Let’s discuss fatigue and why it can be happening. Lately, many clients have been saying, “I’m so tired. I’m constantly pushing myself through each day.”
With the end of the year approaching and life getting busier as we head into the festive season, it’s no wonder we might feel a bit burnt out from the year’s first half.
So, what’s behind this fatigue? Could it be related to your adrenal glands?
Do you feel run down, wake up tired, or struggle to get through the day? Do you feel like you have to keep going? If you sit still, you could just fall asleep or find it hard to get going again.
You are not alone!
Some people think their tiredness is due to ageing or being a mum. They say, “I’m getting older, so I should expect to be tired,” or “I’m a mum, so being tired is just part of it.”
But I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to accept feeling tired just because you’re getting older or because you’re a mum.
Fatigue might be linked to your adrenal glands.
If you’re running constantly on stress hormones – adrenaline and cortisol, your adrenals can deplete and need recharging and care.
What better way to nourish your body with energy than to focus on supporting your adrenal glands?
But what exactly are these adrenals?
They’re two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, located in the middle area of your back, just below the last few ribs.
These little glands act as your motivators. They keep you going when you’re tired and run down. Their primary role is to produce cortisol and adrenaline.
Cortisol helps wake us up in the morning and kick-starts our day. However, during chronic stress, cortisol levels can remain high throughout the day, disrupting your ability to wind down and get a good night’s sleep.
Adrenaline is another stress hormone that our adrenals produce. It ramps up our heart rate and gets us moving when we need to react quickly. Imagine if we were back in tribal times and being chased by a tiger; we’d need both adrenaline and cortisol to escape or fight.
We don’t face tigers these days, but adrenaline still plays a crucial role. It helps us react swiftly in emergencies, like when a car is speeding toward us as we’re about to cross the road. Our body’s automatic response kicks in, allowing us to move before we even have time to think.
However, in today’s fast-paced world, we constantly face stressors that can leave us feeling drained. With so many tasks, jobs, and responsibilities, it can feel like we’re always running on
empty or perpetually switched on. This constant demand can lead to an adrenal burden.
Adrenal burden can result from various factors, such as a relentless pace of life, constant stress, and juggling multiple roles. Whether you’re managing a busy work schedule, handling afterschool activities, dealing with finances, or maintaining relationships, the weight of these responsibilities can contribute to chronic stress.
Poor nutrition can also play a role. When you’re exhausted, reaching for sugary snacks or caffeine is tempting to keep going.
You might grab a coffee in the morning to start your day or need a sugary treat as a pick-me-up in the afternoon when you hit that slump.
These can lead to a rollercoaster of blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar spikes, it can trigger the release of adrenaline and cortisol, causing highs and lows that contribute to burnout and adrenal stress.
Another factor to consider is sleep—or rather, the lack of it.
Many clients extend their bedtime to finish tasks or find it’s the only time they can relax after the kids are asleep and the house is cleaned. They end up scrolling on social media and lose track of time, missing out on valuable hours of sleep that could be spent resting.
When sleep is limited or poor quality, it can further exacerbate adrenal fatigue. Broken sleep can be caused by various factors, such as children waking up, stress, noisy neighbours, or even pets.
It’s essential to focus on both the quantity and quality of your sleep to ensure you wake up feeling refreshed rather than relying on cortisol to get you through the day.
So, how do you know if your adrenals are overworked?
Some common symptoms include weight gain around the waistline, persistent tiredness, brain fog, and difficulty managing minor stresses.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed quickly or find it hard to cope with everyday challenges, it could be a sign that your adrenal glands need some support.
You might also find that you’re struggling to wake up feeling refreshed, as if every day is Groundhog Day—tired and already behind the eight ball before you’ve even started.
Or perhaps you experience a burst of energy around 10 p.m., making it difficult to fall asleep.
Anxiety symptoms and an inability to relax during the day can also be signs that your adrenals are overworked and on the brink of burnout.
If you’re wondering whether your adrenal glands might contribute to your fatigue, I’ve created a checklist to help you assess your situation. You can find the link to this checklist here.
I’d love to support you in identifying whether your adrenals could be part of the issue and help you restore your energy so you can live the life you want.
If you complete the questionnaire and suspect that adrenal issues might be at play, there are steps we can take to address it and support your overall well-being.
What you can do now…
Here are some tips to help recharge your adrenals and support your overall well-being:
1. Recharge Your Adrenals: Prioritise rest and relaxation.
Allow yourself permission to rest during the day and establish a calming bedtime routine to help you unwind and prepare for sleep.
Give your body time to switch off is essential for reducing reliance on adrenal function.
2. Nourish Your Body: Ensure you provide your body with the key nutrients needed to produce cortisol and adrenaline.
Important nutrients for adrenal health include vitamin C, B vitamins, and Zinc.
A diet lacking these nutrients or one where these nutrients are depleted too quickly can impact your body’s ability to produce stress hormones effectively.
3. Manage Your Stress: While we can’t eliminate stress entirely in today’s fast-paced world, we can learn to manage it better.
Incorporate techniques that help you navigate stress more easily and reduce its impact on your body. This might include practices like meditation, regular exercise (such as walking or swimming), connecting with friends, or finding effective ways to handle work tasks and ask for help when needed.
4. Herbal Support: Consider using medicinal herbs known for their supportive role in adrenal health. Herbs like Rhodiola, Withania, Siberian Ginseng, and Rehmannia can be beneficial.
However, getting qualified advice is important to find the right herbs for your situation, as not all herbs suit everyone. For instance, Liquorice is beneficial for adrenal support but might not be suitable for individuals with high blood pressure.
Remember: download the checklist to see if your adrenals might be contributing to your fatigue.
You deserve to live your best life, and if you’re struggling with tiredness and fatigue, I’m here to help you move forward.
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This is how gut microbes can influence weight!
Probiotics can help you gain weight or lose weight by interacting with our genetics, food and metabolism.
And yes, I did say lose or gain weight……..
Firstly, let me explain that the trillions of microbes in the gut need to be varied, meaning that there should be a large variety of species. There are many different species (or breeds) of microbes, and they all have their place in aiding health — the more variety and balance, the better health results.
Back to the weight loss or weight gain issue….
Do you eat yogurt and berries for breakfast? Thinking that it’s helping you lose weight?
Well, Lactobacillus acidophilus (like the species found in yoghurt) has been connected to weight gain.
I am not saying throw your yoghurt and berries in the bin. Instead, I am suggesting looking at the overall picture. If Lactobacillus acidophilus is the predominant micro-organism of the gut, then weight gain can result.
It is about the variety of species of gut microbes. Imagine if we only have trained german shepherd guard dogs in the world. It may be a safe world, but I am sure that other breeds may be more suitable as a family pet.
While Lactobacillus acidophilus is associated with weight gain, other Lactobacillus species correlate with weight loss.
Species like Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Bifidobacteria animalis have been found to support weight loss.
Want to lose weight?
Look at your gut flora to support your goal.
Tests can be performed to identify the predominant species of the gut, and specific species can be utilised to support weight changes.
Want more information about your gut health?
Or want to look at all the factors contributing to weight gain, I’d love to be able to help.