Many of your glands are related in some way. One gland will influence how another gland works, and so forth on down the line. Because of this, when your adrenal glands are not functioning properly, other issues with glands and important bodily processes develop. Your adrenals are just like any other gland, and when they have to work too hard, they can become worn out. When this happens, a condition known as adrenal fatigue, the following symptoms may develop.
- Chronic fatigue
- Consistently low levels of energy
- Mental fog and problems thinking clearly
- Inability to finish tasks
- Problems getting out of bed in the morning
- Hard time falling asleep at night
- Abnormal sensitivity to bright lights
- You start out easily due to noises
- You become dizzy or lightheaded when standing up quickly from sitting or lying down
- You become defensive easily
- You crave fat and salt
- You are irritable, and prone to bouts of screaming or yelling
Adrenal Fatigue Is a Hormonal Disruption
Look at that long list of adrenal fatigue symptoms. Many of them have to do with your emotional state and how you feel. This is because your adrenal glands work closely with your thyroid and other glands and important internal processes that distribute and regulate hormones. Hormones can dramatically influence your moods and emotions.
Though adrenal fatigue is not a recognized medical condition in the United States, it is recognized and regularly treated in other countries. As opposed to the more easily diagnosed and serious Addison’s disease, where the adrenal glands fail completely, adrenal fatigue is a milder syndrome. However, it can still be frustrating and disrupt your day-to-day living.
Of the health professionals that do recognize adrenal fatigue as a condition which exists somewhere between perfect adrenal health and Addison’s disease, this is thought to be a situation of epidemic proportions. It is estimated that as many as 80% of the global population suffers from adrenal fatigue to some degree.
Your adrenal gland helps regulate the stress process. When they are fatigued, they begin overproducing stress hormones. If the stress is not addressed, this continual release of stress hormones can take you into the second phase of adrenal fatigue. Your adrenal glands are exhausted, they can’t continue to produce adrenaline and cortisol as needed, and you could develop a very real and very difficult time coping with even the most minor, normal demands that life places upon you.
The best way to test the function of the adrenal glands is to do a urine or saliva test to look at cortisol levels throughout the day.
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