What Is Adrenal Fatigue?

Your adrenal glands are just above your kidneys. They are responsible for secreting hormones into your body.

These hormones are:

• Mineralocorticoids
• Glucocorticoids
• Adrenal androgens

Those hormone groups include hormones such as aldosterone, which helps regulate your body's water and salt levels, cortisol (the stress hormone) and testosterone.

Without these critical hormones, our bodies wouldn't be able to function correctly and take care of day-to-day processes that keep us alive! It's important that the hormones are released into the bloodstream in the right quantities for us to stay healthy.

If your adrenal glands secrete too much cortisol into your bloodstream, it can cause the glands to become overworked and exhausted. This can lead to the condition commonly known as adrenal fatigue.

What Are the Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue?

If you have adrenal fatigue, it's tough to tell, but you may suffer from some of the adrenal fatigue symptoms such as:

• Excessive tiredness
• Brain fog
• Inability to focus
• Periods of exhaustion during your day
• Poor motivation 
• Difficulty sleeping
• Cravings for sugar or salt 
• Stress and mood swings
• Hair loss

The symptoms are very unspecific, making it hard for doctors to diagnose adrenal fatigue.

If you think you may have a health issue, go to your doctor and speak to them about your symptoms. They will be able to run tests to make sure you don't have any other illnesses. 

Adrenal Fatigue Causes

If you have the symptoms of adrenal fatigue, your body may have upped your cortisol production. This could be a result of excess stress in your life. 

If you are constantly in a state of stress, this can cause your adrenal glands to malfunction and cause the symptoms of adrenal fatigue. It could be any type of stress, whether at work, home, or your environment. 

One of the best ways to minimize the risk of adrenal fatigue is to try and reduce the stress in your life. That could be done by making some minor lifestyle changes.

A poor diet, lack of exercise and not enough sleep can all contribute to raised stress levels.

To reduce stress in your life, you could ask for better working conditions, try some stress-busting exercises and make sure you are spending some quality time with those you care about. Here are some more ideas for you to reduce your stress levels.

What Are Adrenal Fatigue Treatments?

As adrenal fatigue is not officially recognized as a disease, there are no medical treatments for it.

The best way to treat the problem is with healthy lifestyle changes. You can start by taking steps to reduce your stress levels.

You can also make some small changes to help improve your overall health and live a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. Some of the aspects of your lifestyle to look at include:

Diet

If you want to reduce stress and inflammation in the body, you should try to eat as many fresh, whole foods as possible. A healthy, balanced diet is the key to a healthy, happy life.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, nuts, beans and pulses and don't forget complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and lean protein such as chicken.

Exercise Levels

Exercising is one of the best stress-busters out there. Simply moving your body can make you feel so much better both mentally and physically.

Try to find an exercise activity you enjoy to make it easier to fit into your routine. You should aim for at least three intense exercise sessions per week.

Your Sleep Schedule

The amount you sleep is so essential for your overall wellbeing. Never underestimate the power a good night's sleep has on your physical and mental health.

Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep a night and minimize distractions to sleep. Remove any technology or phones from your bedroom and make it an inviting zone for sleeping!

Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol causes stress to your body and can cause long-term problems. It messes with your sleep pattern and you often crave unhealthy foods when you've been drinking.

If you drink, try and stick with the recommended daily limits and have some drink-free days during your week.

Caffeine Intake

Excess caffeine can also cause problems with your health and influence stress. If you are tired, it can be tempting to drink lots of caffeinated drinks.

Try sticking to one or two caffeinated drinks per day.

Supplements

Taking supplements can also help you manage your stress levels and general health.

B vitamins, C vitamins, calcium and magnesium, are all important for your hormone production. Take these supplements regularly to ensure you have adequate levels.

You can also try some adrenal support supplements like this one which is focused specifically on healing problems with the adrenal glands.

Take Small Steps to a Healthier Lifestyle

Stress and exhaustion are intrinsically interlinked. If you want to stop feeling exhausted and get rid of the symptoms of adrenal fatigue, you'll need to make some small, healthy lifestyle changes.

Use the ideas in this guide or check out our online health education to help you start making small, sustainable, healthy changes to your lifestyle.