EXHAUSTED in your 40s? You are the only ones who can rightfully complain, according to science

Everyone complaining that they are tired all the time, step aside. Only people currently in one particular decade of their life have the right to say, according to science. Researchers have found that the most exhausting period of our lives arrives after we turn 40. By this age, even though the body isn't as young as it was in your 20s, life's demands are still sky high. You still have kids to raise and work to do. So you have to do it all, but not be at your best. According to Professor Michelle Spear, an anatomist from the University of Bristol, it is not just about getting older, but is linked to several small biological changes happening together. She told Daily Mail that this "midlife fatigue" is a result of "mismatch between biology and demand".

She says that even though our bodies are still producing energy at this age, it does not happen in the same way as in our 20s. It occurs "under different conditions than in earlier adulthood, while the demands placed on that energy often peak." However, she states that these biological imbalances, which drain our energy, are only temporary. But they are enough to leave us feeling tired and fatigued, more than at any other times of our lives. Spear added that in our 40s, we undergo a cellular change. In our 20s, mitochondria, the parts of our cells responsible for making energy, do so in a way that less of it is wasted and inflammatory by-products are not as much. So even if you do not exercise as much or sleep late, the body is not affected as much. However, the same activities in your 40s will have a detrimental effect because of the subtle physical changes that begin to occur.

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More exercise, poor sleep quality, perimenopause — Endless list of problems

So despite continuous energy production, we feel sapped because our body is using more of it. Strength training is one effective way to prevent muscle loss and mitigate the impact of this condition. Another aspect is the difference between how stress and less sleep impact us in our 40s as compared to 20s or 30s. Adding to the problem is the fact that getting a good night's sleep becomes difficult with age. So you need to sleep well to feel energetic, and yet sleep eludes you, making it a tough problem to navigate. Professor Spear says, "Hormonal changes, particularly fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone for women during perimenopause, directly affect the brain regions that regulate sleep depth and body temperature."

Our body's stress response becomes more active with age, which leads to cortisol rising at night instead of falling, making us feel less rested. Along with all this, people in their 40s face a huge amount of cognitive and emotional load because of all the responsibilities. So you are physically and mentally drained because of all the work and your body is not supporting you. Spear added, "Midlife fatigue, in particular, often reflects cumulative load rather than ageing itself."