Tiredness

Don't feel guilty about a nap if you need it.However, make sure you are not iron deficient, and that your thyroid is not under active( mine was, and found I became very tired easily.)

Why feel guilty if you get up early and are very active early why not take a nap, its doing no harm unless you have trouble sleeping at night.
I am 5yrs younger and I get up about 7ish but I try not to nap as I would have trouble sleeping through the night if I did that and I'd rather keep going in the day to make sure I've a good chance of a good nights sleep, the pain in my shoulder/hip keep me awake enough as it is.

Some anti hypertensive drugs cause tiredness so that is something to think about. I am like tanith I would have problems sleeping at night so I do try not to nap.

I'm only 64 but get up at 03.00 to do an early morning cleaning job. It's only for 3 hours but by the e NH d of it I'm really tired. I usually go back to bed for the rest of the morning. Don't feel guilty about having an afternoon nap, if you are reasonably fit and healthy otherwise.

I am 74, and like you was very tired a lot of the time,and that wasn't like me at all. We have changed Dr's recently, and he asked for a blood test. It turns out that I am anaemic, and will have to have injections every three months.

I am 69 and I don't sleep very well. I go to bed late (otherwise I wake up at 3 and don't get back to sleep), and was getting up at 8.30 or 9, but am now waking and getting up at 6.30. I fall asleep in the evenings and have acquired a lot more wrinkles lately due to tiredness. I am hoping when the days get shorter that I will sleep better, although I do have a blackout blind in my bedroom. Meanwhile I may have spurts of energy once or twice a week for an hour or two, otherwise everything is a huge effort.

Maybe you aren't drinking enough - I often don't have enough to drink and then feel exhausted.

Good point DanniRae

If this is new to you and is persisting do get it checked out HP. It could be something that needs addressing, sometimes quite simply.
Otherwise if it doesn't stop you sleeping at night, go for it! If I feel tired like that I drink a cup of coffee before sitting down as that will stop me going into a deep sleep and sleeping too long.
I always feel I've worked all my life and if, now in retirement, I want to take it easy from time to time I jolly well shall?

It sounds quite normal to me honeypot and certainly nothing to be feeling guilty about -its just a power nap lots of top executives take one!!!

I have felt tired in the afternoon all my life! Taking a nap is nothing to feel guilty about, whatever your age. One doesn't have to fit some pattern that seems to suit others. Just find your own and be comfortable with it.

You probably did have more energy when you were younger. So did I. Growing older does make a difference however much we pretend otherwise.

Happy zzzz-ing! ??

Tiredness in the afternoon doesnt always mean you need to see a doctor...I am an early riser and most afternoons I find myself dozing off in the chair...

Although afternoon tiredness may be natural for some people, if it is a new thing, it's really worth having a chat with a doctor. There are so many possibilities, including a vitamin deficiency, especially Vit D, Thyroid deficiency etc etc.
Always best to get a professional opinion when there's an unexplained change in your health/ well being.

I am 59 and always have had an energy dip in the mid afternoon about 3.30. When I was teaching and looking after my two children it was a nightmare and for about twenty years felt as if I could do with another two hours' sleep every day.

I took early retirement and have a guilt free nap every day. Sometimes it's just an upright doze for ten minutes and sometimes a proper hour's or half hour's sleep, depending on how much I have done and how early I woke in the morning. I also have tea and cake at tea time and that helps with the energy dip too. I feel as if I don't have enough time left to me to waste it on feeling guilty - and who would it help anyway?

Do you have any pollen allergies/hayfever? I get up early and spend most of the day outside as we have a very large garden. I have to take anti-histamines and they make me feel pretty whacked after lunch so I have a sit down with a cuppa at around 3pm and if I fall asleep I don't feel a bit guilty. I then find I have a second wind and don't have any trouble sleeping at night.

I'm just 69. DH is 71 and he's always nodding off in his chair!

I find that I often fall asleep after a carbohydrate rich lunch. I work from home. I'm 57.
My dad was the same, he always had a nap after his evening meal and my brother always has a nap after his Sunday lunch.
My solution is to have a fairly substantial breakfast, followed by a very light lunch and a fairly light evening meal.
I wasn't like this in my twenties, but it seemed to come on when I had 5.30 am starts as a childminder. Even with later starts now & a different lifestyle a pattern was set.
I'd get checked out, but not be too concerned. You are allowed to slow as you age...

Don't feel guilty about it at all. In fact I was reading that it is good for you to have a power nap. Enjoy ?

This rang such a bell with me. Tiredness is one of my biggest daily problems and I fall asleep a lot. Mind you, I am 78 so some tiredness is to be expected. But I began to have an overwhelming feeling of no energy whatsoever. I had thyroid tests which were negative, but it turned out that I am anaemic, so I now take multivits with iron. After a few weeks I started to feel better. So now, when I start to sink again I buy some more vitamins with iron and find it amazingly helpful. I hope this helps you.
I still fall asleep sometimes though!)

I am 70 now and feel,tired every afternoon. I usually have a lie down most afternoons if possible as feel I can't go the rest of the day without one.

I am a very poor sleeper, so naturally by the afternoon I have to lie down.

Have had thyroid checked and blood tests done, all normal, so it must be down to sleep deprivation. I wake really early and can't get back of again. It's really annoying.

Would like to do more if I had lots of energy and feel I'm missing out because of it.

Or maybe I'm just getting older and lazier.

Having said that, have just returned from a yoga class, so will definitely be needing a nap later on.

I had a very busy weekend involving loads of walking. Yesterday I felt fine and walked a couple of miles to the shops and back. Today I am totally knackered. I am having a lazy day (like many others).

I find the best hours for sleeping are between midnight and 9 am. No one should rise before 9. And laziness is natural in later years.

Chill man.

A friend of ours said he was unable to go out in the afternoons because he always needed a sleep. He now has a drink of lucozade very lunch time and takes some vitamins and he has recovered hi energy . Maybe you need a sugar boost?

I get up about 7ish I am then on the go apart from sitting on here until lunch at 1pm. That is a 6 hour working day. Quite enough for someone who is retired. I then more or less do what I fancy during the afternoon. This might be gardening or reading or going out whatever I fancy really.mAnd if I'm home and fancy it I might have a doze.

If I have an exceptionally busy day I tend to feel knackered the next and make allowances. No problem.

I've always had an energy dip around 3.30 as well! I used to get home from work and need a choc biscuit and a cuppa -still do now I've retired! Sit down with a good book , cup of tea and cake or biscuit - just an hour and you'll feel revived !

I m 71 and since I retired at 68 I ve often nodded of in the afternoon I often feel very tired and can really sleep anytime including good nights I can have an hour at 8pm and still sleep a full night at 11 I ve recently had blood tests and all are totally normal Dont worry we are all different I also wake early about 5 and that time stays the same what ever time i go to bed