Are You Ignoring the Signs?

The Checklist You Didn’t Know You Needed

I like to think I’m a pretty good judge of how far I can push my luck.

Sometimes I nail it.Sometimes… well, let’s just say I end up with a “what was I thinking?” moment and a story to tell.

Like the time I decided my car could definitely make it through one more errand before getting fuel. I was practically patting myself on the back… right up until I rolled into the servo on fumes, sweating bullets,  with the dashboard flashing like I’d hit the jackpot on a slot machine.

Or the time I downed a whole bottle of water before heading out for a long walk. Felt very smug about my hydration game, but skipped the “prophylactic wee” beforehand. Big mistake. By the halfway mark, I wasn’t strolling — I was power-walking like an Olympic speed-walker, dogs trotting beside me with zero sniff-stops allowed. The last 1.5k was basically a gentle jog, entirely dedicated to not annoying my bladder.

The point? It’s easy to think we can run on what we’ve got a little longer. That we can squeeze one more errand, one more week, one more month out of our energy, our patience, our health. Until suddenly… we can’t.

And here’s the kicker: we do this with our health more than anything else.

Turns out, when your body says it needs attention, you can’t negotiate.

Symptoms aren’t your body being annoying — they’re your body’s language. Fatigue is a whisper. Bloating is a nudge. Snappiness is a little tap on the shoulder. Ignore them, and they’ll turn into a shout you can’t ignore.

So, here’s your “Am I ignoring this?” checklist — because it’s better to restock your energy, resilience, and wellbeing before you hit empty.

Physically – The “It’s fine, I’ll just push through” signs

Our bodies are chatty — but they don’t speak in words, they speak in symptoms. That ache, that bloat, that weird flutter? It’s not random. It’s your body waving a flag saying, Hey! Something needs attention here! Ignore it long enough, and it stops waving politely and starts hitting you with a stick.

☐ Constant fatigue — not just tired, but bone-deep exhaustion that doesn’t shift with sleep.

☐ Persistent bloating or digestive drama — writing it off as “just what I ate” instead of getting curious.

☐ Ongoing pain or aches — especially joints, back, or pelvic pain you’ve learned to “live with.”

☐ Heavy, irregular, or painful periods — “normal for me” is not the same as normal.

☐ Frequent headaches or migraines — blaming screen time or stress without looking deeper.

☐ Changes in skin, hair, or nails — dry, brittle, thinning, or breaking without reason.

☐ Shortness of breath or heart flutters — assuming it’s anxiety when it might not be.

Mentally – The “I’m just tired” signals

Your brain’s way of saying “help” isn’t always a breakdown — sometimes it’s the tiny cracks that show up in your thinking and focus. The fridge-staring. The lost words. The inability to decide what’s for dinner without feeling like it’s an exam question. These little mental slips are your mind’s equivalent of running low on supplies.

☐ Brain fog — forgetting words, zoning out mid-sentence, or staring at your fridge for answers.

☐ Low motivation — calling yourself “lazy” when your body is running on fumes.

☐ Constant overthinking — turning decisions into mental marathons.

☐ Snappy or irritable — blaming PMS when it’s all month, every month.

☐ Decision fatigue — too mentally drained to choose what’s for dinner, let alone big life stuff.

Emotionally – The “I’ll deal with it later” feelings

Emotionally, women are world-class at bottling it up. We keep going, smile plastered on, telling ourselves, I’ll deal with it when things settle down. But things rarely settle — and those unprocessed feelings quietly chip away until one day they pour out, usually in the supermarket car park for no apparent reason.

☐ Overwhelm on speed dial — saying yes when you’re screaming no in your head.

☐ Loss of joy — everything feels a bit “meh” even in moments that used to light you up.

☐ Feeling disconnected — like you’re on autopilot instead of living your own life.

☐ Bottled-up anger or resentment — smiling through gritted teeth.

☐ Guilt for resting — even when you’re beyond overdue.

☐ Crying for “no reason” — except it’s probably months of ignored stress finally spilling over.

The Bottom Line

Don’t push it until you’re running on fumes — whether that’s energy, patience, or sanity. Your body always sends whispers first: tiredness, cravings, brain fog, little aches. Ignore them, and those whispers turn into full-blown tantrums. The real question is… do you want to listen now, or wait until your body pulls the handbrake?

Book a free chat with me today and let’s figure out what your body’s really trying to say - https://sagessehealth.practicebetter.io/#/63d7530eca5d161ba115b712/bookings