Adrenal Fatigue: Common Symptoms and How to Overcome it Naturally

Are you stressed out? You’re definitely not alone. Cortisol, the hormone that regulates your stress levels, is produced by your adrenal glands (which sit right above your kidneys). Alternative health practitioners suggest that if you’re stressed out for long periods of time, it could overwork your adrenal glands and lead to adrenal fatigue.

But what exactly is adrenal fatigue?

In this article we’ll take a brief look at your adrenal glands and what they do for your body and your stress levels. From there we’ll dive right into adrenal fatigue, its symptoms, and some ways to naturally cure it. Let’s get started!
 

Your Adrenal Glands and What They Do For You

You have two adrenal glands that sit directly over your kidneys. They are defined as “endocrine glands,” and they produce a variety of hormones to help stabilize your body. Some notable hormones they produce are adrenaline and cortisol – your adrenal glands are directly responsible for your “fight or flight” response.
 
As far as balancing your body out, your adrenal glands regulate your blood pressure and salt/water balance, and they stabilize your electrolytes. So, basically, these little guys do a lot! When they’re overworked, i.e. if you have a stressful job or if life has you stretched thin at the moment, you could develop adrenal fatigue (according to alternative health practitioners).
 

The Lowdown On Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal fatigue comes into play when life has you on a jam-packed schedule and you’re constantly on the go. It will leave you worn out, burnt out, and damn tired. After sustained periods of your adrenal glands producing hormones to combat stress, the can simply become depleted, and not function like they’re supposed to.
 
Only thing is, you won’t get diagnosed with adrenal fatigue by your doctor. While widely accepted in alternative health circles since it was defined in 1998 by James Wilson, doctors and scientists have not accepted adrenal fatigue as a diagnosable adrenal gland disorder.
 
So, how do you know if you have adrenal fatigue? Let’s look at some symptoms.
 

Common Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

These are the most widely agreed upon symptoms of adrenal fatigue, although others exist.

1. You’re chronically tired
2. You have weird cravings (specifically for salt or sugar)
3. You’re losing hair
4. You’ve lost weight suddenly
5. Your body chronically aches
6. You have a diminished libido
7. You often feel lightheaded or dizzy

How to Naturally Overcome Adrenal Fatigue

The best way to naturally overcome adrenal fatigue is to remember what caused it . . . stress. Do your best to avoid stressful situations, or adopt new methods of coping with stress. Some great ways to reduce stress include yin yoga, meditation, or simply getting outdoors once in a while.
 
Other ways to naturally overcome adrenal fatigue are to make sure you’re going to sleep at a reasonable time – preferably before 10 p.m. Try to do less, and say no to things that don’t serve you. Avoid toxic chemicals that could disrupt your hormones to the best of your ability. Finally, remember to begin your healing from the inside out: avoid junk and processed food, and learn to eat intuitively to what your body needs.
 

Adrenal Fatigue: The Takeaway

Adrenal fatigue is said to impact millions of people all around the world. So if this article describes you, remember you’re not alone. Just like your mind and soul, your adrenal glands need some TLC to function at their best.
 
Remember to slow down, take a deep breath, and take care of yourself.
 

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