Beyond Poor Sleep: Understanding the Hidden Causes of Mom Fatigue
This blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your medical professional. If you have or suspect that you have a serious medical condition, contact your health care provider immediately. Always consult with a health care practitioner before beginning a new supplement.
As a mom, exhaustion might feel like your constant companion. You chalk it up to sleepless nights, early mornings, and the never-ending demands of motherhood. But what if your fatigue isn’t just about poor sleep? What if there’s something deeper going on?
The reality is that many moms experience chronic fatigue that isn’t solely caused by lack of sleep. Sure, sleep is important—but for many women, fatigue lingers even when they get enough rest. As a functional health practitioner, I’ve worked with countless moms who feel like they’re running on empty, and often, the root causes go far beyond sleep deprivation.
So what’s really behind your exhaustion? Let’s explore some of the most common functional root causes of mom fatigue and how you can start addressing them today.
1. Adrenal Dysfunction: Burnout from Chronic Stress
Your adrenal glands are responsible for producing stress hormones like cortisol. When stress becomes chronic—whether from sleepless nights, emotional overwhelm, or overcommitment—your adrenals can become dysregulated. This often leads to low energy, brain fog, and difficulty handling stress.
Signs of adrenal dysfunction:
Feeling wired but tired at night
Struggling to wake up in the morning (even after a full night’s sleep)
Midday crashes, especially in the afternoon
Heavy dependence on caffeine or sugar to get through the day
What to do:
Support your adrenal health with nutrient-dense meals (protein, healthy fats, and fiber at every meal)
Reduce stimulants like excessive caffeine, which can further stress your adrenals
Prioritize gentle movement like walking or yoga over intense workouts if you're feeling depleted
Exercise should give you energy! If you’re looking for a great program that has LOTS of options that I highly recommend to moms, check out Nourish Move Love here on Youtube!
Incorporate adrenal glandulars (like Cytozyme AD) or adaptogens (like Energetix Adrenal Tone) to help regulate stress response. Both can be found here in my Fullscript dispensary for 20% off.
2. Iron Dysregulation: It’s Not Always About Low Iron Intake
Iron is critical for oxygen transport and energy production. Many moms assume they’re just low in iron, but functional health tells a deeper story—sometimes low iron isn’t due to poor intake, but rather an underlying issue.
Hidden causes of iron issues:
Chronic infections (such as H. pylori or parasites) - these infections feed off of iron. This alone can cause our iron to decrease, but the body is also smart. The body will sometimes try to “hide” this iron from the infections in an effort to starve the infection.
Excess blood loss during menstruation (which could indicate deeper hormonal imbalances) - Normal blood loss during your period is roughly 2-3 tablespoons. Heavy periods can be an indication of excess estrogen (or too much estrogen in relation to progesterone). Unfortunately, heavy blood loss decreases iron, which puts you further at risk for heavy blood loss. It’s like a vicious cycle. Running blood work and having it view from a functional perspective (specifically iron, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit, TIBC, Iron saturation, ceruloplasmin, copper, and zinc - all labs I run on my clients!) can be helpful in identifying and addressing the root cause.
Poor stomach acid production, making it harder to absorb iron from food
What to do:
Before supplementing, test don’t guess—get a full iron panel with a trusted functional practitioner!
Optimize stomach acid with digestive bitters before meals
Support your gut health by testing for infections that could be interfering with iron absorption (GI Map testing can help, which is included in my Nourished Motherhood Method Program!)
Consume heme iron sources (grass-fed red meat) and pair them with vitamin C for better absorption
3. The Overcommitment Cycle: Always Saying “Yes”
Moms often wear multiple hats—caregiver, homemaker, scheduler, chauffeur, emotional support system. When we say “yes” to everything, we end up running on fumes. Overcommitment leads to stress, emotional burnout, and eventually, deep fatigue.
What to do:
Learn to say no without guilt—protecting your energy is just as important as caring for your family
Set boundaries around commitments and honor your need for rest
Ask for help—whether from your spouse, a friend, or your community
4. Emotional Burden & Mental Load
The mental and emotional toll of motherhood is often underestimated. Carrying the weight of everyone’s needs—keeping track of appointments, meal planning, household tasks—can drain your energy just as much as physical exertion.
What to do:
Brain dump your thoughts daily—journaling or lists can help lighten the mental load
Communicate —don’t try to carry everything alone
Prioritize and schedule moments of silence or things you enjoy (prayer, walks, reading, or any other hobby or activity)
5. Not Optimizing the Sleep You Do Get
Even if you can’t get more sleep, you can improve the quality of the sleep you’re getting. Deep, restorative sleep is essential for hormone regulation, cellular repair, and overall energy levels.
What to do:
Reduce blue light exposure before bed (dim lights, no screens 1 hour before sleeping)
Keep your room cool and dark for optimal melatonin production
Consider topical magnesium, such as Earthley’s Goodnight Lotion, as a helpful aid
Bed by 10pm - being asleep by 10 pm can dramatically affect our sleep cycle and make it easier to wake in the morning
Morning sunlight, even for just 10-15 minutes, can be helpful in setting our circadian rhythm
6. Mineral Deficiencies: The Missing Link in Energy Production
Your body relies on minerals to generate energy at the cellular level. Deficiencies in key minerals like magnesium, sodium, potassium, and zinc can leave you feeling sluggish, foggy, and irritable.
What to do:
Test your mineral levels with HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) to identify deficiencies, which is included in all of my programs!
Replenish minerals through whole foods and mineral-rich drinks (e.g., coconut water with sea salt, bone broth, herbal teas - my favorite herbal teas are linked here - code GRACE10 for discount on orders $50+)
Increase magnesium intake through topical application, oral supplementation, or magnesium flake baths or foot soaks
Reclaim Your Energy, One Step at a Time
Mom fatigue isn’t just about lack of sleep—it’s a multifaceted issue that requires a functional, whole-body approach. By addressing adrenal health, iron regulation and infections, overcommitment, emotional burden, sleep optimization, and mineral balance, you can take back control of your energy.
If you’re ready to uncover the root cause of your fatigue, I’d love to help. Through functional lab testing, personalized health strategies, and 1:1 support, we can create a plan tailored to your unique needs.
Want to dive deeper? Learn more about my Nourished Motherhood Method program HERE.
