Hey Mom … Is Adrenal Fatigue Causing You to Be Tired All the Time? Symptoms, Causes and Solutions for a disorder that affects nearly 80% of women

Adrenal fatigue sufferers are caught in a vicious cycle. Usually, they feel extremely tired in the morning and late afternoon and most energetic after 5 p.m. By bedtime a dreaded “second wind” kicks in. There they lay -- wired awake, too tired for sex, angry, anxious and alone, since their partner is, hopefully, asleep. Tossing and turning all night, they never getting more than a few hours of rest. 

Adrenal fatigue makes it difficult to roll out of bed, let alone function. Yet, the women who suffer from this debilitating disorder dutifully struggle to get up, feed their family and usher them out the door. Oftentimes, in a feeble attempt to boost their energy, they resort to pounding sweets and coffee.

Typically, by 11 a.m. they begin to feel somewhat human, than hit the wall of fatigue around 3 p.m. A few hours later another boost of energy arrives and they frantically attempt to complete their tasks, knowing that by 11 p.m. they will be exhausted, yet unable to sleep.  

Sound like you? You're not alone. Experts claim that adrenal fatigue affects nearly 80 percent of Americans; particularly women who are mothers. The first step to ending the agony associated with adrenal fatigue is to become aware of its symptoms, causes and solutions. And, it is agony to feel tired, stressed, anxious and overwhelmed all the time.  

What are the Adrenal Glands? They are two, small, triangular glands located on top of each kidney. They produce essential hormones which aid in dealing with stress including adrenaline, corticosteroids and androgens.

The adrenal glands provide our "get up and go" and are intended to provide an occasional "fight or flight" response. Most moms are surviving off a constant adrenaline rush as they try to meet their overwhelming amount of daily obligations.

Their adrenal glands are pumping hormones at full throttle, sending a message to the body of "go, Go GO!!!" When this reaction is demanded on a continuous basis our bodies cannot recharge naturally. They become exhausted and begin to deteriorate. And, so does our quality of life. 

What Causes Adrenal Fatigue? The onset is often triggered by a major shock such as a broken heart, death, divorce, serious burns (including sunburn), bankruptcy or job loss. However even "happy" changes are extremely stressful and can throw us out of whack including: marriage, promotion and relocation. The birth of a child falls under extremely happy and stressful featuring interrupted sleep patterns, new mom anxiety and ...

Adrenal fatigue is also associated with unresolved, long-term stress or anxieties including drug or alcohol abuse, newborn baby adjustments, financial stress, marriage difficulties, etc.

Oftentimes, you'll find it snuggled in the “straw that broke the camel’s back” scenarios, such as the lack of recovery from a series of emotional and/or physical events.

Who “catches” Adrenal Fatigue: In the U.S. an estimated 80 percent of American women and men will suffer from adrenal fatigue syndrome at some point in their life. Of the women, moms are the most vulnerable. Specifically, mothers who are …

Type “A” Perfectionist, Super Mom, Back-to-School Moms burning the candle at both ends; Moms with two or more children and little support from family or friends; Single moms and married moms with  extremely unhappy and stressful home and/or work conditions. Other factors include drug or alcohol abuse; alternating shift work that requires frequent adjustments to the sleep pattern; and an obsessive “all work, no play” lifestyle.

Adrenal fatigue solutions abound including anti-anxiety prescriptions, sleeping pills, dietary changes, hormone replacement therapy, counseling, vitamins, supplements, patches and more prescriptions. I tried many of these along my path to recovery. One of the healthiest choices I made was hands-on and medication-off.  

Therapy Massage - Acupressure:  Acupressure is a massage therapy technique in which fingers press key points on the surface of your skin to stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscle tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body’s life force (called qi or chi) to aid in healing and relaxation. (Acupuncture presses the same points as acupressure, but uses needles vs. touch.) 

Acupressure works well for most people and usually provides significant and immediate relief. My first appointment lasted two hours. I wanted, hoped and prayed it could knock me back in my groove. It did. That night I slept like a baby. Ever since, acupressure has been a nurturing part of my ongoing rejuvenation process. 

Acupressure Recommendations

 

Begin with a weekly session or, at minimum, every other week. Schedule appointments for late afternoon and take the rest of the day off from your “busy-ness.” Do NOT jump from your appointment back into the fray. This type of behavior is only adding to your chronic exhaustion.

 

Adrenal fatigue is a serious condition. If you want to stop feeling tired, exhausted and cranky all the time, you must step out of the fight or flight response and give your adrenal glands times to rejuvenate.

 

If your kids aren’t old enough to fend for themselves, on Acupressure Eve hire a babysitter, beg your mother, your sister or a friend. Some of the best support comes from other tired moms. Don’t worry. Once she sees how great you are doing, it won’t be long before you “earn” this favor by watching over her children!

 

Once your acupressure treatment is over, it's time to relax, drink plenty of water and eat a light nourishing meal. Refrain from drinking any alcohol (interferes with sleep) and go to bed early with your journal, a calm inspirational read, and/or your loving partner.

 

Use acupressure as a springboard and form other lighter, livable routines. Like…

 

... simplifying, prioritizing, and doing more of what matters most and less of the rest. Like eating more greens and brown rice and fresh fruits... Like allowing the phone to go to voicemail after 8 p.m. and staying off all your electronic gadgets and gizmos … Like splashing lavender essential oil on your pillow and in your bathtub and breathing peace in, stress out.

 

Yes, this is one way to come back to yourself – your strong, relaxed and whole mom self. For more suggestions and almost daily tips and inspiration, click here. 

Mom, whatever you do ... don't settle for feeling just o.k. or fine. You deserve to feel GREAT (so does the rest of your family.)

(c) 2007 Viveca Stone-Berry is the founder of FatigueBeGone.com & author of the Fatigue Be Gone! Jumpstart e-Guide which helps women of all ages re-Energize themselves & their relationships.  Visit http://fatiguebegone.com/fbgguideinformation.htm today and find out exactly what you need to do to overcome your fatigue.