5 ACTION-STEPS to COMBAT ADRENAL FATIGUE NATURALLY

Adrenal fatigue happens when your body gets stuck in fight-or-flight mode. It can vary in severity but generally expresses itself in extreme, unexplained fatigue, a weakened immune system, and an inability to handle stress.

Keep reading to learn a few action steps to combat adrenal fatigue.

• Sleep

  Are you scrolling Instagram Reels until the wee hours of the night? Are you drinking a glass of red wine to wind down? Is your sleep schedule totally unpredictable from one night to the next? You are probably not getting quality sleep.

  Sleep is how your body heals. Intentionally create the best possible environment for this healing to happen. Pop on your diffuser with some sleepy scents (lavender), turn the lights all the way off, put your phone all the way across the room, do some gentle stretching, and go. to. sleep.

  Believe it or not, alcohol does more harm than good for your sleep quality. Opt for a cozy drink like tea. Find a flavor you like and jazz it up (add honey, lemon, elderberry syrup, etc.) until it’s something you can look forward to.

  Ideally, try to sleep from 10pm to 7am to make the best use of your natural circadian rhythm. I know this isn’t always possible, but make an effort to regulate your bedtime and wake time.

• Exercise

  The best forms of exercise for someone struggling with adrenal fatigue are HIIT (high-intensity interval training), moderate cardio, moderate strength/weight training, yoga, pilates, tai chi, and qi gong.

  The root cause of adrenal fatigue is chronic stress that sets your body in a permanent fight or flight response. Exercise, though healthy, is a form of stress. Moral of the story? Don’t over-exercise.

• Reduce stress

  • Breathing exercises: Your breath is a powerful tool to reduce stress. Tap into that power with this app. It’s my personal favorite way to keep mindfulness in my pocket.

  • Meditation: Meditation is the practice of clearing the mind and focusing on the breath. Don’t let anyone tell you that meditation has to be anything more than that! Some people enjoy the meditative zone they find in doing something creative (writing, knitting, cooking, etc.) - and that counts too!

    If you want to give meditation a try, give the Mindful in Minutes podcast a listen. Most of her meditations are less than 10 minutes and focused on a specific goal.

  • Short walks: Get in nature if you can! Even if this is just down the street and back, the activity and the fresh air will do your nervous system good.

  • Journaling: It feels good to have a physical representation of the thoughts and stressors swirling around in your mind. Get them out of your head and onto paper. You’ll feel the mental weight lift right off your mind.

    Go on Pinterest and search “journaling prompts for (fill in the blank)” if you need somewhere to start. Search for prompts that can help you through whatever you’re struggling with.

  • Naps: Need I say more?

  • Say no: Not everything needs to be your responsibility. Create margin in your calendar by being intentional and choosy with your “yes.”

  • Establish boundaries: I really enjoyed reading this book about this topic.

  • Get adjusted: This might be my personal favorite stress-relieving method (I’m not biased or anything)!

• Nutrition

  Go for whole foods, organic foods, and healthy fats. Avoid processed sugars, gluten, dairy, soy, and corn. Let your body heal with sleep and stress management. Don’t artificially create energy with coffee. Instead, get enough sleep. Don’t artificially create a dulled mind with alcohol. Instead, get your stress management routine down pat.

• Supplements

  Stress depletes our body's supply of nutrients. Adaptogens (my favorite form is Cortisol Pro) improve your body’s ability to withstand stress and manage anxiety. L-Theanine reduces brain chatter. Taking a quality multivitamin is key. You may also need additional zinc, magnesium, or probiotics. These three are hit the hardest by stress.

Ok, I know that was a lot of information. However, if you are currently dealing with adrenal fatigue, or suspect you’re on that path, please challenge yourself to pick at least 2 takeaways from this blog post - and implement them this week! Set a sleep timer, buy some yummy tea, download the Breathwrk app, or order some Cortisol Pro.

If you’d like to talk with me personally about the symptoms you may be experiencing, feel free to book a free consult or a new patient appointment with me. I’d love to meet you and figure out a game plan to help your body heal from the inside out!