The Key Between Stress and Adrenal Fatigue
Monday April 1, 2019
Today’s lifestyles seem to have us running at 100 mph without slowing down. Work, family, kids, relationships, school—it’s a recipe for burn-out and leaves us no time for ourselves. But if you do everything right by eating properly, getting plenty of sleep, and exercising, only to find that you are still dragging each day, then there may be something else wrong.
Adrenal fatigue may be the culprit. What is adrenal fatigue and how does it relate to stress?
Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms
Naturopathic doctor James Wilson first diagnosed adrenal fatigue in 1998. When your body is stressed out, then the immune system kicks into overdrive and your adrenal glands begin to release extra cortisol and adrenaline. This will elevate your heart rate and blood pressure as part of the body’s natural “fight or flight” response to an emergency.
If the stress level is prolonged, let’s say from a job, then your overstressed adrenal gland may actually stop producing these hormones. When this happens, fatigue sets in. If you find yourself dragging and craving salty or sugary snacks all the time, then you may have adrenal fatigue.
Managing the Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue
One of the best ways to deal with adrenal fatigue is to change your diet. Cut out (or at least cut back) on sugar, caffeine, and processed “junk” food. Instead, you should supplement a healthy, fresh food diet with vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin B (specifically B5, B6, and B12), Vitamin C, and Magnesium. But the biggest way to handle this problem is to find a way to lower your stress level.
Stress Management Tips for Adrenal Fatigue
In order to beat adrenal fatigue, you’re going to have to manage your stress. Though it’s nearly impossible to be totally stress-free, follow these guidelines to manage stress levels:
Unplug. First, try to get more sleep and make sure that it is restful sleep. For one hour before bed, turn off all of your electronic devices. Staring at a screen can get your brain wired and keep you up tossing and turning.
No Caffeine or exercise after dinner. These can cause adrenaline production.
Practice meditation or yoga. Quiet mindfulness on your own can help center you mentally and emotionally so that your stress melts away.
If you’re worried about having adrenal fatigue, or if you just feel that there is too much stress in your life, you should consider getting professional help from Shakti Whole Health Studio. You can get a full scan of your body’s organs and vitamins along with suggestions about how to modify your lifestyle to improve your health.