The adrenals are small glands that sit above the kidneys. These are super important organs as they produce hormones that regulate many systems, including blood pressure, the immune system, metabolism, and, most notably, your stress response. 

We’ve talked about how stress plays a huge part in the health and function of the thyroid. Chronic stress can actually trigger hypothyroidism, and the adrenals are the ones that are secreting those stress hormones!

If the adrenals are constantly working, constantly in that fight or flight response, without any time to relax (rest and digest!), this can lead to what’s called adrenal fatigue. Similar to hypothyroidism, this is when the adrenal glands start to slow down because they’re being overused.

This is something I see a ton in my clients!

But, how can you know whether you’re suffering from adrenal fatigue? Let’s look at 5 common symptoms. 

Exhaustion

Being so incredibly tired that you can’t get out of bed in the morning, waking up and not feeling refreshed after a night’s sleep, and just being tired all the time. This is what adrenal fatigue often presents as.

Mental health challenges

Having feelings of being overwhelmed and not being able to cope with everyday stressors can also be a sign of adrenal fatigue. These can often build up into depression. Combining depression with symptoms of exhaustion and adrenal fatigue can make it feel impossible to complete even the most mundane tasks.

Brain fog

I count this as a separate symptom because it often feels different than other mental health challenges. When your thinking starts to get fuzzy or slow, if it’s really hard to make decisions or if you get a little confused regularly, this could be a sign that your adrenals are out of whack. 

Cravings

This one is really interesting - if your adrenals are imbalanced, this can lead to certain cravings. Most commonly: salt! The adrenal glands need sodium, otherwise, they get really slow. If this starts happening, your adrenals may send off warning signals that the body needs more salt, leading to cravings. This is a perfect example of why it’s so important to listen to your body!

You also may start to crave sugar or carbohydrates, as your body is trying to fight the exhaustion and find energy anywhere it can.

Low blood pressure

If you’ve ever stood up too quickly from laying or sitting down and you get really dizzy, this could be a sign of low blood pressure, and low blood pressure can be a symptom of adrenal fatigue (isn’t it so fascinating how everything in the body is connected?!).

Now, remember, there’s a clear connection between the adrenals and the thyroid. If the thyroid is slow, the adrenal glands could be affected, and vice versa.

So, if you’re living with adrenal fatigue for a long time, your thyroid is really going to be impacted. That’s in part why so many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue are similar! Always keep in mind that you have to address the adrenals and the thyroid together. 

If you think you’re living with adrenal fatigue and want to try and address it, please book a free discovery call with me, and let’s talk about how we can work together to get you back on track.