Muay Thai Chi classes? And yes, it could be a lack of Seratonin. I know Lexapro helped me because it is an SSRI. I had the same symptoms many years ago. Definitely a lack of motivation and irritability were present prior to getting on a regimen.
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@seadoug, I do Taichi, which is a Chinese martial art that nowadays is practiced for internal strength and balance. I prefer to just call it Qigong, which Taichi is a subset of. Muay Thai is practiced strictly as a combative sport, commonly called Thai boxing as well.
Lexapro? I'd be willing to give it a try, will be seeing my doctor in about 3 weeks.
 
I've never been a morning person but now I have a little black cat that waits patiently by the bedroom door every morning, and when I open the door he yells at me until I pick him up. Then he purrs like a machine and I'm good to go for the day! Amazing what a difference it has made.
 
Nathan said:
@seadoug, I do Taichi, which is a Chinese martial art that nowadays is practiced for internal strength and balance. I prefer to just call it Qigong, which Taichi is a subset of. Muay Thai is practiced strictly as a combative sport, commonly called Thai boxing as well.
Lexapro? I'd be willing to give it a try, will be seeing my doctor in about 3 weeks.
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Sorry about being so far off. I knew you were practicing something Thai for core strength. Let us know if you move up to Thai boxing! :ROFLMAO:

BTW Lexapro is also available in a generic called Escitalopram. With GoodRX it costs me $0. Keep us posted on your progress!
 
MACKTEXAS said:
Our body clocks have so much to do with this. I've always been a morning person, with my best thoughts and energy early in the day, but by evening, all that is gone. Sometimes I need caffeine even to get through the mid afternoon, but if I use it, then I can't sleep at night. I wish it would all balance out, but not for me.
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I'm fortunate as caffeine (which is also a component of chocolate,
some teas and sodas) doesn't effect me the same way as it does most people. I can greatly reduce my intake (as I did during pregnancies) or even eliminate coffee for years with no cravings or side effects of going cold turkey (some have to wean themselves off or they get headaches). When i have gone off coffee it was usually when living in the tropics (Guyana, Hawaii) i didn't increase my consumption of other caffeine sources.

I can consume it till right before bed and still fall asleep easily same was true of my Dad. I have a sister who can't have any form of caffeine after 4pm or she has trouble getting to sleep.The downside of this is that it is useless in helping me stay awake if need be. It is physiological quirk of mine, similar difference from most people when it comes to nicotine. In my youth i was mostly a social smoker, using it as a 'prop' at times. But i'd go days, weeks, months without smoking, could be in a roomful of smokers and not crave one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You mention the body clock factor. Another way i'm different from the 'norm'. I was always perplexed at the info about 'night owls' vs 'larks' because i stayed up late and woke up early. With exceptions for illnesses i didn't need the 'average' amount of sleep. While it varies with the seasons currently it's 5 to 6.5 hrs nightly. But my peak physical energy is in the morning hours. Yesterday morning i moved 3 dollyfuls of firewood to under the overhang on western side of house. Might have gotten more if it had been cloudier or the breeze consistent. Last summer i reached the point of heat exhaustion once. That was enough to curtail my tendency to push myself.
 
seadoug said:
Sorry about being so far off. I knew you were practicing something Thai for core strength. Let us know if you move up to Thai boxing! :ROFLMAO:

BTW Lexapro is also available in a generic called Escitalopram. With GoodRX it costs me $0. Keep us posted on your progress!
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Trust me, y'all with be the first to know! ;) Rather doubtful though, as the progression of my spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis is pushing me toward less strenuous workouts. :whistle:
 
I have similar symptoms as you but with a different time line. I'm usually fine between 7 am until around 1 pm . Around 1 pm until around 4 pm I feel similar to the ways you describe. Once 5 pm hits, I'm fine again until bedtime. I used to take Wellbutrin to deal with the Serotonin issue but stopped that when it became less effective. I'm working with my Primary now to see what might be done to alleviate the symptoms.
 
Nathan said:
Code: 
Some symptoms of Malaise
Lack of Motivation: Not wanting to engage in usual activities or feeling unenthusiastic.
General Discomfort: Vague body aches or a feeling of soreness without a clear cause.
Irritability: Feeling more agitated, frustrated, or easily upset than usual.

If I'm lucky it takes me at least two hours in the morning to feel-like-me.

Some symptoms:
Lack of Motivation: Not wanting to engage in usual activities or feeling unenthusiastic.
General Discomfort: Vague body aches or a feeling of soreness without a clear cause.
Irritability: Feeling more agitated, frustrated, or easily upset than usual.

As somewhat of an amateur alchemist I see a possibility that my Serotonin levels may be low, around 6 hours into the night. I don't know. But, usually normal food and activities of the day mostly help lift the dark cloud.
Click to expand...
:) Could it be your mood, Nathan? Maybe first thing in the morning find something to really belly-laugh at?
 
MarkinPhx said:
I have similar symptoms as you but with a different time line. I'm usually fine between 7 am until around 1 pm . Around 1 pm until around 4 pm I feel similar to the ways you describe. Once 5 pm hits, I'm fine again until bedtime. I used to take Wellbutrin to deal with the Serotonin issue but stopped that when it became less effective. I'm working with my Primary now to see what might be done to alleviate the symptoms.
Click to expand...
Have you attempted a short nap around 1pm, might be a 'reset'. If i need physical energy in pm i find meditation helpful but for some a nap might have similar positive effect.
 
MarkinPhx said:
I have similar symptoms as you but with a different time line. I'm usually fine between 7 am until around 1 pm . Around 1 pm until around 4 pm I feel similar to the ways you describe. Once 5 pm hits, I'm fine again until bedtime. I used to take Wellbutrin to deal with the Serotonin issue but stopped that when it became less effective. I'm working with my Primary now to see what might be done to alleviate the symptoms.
Click to expand...
Ah, Wellbutrin...that came to mind when responding to @seadoug's comment about Lexapro. I should have a conversation with my PCP, although I suspect he'll refer me to Mental Health, where I'm sure would be willing to prescribe whichever meds I requested.
 
feywon said:
Have you attempted a short nap around 1pm, might be a 'reset'. If i need physical energy in pm i find meditation helpful but for some a nap might have similar positive effect.
Click to expand...
Since I have retired I have learned to enjoy the afternoon nap when I am at home. It does help a lot. Meditation time for me is usually after I turn off the TV and get ready for bed :sleep:
 
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