The One Simple Thing You Can Do to Feel Better In Every Way

Photo by Loïc (CC BY-SA 2.0)

You may have heard the term “adrenal fatigue” or “adrenal burnout.”

These terms are meant to describe a physiological situation in which the systems designed to help us respond and deal with stress become compromised.  The adrenal glands, which sit atop our kidneys, secrete a hormone called cortisol when we are experiencing any form of stress.  Cortisol helps shift things physiologically (such as suppressing digestion, fertility and blood circulation and turning on fight, flight and flee mechanisms) to that we can “survive” the stress at hand.  This is an incredible system for us surviving acute stressful situations.  However, chronic stress over time is not conducive to long-term health. When cortisol is chronically high, or even chronically low (which can happen after too much output over too long of a time) we suffer for it.

Possible symptoms of adrenal fatigue, or what is more accurately termed hypothalamic pituitary axis (HPA) dysfunction, can mimic other symptoms of chronic illness. HPA dysfunction, turns out is not simply about fatigued adrenals, but about a delicate interplay of hormones and feedback systems within the brain that becomes maladaptive.  It is highly recommended to work with a skilled practitioner and get accurate testing done in order to identify any issues with your HPA axis.  However, it can be reasonably assumed that if you suffer from any kind of chronic illness, addressing the health and functioning of your HPA axis is a critical must for regaining your health.  

In addition to testing, if you suffer from any of the following, it may indicate as well an HPA dysfunction:

• Fatigue, especially being tired when waking up even after adequate hours of sleep
  
• Difficulty falling asleep or difficulty staying asleep
  
• Waking up with heart pounding and on alert
  
• Poor memory or brain fog (difficulty concentrating)
  
• Agitation when hungry, quickly and urgently needing food (being “hangry”)
  
• Increased colds and flu (lowered immune system overall)
  
• Being dizzy when standing up
  
• Cold hands and feet (result of decrease in blood flow to peripheral organs)
  
• Low libido
  
• Weight gain or loss
  

You may find this resource on HPA dysfunction helpful for exploring the above in more depth.)

There are multiple causes for HPA dysfunction and some of those we have control over and others we do not. One huge factor is disrupted circadian rhythms, and disrupted sleep.  Therefore, a powerful step one can take to address HPA dysfunction and begin reducing symptoms is to start prioritizing sleep by getting enough sleep and getting good quality sleep.  

Lets look at some ways you can start to make small changes that will have big impacts on your quality of sleep, which in turn will support your overall health.

• Go to bed.
  Even getting into bed 15 minutes earlier than your usual will be helpful, and it is an easy, do-able step to make.  Continuing to implement an earlier bedtime over time at 15 minute intervals is a gradual way for meeting your optimal bedtime goal so that you are getting the amount of sleep you really need.
  
• Dim the lights.
  Minimizing artificial light at the end of the day will support your brain’s release of melatonin and encourage more restful and deep sleep.  So turn off lights, or turn them down.  Let natural light be your guide as much as possible for going to bed and waking up.
  
• Turn off the screens.
  Screens, like iphones, ipads, and computers are a source of artificial light that is particularly disruptive to our brains at night, delaying the release of melatonin which signals us to sleep, rest, and restore.  It actually keeps us awake when we really need to be asleep!
  
• Read a good book and limit television watching too.
  Watching disturbing or stimulating movies, television programs, and the news in the evening will put us into a stress response, which is the opposite of where we want to be when heading to bed.  Think about going to sleep like parking your car in the garage.  You need to slow the car way down before pulling it into the garage and turning off the engine.
  
• Avoid eating right before bed.
  Not eating food at least 2 hours before going to bed gives your body a chance to digest your last meal.  Going to bed with food in your stomach creates a dilemma for the body where we either delay sleep in order to digest, or we delay digestion in order to sleep.  Either way, these two needs are in conflict.  Of course, this is bound to happen from time to time and will not essentially “harm” us, but consider changing your routine if you are in the habit of eating a dessert, or late night snack before bed.  Chronically stressing our systems is where that stress can start to pile up.
  
• Your last meal.
  What you have for dinner can help support sounder sleep as well.  Attempt to have adequate protein, healthy appropriate amount of fat, and carbohydrate balance with your meal. Giving your body what you need nutritionally will create satiety and you will be less likely to have a sugar crash during the night, or wake up hungry in the night as well.  Read more here.
  
• Just right.
  Eating just the right amount is also a key, as under-eating as well as over-eating (eating too much at once) are both stressors for the gut and digestive systems.  Not to mention this can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like gas and bloating which in and of themselves can interfere with restful sleep.  A general rule to follow is to eat a well-balanced meal and eat until you are 80% full.
  
• Finally, shoot for at least 8 hours of sleep. It is a myth that we are fine on 6 hours or less.  
  In fact, some people even need 9-10 hours of sleep a night for optimal functioning.  It’s time to let go of pushing ourselves to be chronically productive and achieving because the cost of that is deeply compromising our health.  And, getting the hours of sleep each night that you need can actually give us more efficiency during the day.  Consider that being effective isn’t a matter of hours on the clock, but the quality and optimal functioning we can bring to our tasks.
  

(Read more about healthy sleep and why it is important here.)

Not only can adequate sleep help resolve any dysfunction in your HPA (your stress response) but it can also be restorative in areas you wouldn’t think about.

When our bodies perceive chronic stress and have a lowered resilience to stress (due to HPA dysfunction) it will shut down, or limit its resources in areas of the body not necessary for immediate survival.  This includes the digestive system, reproductive system, and detox systems.  Circulation of life giving blood gets limited and rationed.  Getting enough quality sleep, regularly, can not only provide you with more energy and brain function during the day but can also improve your ability to absorb essential vitamins and nutrients (which in turn help you look and feel your best), can increase your libido and nourish your intimate relationships (good sex is good for you!), and also supports you getting out toxins which we are exposed to every single day (additives in foods, chemicals in our buildings, furniture, water and air).  All in all, supporting our critical need for sleep lays a powerfully strong foundation for health and wellness that will positively inform the quality of your life.