diff --git a/src/metric.cpp b/src/metric.cpp
index 9aa8c6f..836360b 100644
--- a/src/metric.cpp
+++ b/src/metric.cpp
@@ -425,10 +425,22 @@ struct Metric {
     return *internedStaticText;
   }
 
+  // Registry of all thread arenas for memory tracking
+  static auto &get_thread_arenas() {
+    using ThreadArenaMap =
+        std::unordered_map<std::thread::id, ArenaAllocator *>;
+    static ThreadArenaMap *threadArenas = new ThreadArenaMap();
+    return *threadArenas;
+  }
+
   // Thread cleanup for per-family thread-local storage
   struct ThreadInit {
     ArenaAllocator arena;
-    ThreadInit() {}
+    ThreadInit() {
+      // Register this thread's arena for memory tracking
+      std::unique_lock<std::mutex> _{mutex};
+      get_thread_arenas()[std::this_thread::get_id()] = &arena;
+    }
     ~ThreadInit() {
       // Accumulate thread-local state into global state before cleanup
       // THREAD SAFETY: All operations below are protected by the global mutex,
@@ -442,6 +454,9 @@ struct Metric {
       ++Metric::registration_version;
       auto thread_id = std::this_thread::get_id();
 
+      // Unregister this thread's arena from memory tracking
+      get_thread_arenas().erase(thread_id);
+
       // Accumulate counter families
       for (auto &[name, family] : Metric::get_counter_families()) {
         auto thread_it = family->per_thread_state.find(thread_id);
@@ -1609,8 +1624,38 @@ union MetricValue {
   uint64_t as_uint64;
 };
 
+// Memory usage calculation callback for metrics system self-monitoring
+static double calculate_metrics_memory_usage() {
+  std::size_t total_bytes = 0;
+
+  // 1. Global arena memory
+  total_bytes += Metric::get_global_arena().total_allocated();
+
+  // 2. Per-thread arenas (safe because we're already holding the global mutex)
+  for (const auto &[thread_id, arena_ptr] : Metric::get_thread_arenas()) {
+    total_bytes += arena_ptr->total_allocated();
+  }
+
+  // 3. Cached plan arena
+  if (Metric::cached_plan) {
+    total_bytes += Metric::cached_plan->arena.total_allocated();
+  }
+
+  return static_cast<double>(total_bytes);
+}
+
 // New three-phase render implementation
 std::span<std::string_view> render(ArenaAllocator &arena) {
+  // Initialize self-monitoring metrics (before taking global lock)
+  static auto memory_gauge = []() {
+    auto gauge = create_gauge("weaseldb_metrics_memory_bytes",
+                              "Total memory usage of the metrics system "
+                              "including global and per-thread arenas");
+    gauge.register_callback({}, calculate_metrics_memory_usage);
+    return gauge;
+  }();
+  (void)memory_gauge; // Suppress unused variable warning
+
   // Hold lock throughout all phases to prevent registry changes
   // THREAD SAFETY: Global mutex protects cached_plan initialization and access,
   // prevents races during static member initialization at program startup