The truth about adrenal fatigue.

Every month, roughly 80,000 people type “what is adrenal fatigue?” into a search bar, hoping for answers.

And the internet gives them plenty. (About 17 million, give or take.)

Click on any number of these offerings and you can read a super-convincing theory about how adrenal fatigue works.

That line of reasoning goes like this:

Prolonged stress or illness overworks your adrenal glands. Eventually, your glands fatigue, and sleep disruptions, cravings, brain fog, exhaustion, and other symptoms set in. According to certain people on the interwebz, expensive supplements, restrictive eat-this-not-that diet lists, and essential oil blends can turn this sad state of affairs around. If you’re desperate for help, this adrenal-fatigue theory can seem to never end. . .

Unfortunately this misinformation prevents people from understanding what’s really going on.

By the end of this reading, you’ll know the real cause of these symptoms as well as evidence-based strategies that actually work.

What is adrenal fatigue?

To fully understand adrenal fatigue theory, you need a quick anatomy lesson.

At the top of each of your kidneys, you have an adrenal gland that releases an array of hormones. One of those hormones, cortisol, gets you out of bed, regulates blood pressure, and snaps you to attention during an emergency, among other things. According to adrenal-fatigue theory, too much stress causes the adrenals to stop functioning properly. They either don’t generate enough cortisol, or they produce it at the wrong times (like when you’re trying to sleep).

This then leads to symptoms like:

• feeling tired and lethargic

• poor healing and recovery

• aches and pains

• having salt or sugar cravings

• having trouble falling asleep or waking up

• relying on caffeine to get through the day

Those are all real problems. And perhaps you’ve experienced one (or all) of them. Or you know someone who has.

Is adrenal fatigue real?

The truth: There isn’t much evidence in favor of the adrenal fatigue theory. But there is quite a bit of evidence that refutes it. After carefully examining 58 different studies, researchers from Brazil found that, in most people tested for adrenal fatigue, cortisol levels were… normal.In other words, their adrenal glands were anything but depleted. They concluded: “Adrenal fatigue does not exist.” (Pretty clear where these scientists stand!) Sure, if you dig around PubMed long enough, you’ll find a few studies that claim to support the adrenal fatigue theory. Those studies tend to measure fatigue levels rather than actual adrenal function. In other words, they show that fatigue exists, but not necessarily adrenal fatigue.

So why do so many people swear that adrenal fatigue exists?

That’s probably because their so-called adrenal fatigue symptoms are very real, common and frustrating.

Tiredness is one of the top reasons people seek medical care. It plagues a lot of people. For most of those people, stress and not adrenal fatigue is the more likely problem.

Yet there’s no easy medical test for stress. There are, however, a wide range of tests for the dozens of complex medical conditions that can also lead to fatigue, including thyroid issues, sleep apnea, and anemia. This can leave people in a situation where they continually tell their doctors about how crummy they feel. So their doctors order more tests that reveal nothing out of the ordinary, which can make patients feel unheard and misunderstood. When someone’s not getting the answers they need, adrenal fatigue theory becomes super attractive. (Okay this is sounding like my life right now ladies, well that's because I have actually spent almost a whole year, guessing, researching, tests and more tests - I have been through all above and I cannot wait to dive into this further with you, okay lets go... ).

Stress: The real reason you feel so awful

Here’s what the proponents of adrenal fatigue get right: Stress is a real problem for a lot of people. Chronic stress doesn’t just affect the adrenal glands. Our stress response is a whole-body experience, affecting the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, among many other parts of the body. Short bouts of stress followed by adequate recovery are no big deal. In fact, that’s how we grow stronger. If that stress is ongoing and there’s not enough recovery, however, the body starts to break down.

Consider what might happen if you hoisted heavy dumbbells… forever. You wouldn’t get stronger; you’d get weaker. And that’s what happens when you’re under unrelenting stress, even low-level stress. Chronic stress without respite feels terrible, head-to-toe, as the graphic below shows. (Maybe now you'll understand why I have got a week break between challenges, for you to have an actual recovery week before diving into another intense exercise block).

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, check with your doctor to rule out any medical conditions. If you leave with a clean bill of health, you may be suffering from the consequences of unrelenting stress, without adequate recovery. Luckily, simple, accessible practices can help.

Reduce stress that’s within your control.

It’s not realistic (or even ideal) to obliterate all stress. But you can turn some stressors down a few notches. Your first step: Identify your areas of stress, using the Stress Web, below, as a guide.

Consider your stress level for each area of the web.

Let’s say you’re training hard in the gym several days a week. Then you might colour in all four sections of the physical part of the circle. On the other hand, maybe you’re not dealing with any of the financial stressors. In that case, you might not color any of those in. Once you see which areas pose the most stress, brainstorm ways to reduce those areas of stress. And know that it’s not always about the big things.

Jack up recovery, in multiple areas of your life.

The more stress we deal with, the more we need to prioritize recovery.

Think of your “mojo reserve” as a jug: Stress drains it, and recovery fills it back up.

Try to fill your jug at least as much as you drain it.

Recovery can take many forms. In working with my own personal health and many other female clients I have nailed down and noticed that the following three practices offer an enormous impact.

Eat a nutrient-packed diet

Consume enough calories to support your body and activity levels, with a balance of macronutrients (including carbs!). Bonus points if you can eat slowly and mindfully.

Get appropriate levels of exercise

If your intense spin or weight sessions feel more like they’re breaking you down than building you up, lower the intensity and/or duration.

Schedule in recovery days, and consider replacing some of your more intense training sessions with gentle, restorative movement that activates the parasympathetic “calming” nervous system. Think: yoga, tai chi, walks in nature (or “forest-bathing” if you prefer!), stretching, and foam rolling.

I have made a change within my training myself, foam foam , trigger release, massages as well as nature walks and this has really helped me!!

Form good sleep habits

While we can’t force ourselves to fall asleep on cue, we do have a lot of control over our sleep hygiene the habits and routines we engage in around sleep. Experiment with the following strategies and see what works for you:

• Power down devices 30 minutes before bed

• Use a journal to write down thoughts, worries, and reminders before turning off the lights

• Decent room temp, don't sleep boiling or too cold. . . gotta be just right!

• Take a hot shower or bath before bed

• Sleep alone, so you’re not disturbed by your partner or pets

Remember, “experiment” means to try it. Any individual practice may or may not be useful. But you won’t ever really know unless you make a concerted effort to give it a shot. You can always decide to stop doing it if it doesn’t make a difference.

You can build stress muscles.

When you face stressful events with a strong mindset, relationships, and recovery practices you grow stronger. If you’ve been stuck in a downward spiral, small improvements can give you some much needed energy, and hope for a better future.

Eventually, stress can feel like surfing: Challenging and dynamic, without pulling you under.

Hope this gives you ladies a better insight and perhaps you can apply this into your lifestyle!

Also another great thing I have learnt is slow deep belly breathing! Especially right before I go to sleep, it calms my entire body and puts me in great zen zone, as well as throughout my training sessions!