If you waking up after a good sleep still feeling tired or constantly struggling with fatigue, or if you feel like you’re never able to catch up on sleep, this could be a warning sign that you have some level of adrenal fatigue or ‘burnout’. Feeling overwhelmed, stressed and anxious can be a sign of adrenal fatigue also, as well as a cause.
Adrenal burnout is not uncommon as most of us have experienced it at one time or another. People under stress from working long hours, eating poorly, skipping meals, lack of sleep or relaxation time are considered at high risk of developing adrenal exhaustion at some stage. Pain and chronic inflammation are also indicators. Cortisol levels become depleted due to long-term periods of stress. Cortisol is the hormone involved in the regulation of metabolism in the cells and helps us regulate stress within the body.
Effects of Adrenal Fatigue:
- Sleep quality – still feeling constantly tired after what feels like a good night’s sleep.
- Depression, foggy mind and memory problems.
- Muscle and joint function.
- Weight gain and inability to lose weight – when cortisol is out of balance the body will store fat rather than burn it for fuel.
- Hormonal imbalances.
- Thyroid function.
- Digestive/gut problems – manifesting as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion, heartburn or intestinal parasites.
- Immune function
- Skin regeneration and premature aging
- Bone health
What can we do to maintain healthy adrenals?
- Drink green juice daily
- Eat loads of vegetables, especially spinach, kale, and broccoli. These are great for the adrenal glands, along with seaweed. Seaweed contains iodine and other minerals that can support the adrenals and help normalize elevated adrenal secretion.
- Reduce stress…take up yoga. Learn to meditate and breathe correctly.
- · Adaptogenic herbs such as tulsi, ashwagandha, licorice root, and ginseng are all excellent in supporting healthy adrenal function as they increase the bodies resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue. Adaptogens generally work by strengthening the immune and nervous systems…helping to balance and normalise functions in the body.
- Avoid: caffeine, dairy, alcohol, gluten, soy, and sugar as much as possible
You can read about these adaptogenic medicinal herbs in Nature’s Creation – Knowledge & Guidance through Healing Plants book/cards. Instructions for a yogic guided meditation called Yoga Nidra and Pranayama (breath balancing exercises) are also in the book. I recommend both these practices daily to assist in health and wellness and bringing a feeling of relaxation and peace to the body.