Understanding Stress and Adrenal Fatigue: Awareness & Acceptance

In today’s fast-paced world, juggling multiple responsibilities and demanding schedules has made stress an unavoidable part of life. While stress affects us both physically and mentally, its impact on our health is often underestimated. Stress can lead to a condition known as adrenal fatigue, where high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, take a toll on your overall well-being.

If you say yes to more than three of the following questions then you are probably dealing with the stress of daily life.

• Have you felt a heightened sense of vigilance on most days when you head out to work?
• Do you feel your heart race before a deadline?
• Do you break into a sweat before an important meeting?
• Does your stomach feel squeezed delaying your decision-making?
• Do you lose sleep feeling worried?
• Have you developed blood pressure and can’t seem to understand why?

Stressful life can disturb your overall wellbeing.

Think of stress like dealing with a cat that you start perceiving like a tiger. The brain responds like it has seen a tiger. The brain triggers the release of adrenaline which releases cortisol. This triggers sugar release in the bloodstream which makes you restless.

Since you have perceived an imaginary trigger the fight or flight response is kicked in the body pushing you to run. But guess what? We are not in a jungle, this excess sugar in the stream adds to restlessness leading to fatigue and burnout.

Recognizing Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal Fatigue is the condition that happens when you have accumulated high levels of Cortisol due to chronic stress.

Following are the symptoms of High Cortisol:

• High blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Increased blood sugar
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Hypothyroidism
• Poor digestion
• Decreased immune function
• Constipation
• Mood swings

Importance of Managing Stress

In today’s time, stress is an inevitable part of our life. It is thus important to be aware of its impact on our bodies and mental health. By recognizing the signs of stress and its various forms, you can take steps to manage stress and reduce its effects.

Adrenal Fatigue also has a toll on your health.

Remember that chronic stress can lead to adrenal fatigue, which requires professional medical attention. Prioritize relaxation, laughter, sleep, self-care, and a balanced lifestyle to control stress. For more details on how to manage stress, you can refer to our article ways to manage stress.

Share your thoughts and experiences with stress in the comments below. How do you manage stress in your daily life?

Dr Kanan Khatau, author of this article, is the co-founder of Mind Celebrations, is a clinical psychologist, a certified life coach, and a homeopathic doctor with 24+ years of experience. She conducted research across India on 10,000 corporate employees to understand mental health challenges in the corporate workplace.

She has empowered more than 10,000 clients through 25,000+ hours of coaching and training. She has been recognized for her contributions to mental health and entrepreneurship, in India and UAE. She is a pioneer in proactive and preventive mental health and recommends the triple-A formula for change.

1. Awareness
2. Acceptance
3. Action

This article is intended to add to the awareness and acceptance of your current levels of stress and in the next article we will focus on the Actions.