Adrenal Fatigue or The Menopause: Which One Are You Really Struggling With?

The menopause isn’t much fun, is it?

Hot flushes haunt you, you never seem to be able to sleep well at night, your moods are up and down like a yo yo, you lack energy, you can’t think straight, you’re starting to gain weight around the middle (eek, middle-aged spread!) and much to your disappointment, you’ve completely gone off sex.

So you found my website, read through my blog posts and articles, you listened to my podcast and you signed up for the newsletter. You enrolled in my online programmes and you put everything you’d learnt into action right away.

You were sure that you’d get results because you’d read the testimonials, you’d invested time and money and you were determined not to let this menopause thing beat you.

But still you suffer. Still you struggle to drag yourself out of bed in the morning and spend the day feeling drained, dash off to the bathrooms at work to cool down, do your best to hide your foggy thinking and pretend that everything is OK.

So what is the problem? Are your menopause symptoms something you will never fix? Are you doing it all wrong and somehow missing some vital information? Will you just have to get your chin up and struggle through?

Actually, no.

Because what you are struggling with might not only be symptoms of the peri-menopause or menopause but also point to what is known colloquially as ‘adrenal fatigue’.

Today I’d like to walk you through what is meant when we refer to ‘adrenal fatigue’, how it can impact your experience of the peri-menopause, menopause and overall health, and also share what steps you can take to feel better.

[NOTE: I use the term ‘adrenal fatigue’ to refer to a general fatigue of the entire endocrine system, including the HPA axis (the adrenal glands, hypothalamus and pituitary gland) and the ovaries too as a result of chronic stress.]

What is adrenal fatigue?

‘Adrenal fatigue’ is a stress-related condition where several of your hormonal glands become exhausted and stop working at an optimal level. These glands have a close relationship with each other, and are known as the HPA axis as they include the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland and of course, your adrenal glands (which gives adrenal fatigue its name).

All of these glands have a role to play when you’re exposed to some kind of stressor; they’re the very same organs which release the hormones involved in the fight or flight response (the one that has you running from the lion on the savannah) such as cortisol and DHEA and are vital for your survival.

However, when you’re under constant stress, the messages that are sent between these glands just don’t work as they used to, your adrenal glands are depleted and they simply can’t do their job and help you cope with the stress in your life.

This has a knock-on effect for all of your endocrine system, including your ovaries and your thyroid too and can also affect your sleep patterns, your hormonal health and your experience of the menopause.

Cortisol- Friend or enemy?

Now, cortisol is a very important hormone for your body as it helps regulate your body clock, acts as an anti-inflammatory in the right doses and helps keep your metabolism working efficiently. We normally get a nice burst of cortisol upon waking which then tapers off as the day goes on.

The trouble is, when you’re under constant physical, psychological or emotional stress, or going through a particularly tough time, your body releases extra cortisol which doesn’t go anywhere. The cortisol levels in your blood stay high and start causing all manner of health problems.

DHEA

But it’s not just your cortisol levels which are affected when you are under stress- your levels of the hormone DHEA also decrease significantly. Like cortisol, DHEA is also produced in the adrenal glands and helps to ‘balance’ the effects of cortisol (as well as being a precursor for several sex hormones.)

The result is a body which is under huge amounts of stress, suffering with abnormally high stress hormones and can’t do anything about it. Your adrenal glands are exhausted, you feel absolutely terrible physically and emotionally and it can feel like there’s no escape.

What causes ‘adrenal fatigue’?

All of this happens because of chronic stress of one kind or another. This can include going through a divorce or separation, relationship problems, losing a loved one, surgery, negative thinking, depression, lack of sleep, illness, poor diet, pain, over-consumption of caffeine, sugar or junk foods, over exercise or working far too hard.

What are the symptoms of ‘adrenal fatigue’?

The main characteristic of adrenal fatigue is an overall sense of exhaustion. You might feel physically exhausted, mentally exhausted and often emotionally ‘at your edge’. You might also feel like you’re suffering with a touch of depression, and you’ll often feel extremely low one minute, then relatively OK the next.

Even if you’ve had a brilliant night’s sleep (which can be hard when you have adrenal fatigue), you’ll wake feeling drained, struggle to get out of bed and feel groggy and fuzzy headed for much of the day.

So you probably turn to cups of coffee, caffeinated tea or sugary foods to help you make it through the day, but still not feel much better.

On top of all of this, you’ll suffer from headaches, you’ll go off sex, start having hot flushes and start gaining weight which only add more stress to your already depleted body. Poor you!

What can you do about ‘adrenal fatigue?’

Adrenal fatigue isn’t a life sentence, even if it often feels like it is! With the right kind of attention and a good dose of self-love, you can soon soothe your frazzled nerves, reduce your cortisol levels, and feel calm and back to your old self.

Here are some great ways you can start fighting back:

1. Get an early night

Start making sleep your main priority instead of scraping by on the bare minimum and hoping that you can make it through the day alive. Because when you skimp on sleep, you only end up feeling groggy and lethargic and reach for the sugary-foods and endless cups of coffee or tea to get you through the day.

