Adrenal Fatigue

Brandy Norfolk

November 9, 2023

Are you waking in the morning to find that you are still exhausted?

Do you need a lot of caffeine to get up and start moving?

Are you under a lot of stress?

If this sounds like you, you are not alone.

It is estimated that approximately 80% of adults suffer from adrenal fatigue because of prolonged and repetitive stress.

How does stress cause adrenal fatigue?

The stress you experience causes overstimulation of the adrenal glands and creates inconsistent levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the bloodstream.

These inconsistent levels of cortisol can lead to low levels of DHEA, a hormone necessary to produce many other hormones.

Because of the low or inconsistent levels of many necessary hormones, adrenal fatigue can have significant effects on your overall health.

If the outline of your day looks something like this, it is a good chance your adrenals are not functioning properly.

  • Difficulty waking and needing a significant amount of caffeine,
  • You get a boost of energy during the early part of the day,
  • Energy levels crash around 2pm, increase around 6pm, crash again around 9pm, and finally peak around 11pm.

Let’s look at other potential causes of adrenal fatigue, many of which are closely related to stress.

  • Stressful experiences, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, or surgery
  • prolonged stress (already discussed)
  • negative thinking and emotional trauma
  • lack of sleep
  • poor diet
  • pain
  • food sensitivities

There are other symptoms that could signal the presence of adrenal fatigue. If you are suffering with any of the following signs/symptoms, a consultation is appropriate to identify the root cause.

Symptoms include:

  • autoimmune conditions
  • chronic fatigue
  • brain fog
  • hair loss
  • hormone imbalance
  • weakened stress response
  • insulin resistance
  • lightheadedness
  • decreased sex drive/libido
  • moodiness or irritability
  • depression
  • muscle or bone loss,
  • weight gain
  • craving sweet or salty foods

There are many natural remedies for adrenal fatigue. Schedule a consultation so we can take a deeper dive into symptoms you may have, and recommendations will be made to support your body and get you back to good health.