Quote Originally Posted by sundial View Post
You asked some very provoking questions so I'll share my thoughts on this. I didn't give you a complete picture in the OP, so here it is.

I do eat breakfast--sometimes it's an egg with toast, sometimes it's peanut butter on an English muffin and Peet's coffee. Then I eat a mid-morning snack. Then lunch and dinner as well. My caloric intake is about 2200 or so per day. I do sleep through most of the night but lately I've had more intense hot flashes during the night so I do wake up briefly to kick off the covers. The humidity is also higher so it's not as comfortable at bedtime. I do wake up naturally, say around 6:30 or 7 to let the dogs out. Then I'm up making coffee. If I had a pretty strenuous workout the night before, I may sleep in until 8 or so. After a big ride I do take a nap.


I do battle arthritis and I have some arthritic changes in my bad knee. At times, my joints felt like sandpaper. For anyone that has arthritis, the joint pain and stiffness can wear you down and make you fatigued. I am also a painter and so I stand on my feet most of the day. And after a ride, I am stiff sometimes in my hip and knee on the affected side. I have seen orthos and they all shake their head when they see my x-rays and surgical notes. The only remaining solution for me is a total knee replacement. But I'm planning on keeping my original equipment for as long as I can.
Sundial, it sounds like you've got a variety of things of things going, all of which could be affecting your energy level, motivation, and your body's ability to repair and recover. I'd suggest that you to talk to your doctor about it, but I don't always trust that they look at medical issues (and their resulting emotional issues) holistically. Otherwise, I might suggest talking to a PT. Massage is a good suggestion, too.

Over the past two years, my sleep patterns have gotten completely wonky, so I know how much that issue alone can affect things.

I hope you feel more like yourself again real soon. Here's a big hug in the meantime!