However, get the sleep you need and you’ll feel much more energetic and optimistic, you’ll be better able to deal with stress and your hormones have chance to rebalance.

The ideal amount of sleep is between 8-10 hours per night and you should aim to have your head hitting the pillow at around 10pm. Any later and your cortisol secretion starts to increase and you’ll find it much harder to drop off. What time do you usually get to bed?

2. Find ways to manage your stress

Sit down and think of ways you can deal with the stress in your life? Make a list and stick it on the fridge if you have to, but make sure you have an action plan.

For example, your list might include:

• Calling a friend for a chat
• Starting a journaling practice
• Practicing diaphragmatic breathing
• Going for a walk outside someone lovely
• Taking a long hot bath
• Curling up with a great book
• Meditate or practice yoga

It’s really important we do this because despite the fact that we’re all exposed to stress on a daily basis, most of us have never been taught exactly how to cope with it. We just cross our fingers and hope we start feeling better.

But you can’t simply ignore stress and hope that it goes away because, as you’ve seen, it really does take its toll on your health and happiness. Make your list NOW (don’t worry- I’ll wait)

3. Do things that bring you pleasure

When was the last time you did something just for yourself, and not because you had to? If you’re anything like most women, the answer isn’t such a great one.

We spend so much time running around, taking care of loved ones, working hard, taking care of our homes, cooking and getting everything done that we forget about ourselves. And that’s fantastic, but we also need to be thinking about ourselves too.

Neglecting our own needs is just a fast-track towards stress, anxiety, depression, unfulfillment and, yes you’ve guessed it- adrenal fatigue.

What could you start doing to bring more pleasure into your life?

4. Reduce your caffeine consumption

As tempting as it might be to reach for another cup of coffee to help you make it through the day, hold back whilst your adrenal glands are recovering.

Caffeine raises your cortisol levels quite considerable so it spells disaster for your poor adrenal glands. Of course, I’m not telling you to quit caffeine entirely, but try replacing your usual cuppa with something caffeine-free such as herbal teas, fruit teas or even Rooibos (RedBush) tea.

If you opt for camomile, valerian or licorice tea, you’ll be further supporting your adrenal glands as these herbs have great healing properties and are brilliant for helping manage stress. I’m a big fan of licorice tea- give it a try.

4. Add more healthy foods into your diet

Too much processed food, sugars, refined carbs and junk food can take their toll on your adrenal glands, deprive you of valuable nutrients and leave your energy yo-yoing. So I want you to make it your priority right to include as much nutrient dense, unprocessed foods in your daily diet as possible.

This means filling up on plenty of fresh vegetables and some fruit (if you can tolerate it), including leafy green veg with your meals, enjoying foods which are rich in healthy fats and essential amino acids like avocados, nuts and seeds and oily fish. You’ll nourish yourself from the inside, you’ll support those adrenals and you’ll feel incredible!

5. Consider a supplement

There are several supplements you can take to support your adrenal glands. These include magnesium, vitamin C and adaptogenic herbs such as Maca and astragalus.

Magnesium

The best source of magnesium include transdermal magnesium (you simply apply it directly to your skin for optimal absorption) as it is so readily absorbed, but it’s also worth taking a traditional pill. Magnesium citrate is the one I’d recommend.

Vitamin C

You can find this as a supplement on the shelves of your supermarket and local pharmacy. Your body needs a minimum of 60mg per day, but you can take up to 5000mg daily if you like. Always choose a high-quality brand, not a supermarket brand.

Maca

Maca is an adaptogenic herbs which helps support your body though those times of stress. It’s also one of nature’s great superfoods, and contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals. You can buy it as a powder and add it to your smoothies, baked dishes and other meals, or you can take it in capsule form.

Astragalus

Astragalus is another adaptogen which helps to reduce your cortisol levels and boosts the immune system. It comes from traditional Chinese medicine and has been used for hundreds of years. It comes in a variety of forms which you can use to suit you.

6. Disconnect

Switch off the wifi, turn off the television, put your phone onto silent, close the door and disconnect from the world to feel instantly better. You don’t need to go off to a fancy retreat to get these benefits- just 20 minutes of quiet time per day would be ideal.

This lowers your stress levels, reduces your cortisol levels, helps you feel more content with life, improves your digestion, and helps you feel at peace with the world!

7. Consider testing

If you want to know whether you are suffering from ‘adrenal fatigue’ or another related hormonal imbalance, you could take a hormone tests to discover exactly what your status is. These can can measure the levels of stress hormones like DHEA and cortisol so we can have an idea of how your adrenal glands are getting on and whether they need any further support.

You can contact your GP to see if this is a service offered near you, or contact me to find out about the DUTCH test which can be done privately.

So if you’ve tried everything to overcome your menopausal symptoms yet you’re still feeling terrible, consider whether ‘adrenal fatigue’ could also be playing a role then do something about it. These symptoms are your body crying for help, so slow down and listen.

You WILL feel much better if you give yourself some TLC, slow down, practice some self-love and put yourself first for a change. Trust me.

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