If you’re someone that feels tired after getting a sufficient amount of sleep, you’re not alone. This is an issue that many people deal with and some are unable to find a solution to the problem, despite multiple doctor visits. This is especially the case when the root issue is hormonal. Specifically, this problem is sometimes caused by hormonal fatigue, often referred to as adrenal fatigue. It’s when a hormonal issue causes your adrenal glands to malfunction.

There are a lot of potential causes of hormonal fatigue. It’s often associated with having a significant amount of stress in your life. When you have hormonal fatigue, you’ll constantly feel tired, even first thing in the morning after waking up. Another sign of this condition is craving snacks and foods that are salty. The reason why this happens is because your immune system is working overtime. When you’re under a lot of stress, your adrenal glands release a greater amount of hormones called adrenaline and cortisol. The intended purpose of adrenaline and cortisol is for the fight or flight response, which elevates your heart rate and your blood pressure.

When a person experiences stress over a long period of time, they will also produce a lot more cortisol. This is why the adrenal glands start to burn out, which leads to hormonal fatigue. It can be difficult for doctors to identify this problem because there are no specific tests for hormonal fatigue. However, it is possible to detect the amount of adrenaline that’s produced in the body through a blood test.

How to Treat Hormonal Fatigue

There are a variety of ways to treat hormonal fatigue. For starters, it’s important to change your diet. One of the biggest culprits is sugar. As a result, eliminating sugar from your diet can go a long way towards treating hormonal fatigue. Another culprit is caffeine because it often exacerbates the issue of stress. This means cutting back on coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages is necessary and highly beneficial. In addition to significantly reducing your intake of sugar and caffeine, you may need to increase your intake of certain vitamins and minerals, especially those listed below:

• Vitamin B5
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin C
• Magnesium

In addition to the remedies already mentioned, you may be asked to change your lifestyle in other ways. For instance, consuming alcohol, smoking or taking drugs can result in hormonal fatigue. These are all issues that will need to be addressed. It’s part of living a healthier lifestyle, which has far-reaching benefits. Additionally, it’s prudent to implement an exercise program if you don’t already have one. This should include some type of regular activity, such as walking or running several times a week. It’s always best to speak with a doctor before embarking on a new exercise routine, especially if you have a medical condition.

Notably, there are some doctors that don’t believe in hormonal or adrenal fatigue. Instead, they believe the issue may actually be caused by adrenal insufficiency, which is also related to a hormonal issue. This is when your adrenal glands do not produce a sufficient amount of hormones. When you have adrenal insufficiency, there are a variety of symptoms that you might experience, most of which have been listed for hormonal fatigue. You may also feel confused and dizzy.

Adrenal insufficiency can be caused by dehydration and can result in weight loss. More severe symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, pain and vomiting. Since it’s hormonal, it can be detected through a blood or saliva test. The treatment options are much like those listed for hormonal fatigue. While there are dissenting views about hormonal fatigue, it’s worth noting that both hormonal fatigue and adrenal insufficiency require a lifestyle change. Either way, eating healthier foods, cutting back on sugar and reducing or eliminating caffeine is prudent.

What’s great about the recommended treatment for hormonal fatigue is that it involves changes that are beneficial to everyone. Whether you are experiencing this issue or not, you can improve the quality of your life by eating foods that make you feel more vibrant and by moving your body enough to optimize your cardiovascular health. Either way you look at it, it’s worth taking a more holistic approach to health through diet and exercise because the benefits are astronomical. Call us now at 205-352-9141.