Are you living in a constant state of fight or flight? Are you overloaded on stress, running on the hamster wheel day in and day out, afraid you’re on the brink of burnout or a nervous breakdown?
You may be thinking, “Fight or flight? I’m not getting ready to fight a bear every day!” Here’s the truth though, your body thinks you are. It sees necessary survival tactics and our everyday chronic stress exactly the same way and triggers the same reaction in the body. Today, that “bear” is the constant stress you experience from the long laundry list of tasks you have to accomplish before you can fall into bed at night. Getting the kids ready for school, dealing with stressful work tasks, coordinating after school/summer activities, planning dinner, organizing for the next day, and so on. The “bear” that’s always around is scarier, and more harmful, than the one time interaction with the large furry kind. Your “bear” stays triggered and keyed up, working on all cylinders which it cannot possibly continue to do for long without burning up its engine.
I get it. I was there too. That constant stress and anxiety of trying to keep all my ducks in a row on a daily basis was exhausting. I left my stressful office after ten hours for my stressful home, just to do it all over again the following morning. As for the weekends, days off were never really days off at all. I would run around playing catch up on chores and errands to be ready for the following week. I never got off the hamster wheel until my body forced me to stop and listen.
Constant stress is more prevalent today than ever before, and it’s time for you to admit you need help just like I had to.
You know this feeling all to well:
- Constant checklists running through your head
- The feeling that you always have to be “on”, never able to take a break
- The persistent thoughts that never stop even during your most intimate times
I remember when I used to have those feelings continuously. I felt like I was always behind and could never get caught up with what needed to be done at work or at home. I felt like I had to give more to everyone, but didn’t know where that “more” was going to come from. Moms, who work or stay at home know this feeling and we all just want to fix it. The problem is, we don’t have the time or energy, so we just keep going.
It’s time to break the cycle and learn how to avoid adrenal gland burnout.
What happens when your constant stress isn’t addressed? Why is it so important to break the cycle of living in a constant state of fight or flight?
The adrenal glands produce a large number of hormones that help your immune system, metabolism, stress response and more. When you are living in a constant state of fight or flight, your adrenal glands are working constantly. This can’t be sustained by anyone. At some point, your adrenal glands will stop functioning properly which will lead to a bunch of symptoms.
Have you ever felt completely drained, have had trouble falling or staying asleep, felt more nervous or anxious, and/or have had gut issues? Do you have some or all of these on the regular? These symptoms, among others, are your body's way of telling you that it’s time for you to slow down.
Your body needs to rest and digest. When you are in a constant state of fight or flight, your sympathetic nervous system is working on overdrive. However, when you slow down and let your body rest and digest, you allow your parasympathetic system to balance your hormones and other systems. This process allows your body to return to a state of homeostasis, or balance. This is the place where your body feels and functions most happily and efficiently.
Adrenal gland burnout is real and will rock your world!
Adrenal gland burnout or fatigue doesn’t have to be a chapter in your story. There are ways you can start making changes today to combat the constant stress you may be currently under. The simple trick is to start doing something pretty effortless today and to stop waiting for your symptoms to get worse. You may think you don’t have the time, but spending weeks in bed if you reach burnout will have a much larger impact on you and on your family.
There are a number of things you can start doing today to combat adrenal fatigue.
5 of my favorites include:
- Swap out regular coffee for an adaptogenic one (https://us.foursigmatic.com/ is my fav).
- Use the free Insight Timer app to do a guided meditation of less than 5 minutes at major transitions during your day. Ex: wake up, start work, end work, sleeptime.
- Set your smart watch for deep breathing reminders throughout your day.
- Force yourself to breathe fresh air in for at least 5 minutes during your lunch break.
- Ground yourself to the earth by walking barefoot in grass for at least 5 minutes daily.
I know this all sounds scary, but you don’t have to navigate burnout or adrenal gland fatigue on your own.
I understand where you’re at. I felt scared too. Realizing that your body is in this very unhealthy, heightened overdrive state is the first step. Taking this realization seriously and deciding to do something about it is what’s most important. Knowing where to begin with how to stop it is overwhelming. I’m here to help you each step of the way. It is my mission to help women like build healthier habits to help you transform into your best self ever. If you’re ready to take back control of your life and your health, contact me today to learn more about how I can help.
Sick and tired of feeling sick and tired? Schedule a mini-consultation and let's chat about how you can start feeling better now!
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