Take care of your body – 6 tips to avoid adrenal fatigue.

Do you find yourself feeling exhausted, and no amount of coffee seems to help? Do you notice when you finally fall into bed at the end of the day, the sandman is nowhere to be found? We’ve been there, and we get it. We know what it’s like to have adrenal fatigue and complete adrenal exhaustion. It sucks! So if you know you’re going through a really, totally overwhelmingly stressful period in your life on all fronts, this blog is just for you.

Work hard, play hard, right? It’s just what we do. But it’s that work hard, sleep less, caffeinate (and drink) more, work out harder, play harder lifestyle that creates the perfect environment to develop adrenal fatigue.

What is adrenal fatigue?
It can be defined as the inadequate production of one or more of the adrenal hormones (cortisol and aldosterone) due to an underlying disease. Usually, shift workers, single parents, and students, and people abusing drugs or alcohol are types of people to develop adrenal fatigue.

It can’t be detected by any test but is solely based on symptoms. These include constant exhaustion, trouble falling asleep, difficulty waking up, craving salt or sugar, unexplained weight loss, a reliance on substances such as caffeine, and nonspecific digestive issues.

How to avoid adrenal fatigue?
• Stress less:
Easier said than done, right? However, if you overwork yourself and make food choices that don’t adequately support your body, you need to figure out where to cut some stress out, learn to manage unavoidable stress, and build in some stress-relieving practices. Practise self-care by doing some yoga or meditating for 5 minutes in the morning with an app. Get a massage. Take a walk in the park with your dog. Listen to a podcast or some calming music. We promise that the world won’t stop spinning if you didn’t do everything on your to-do list – you will be fine!

• Say no:
To high-intensity exercises. When you feel utterly exhausted after a workout, it’s time to take a step back. Even if you love your workout, your stress can also come from it – listen to your body. Stick with low intensity for a while; it’ll get better as long as you take five from high-intensity exercises.

• Put you first:
Stop saying yes to extra commitments or ones that stress you out. You don’t have to go to that person’s party if you’re exhausted. Also, avoid negative people and negative self-talk and people who practice negative self-talk about themselves. If possible, work from home some days or quit that job that makes you dread waking up every day. If you can’t do it today, start making plans today… just focus on your happiness.

• Stop eating crappy food:
Cut out gluten, dairy, cooking oils, artificial sweeteners and added sugars, junk food (yes, you too, Twinkies!), white flours, white rice, and potatoes – these only spikes your blood sugar…

• Drop caffeine:
…and the alcohol. This is not a fun one, and we know you think you will die, but that already shows that the dependency is precisely why you need to be away from all forms of caffeine. When drinking coffee, your adrenal glands are stimulated, and your fight-or-flight response activated, which produces cortisol. So stop immediately if your heart starts to race, you feel jittery, and you just need to run somewhere to burn some energy.

• Sleep, man!
At least 8 hours a night. Maybe even closer to 10. Get a restful night’s sleep, maybe a 45-minute nap in the middle of the day. Just do what you can!

Be smart. Listen to your body. Take care of it! It’s the only place you have to live.

Disclaimer:
This blog provides general information and discussions about fitness and health subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.

If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something that you have read on this blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.

The opinions and views expressed on this blog and website have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, health practise or other institution.