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Midlife Fatigue? How Your Gut Could Be the Key to Restored Energy

  • Writer: Editorial Team
    Editorial Team
  • Sep 8
  • 3 min read

For leaders who have spent decades driving teams, building businesses, and making high-stakes decisions, feeling depleted in midlife can be disorientating. 


For women, this shift is often compounded during perimenopause. Hormonal changes, including fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone, affect sleep, mood, metabolism, and energy, making fatigue even more pronounced.


Men may experience subtle hormonal changes as well, though often less recognised.


Gut-Brain Axis and Energy
Gut-Brain Axis and Energy

The good news is that your gut may hold the key to reclaiming energy.


Science increasingly shows that the gut-brain axis; the intricate conversation between your digestive system and your brain, has a profound influence on energy levels, mental clarity, and overall resilience.


Healing this connection is often the missing piece for midlife leaders seeking to regain the drive and vitality they once relied upon.


“Midlife fatigue is rarely about laziness or a lack of willpower. It signals a deeper imbalance, often in the gut, that can be addressed with targeted lifestyle and medical strategies,” says Dr Anjali Mehta, functional medicine practitioner.



The Gut-Brain Axis and Energy Flow


Your gut communicates with your brain through the central nervous system, the vagus nerve, and a network of chemical messengers. This communication shapes how your body extracts nutrients, regulates hormones, manages stress, and produces energy.


When the gut-brain axis is disrupted—through stress, inflammation, or microbial imbalance—energy output declines, mental clarity suffers, and fatigue becomes chronic.



Track your meals, sleep, and energy patterns for two weeks. You may begin to see correlations between gut health and your peak performance periods.



SIBO: A Hidden Culprit in Midlife Fatigue


Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, or SIBO, occurs when bacteria that normally reside in the large intestine colonise the small intestine.


SIBO can compromise nutrient absorption, trigger inflammation, and disrupt gut-brain signalling, all of which sap energy.


How SIBO drains midlife leaders’ energy:


  • Nutrient depletion: Malabsorption of vitamin B12, iron, magnesium, folate, and vitamin D reduces energy production.


  • Systemic inflammation: Immune activation in response to gut toxins further drains vitality.


  • Cognitive fog: Disrupted gut-brain communication affects focus, memory, and decision-making.


  • Hormonal impact: SIBO can worsen sleep and hormonal balance, amplifying fatigue in women during perimenopause.



Testing for SIBO with a breath test allows for targeted treatment, including dietary strategies, prokinetics, or medical therapy. Addressing the root cause restores both energy and mental clarity.


Your gut health is a lever for regaining peak energy. Ignoring it may prolong fatigue, even if diet and sleep appear adequate.



Trauma, Stress, and the Gut in Midlife


Years of high-pressure work create a heightened stress response. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, suppresses digestion, and disrupts nutrient absorption. In midlife, the combination of stress and hormonal shifts in women amplifies gut sensitivity and fatigue.


Addressing stress, emotional wellbeing, and trauma is as important as targeting microbial imbalances.




Supporting Rest-and-Digest Functions


Midlife fatigue often reflects an imbalance between your sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight) and your parasympathetic system (rest-and-digest). Practices that stimulate the parasympathetic system can help restore energy:


  • Slow, mindful breathing exercises

  • Gentle movement such as walking, yoga, or stretching

  • Meditation or guided relaxation

  • Maintaining meaningful social connections


“Restoring rest-and-digest function is key for leaders in midlife. It improves nutrient absorption, sleep quality, and energy recovery,” says nutritionist Sarah Linden.



Nutrition and Lifestyle Strategies for Reclaiming Energy


A nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet is foundational for restoring gut health and energy. Include whole vegetables, high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and fibre-rich foods while minimising processed foods and added sugars.


Hydration, movement, and consistent sleep routines further support vitality.


Even small adjustments, such as adding a colourful vegetable to every meal or taking a 15-minute post-lunch walk, can have outsized effects on energy over time.



Gut-Targeted Interventions


Targeted gut strategies help restore energy and mental clarity. These include:


  • Gut-directed therapies for IBS or digestive sensitivity


  • Low-FODMAP or specific carbohydrate diets for SIBO management


  • Supplements guided by qualified professionals


  • Medical treatment for SIBO, including antibiotics, prokinetics, or dietary strategies



Treating symptoms alone is insufficient. Sustainable energy requires addressing root causes in gut health and hormone balance.



Tracking, Testing, and Personalised Recovery


Keeping a daily journal of food intake, sleep, stress, and energy levels is critical to understanding your unique patterns. Collaborating with healthcare professionals ensures accurate testing, personalised interventions, and long-term results.



Energy Starts Within


Midlife leaders often seek external solutions—coffee, supplements, or more hours in the day—yet true vitality is cultivated from the inside out.


Healing the gut-brain axis, resolving SIBO, reducing inflammation, and supporting hormone balance can reignite energy, mental clarity, and resilience.


By prioritising gut health, you are investing in sustainable energy and long-term wellbeing. Your vitality is waiting within.


Stay energised, stay balanced, and let Calmfidence guide your way to lasting vitality. Where quick fixes end, and lasting energy begins.



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