Do you have too much to do and not enough time to do it? If you are healthy, and this is only a temporary situation, your adrenal glands will give you a dose of epinephrine and cortisol to give you some energy to cope with the immediate crisis.

However, if your body constantly in “crisis mode” from not getting optimal sleep; working out without giving your body enough time to recover; a diet of processed food and sugar; emotional trauma; rigorous work schedule; or not having any fun in your life, eventually the adrenal glands will not be able to keep up with the burden. This can lead to adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal fatigue is a real thing, so let’s find out what to look for and what we can do to start healing if we do have symptoms.

Telltale Physical Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

The most obvious symptom is relentless fatigue. This can express itself by having difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, body aches and muscle pains, and being tired and wired.

Digestive signs can include the loss of appetite and resultant weight loss, shakiness or lightheadedness after skipping a meal, nausea and vomiting, or craving salt.

Other signs to watch for are low blood pressure, dizziness upon standing, blurred vision, thyroid imbalances, hair loss, or seasonal allergies.

Keeping a daily journal of symptoms that you experience can be helpful in talking with your health team or even your self-evaluation.

Emotional Symptoms

Being overwhelmed and unable to carry out your normal day-to-day activities may be a symptom of adrenal fatigue, especially if you are usually able to do so.

Another sign that you may be experiencing a “fight or flight” response in your body when doing simple and ordinary activities such as eating a large meal full of carbohydrates, drinking a glass of very cold water, or going on a long walk.

Having anxiety, irritability, or a depressed mood are symptoms of adrenal fatigue.

What to Do About Adrenal Fatigue

Try some of the following ideas to help kickstart your body’s process of healing your adrenal glands.

Create a relaxing bedtime routine and say no to things so you can make time for yourself and getting enough sleep a priority.

Move your body! Take a walk with your family and try to get 30 minutes of daily movement in divided sessions. It doesn’t have to be high intensity every day.

Optimize your diet to support your adrenals by eating grass-fed meat, non-starchy vegetables, sunflower seeds, and weekly liver and onions. Try to avoid sugars of any kind and gluten-containing grains.

Action Step

Look for the signs of adrenal fatigue and try the above suggestions to begin healing your adrenal gland. However, it is important to see your health care provider to determine if your symptoms are from adrenal fatigue, and to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms.

May God bless you on your wellness journey!

Joni

P.S. What experience do you have with adrenal fatigue? I’d love to hear about it.