Adrenal Fatigue and Exercise
I remember sitting in my doctor’s office when she told me I was dealing with adrenal fatigue. I had never heard of it before, but the “fatigue” part sure sounded right. I leaned in.
“Your adrenal glands are fragile. You must slow down,” she said.
She recommended the book “Adrenal Fatigue” by James L. Wilson, so I grabbed it on the way home from the appointment and dove in that night. What I started reading sounded exactly what I had been experiencing:
- low energy
- anxiety
- difficulty sleeping
- salt and sugar cravings
- reliance on caffeine
- unexplained weight gain
- frequent sickness
I began investigating proper treatment and the one word that kept coming up, by both Dr. Google and my doctor, was: rest.
But I didn’t want to rest.
I was a fitness girl.
I lived for my daily workouts, and I loved teaching fitness classes, and I actually despised rest day.
But when push came to shove, I had to realize what I knew deep down: that those workouts, combined with my go-go-go personality, was probably why I was in this predicament to begin with.
And so, I set out on a quest to feel better, and to get my energy back again. Rather than lifting heavy weights or doing high intensity cardio 6 days a week, I started going for a daily walk in nature, or practicing yoga, or… resting. I also set my alarm each afternoon for 4p.m. to simply lie down for 15-20 minutes on the ground, something proven to rest the adrenals at a proper time. I added Himalayan sea salt to my water for better hydration, and I backed off of the coffee. I didn’t remove it, but I cut down the amount. I started taking adrenal support supplements as well.
Sure enough, about 3-4 months after I made these changes, I started to wake up in the morning with renewed energy, and I didn’t find myself crashing on the couch at the end of the day.
Throughout this 3-4 month period, I realized so many things about myself:
- I was REALLY bad at sitting still. Like, really bad. It took intentionality and commitment to force myself to lie down each day.
- I actually enjoyed walking. As boring as it formerly sounded, I started to crave my walk outside, in all weather, every single afternoon.
- I realized I didn’t need 3-4 cups of coffee per day. 1 to 2 of half decaf was just fine.
- When I stopped to slow myself down, I realized just how fast and hard I had been going.
To this day, I have learned that my adrenals tend to be on the weaker side, and I have to pay attention to them when they flare their signs. I’ve learned to listen to my body. I have seasons of pushing and seasons of rest. And many seasons that involve both, in perfect harmony, thanks to SYNCing with my cycle.
While many doctors don’t acknowledge adrenal fatigue as a real diagnosis, those of us who have experienced it can tell you how very real it is.
As it turns out, young mothers of littles are usually most affected. At the time I faced it, I had a 1 year old and was feeling burnt at both ends of the stick. Also, women going through perimenopause, or whose sex hormones are imbalanced and low, tend to find that their sex hormones are being pulled by their cortisol, setting them up for adrenal fatigue.
This issue is a very real thing, and it can put a real cramp in your style. But if you’re anything like me, and you can’t see yourself resting or scaling back the workouts, I hate to tell you, but that’s precisely what you should do.
Yoga is still moving your body.
Walking is still moving your body.
Listening to your body, in all seasons of your life, is what matters most.
Here for you.
It will get better.
xoxo,
Jenny