One month of maternity leave left before I return to my duties at True Potential. Time sure does fly by when you have 2 little boys to chase after! It’s been wonderful to be home with my toddler and new baby, but I am looking forward to returning to work too. I’ve missed the satisfaction I get from my work, not to mention the adult interactions and camaraderie we share at the clinic.
Since September is the month where many of us are returning to our regular routines, such as school or work, it tends to be a busy time of year.
The lazy days of summer are past, and many of us are revving up our engines for another school year or work season.
In light of this increased busy-ness, and in order to protect our adrenal glands, I want to share with you some signs that you may be overdoing things and running on adrenaline a little bit too much. It’s easy to get pulled in too many directions at this time of year, and sometimes it doesn’t take much to hit that wall and start to burn out.
1. Poor Sleep – too much adrenaline over a period of time coupled with decreased or erratic sleep patterns can lead to a dys-regulation of adrenaline secretion. Know that “tired but wired” feeling you get at night when you should be going to bed? That’s a sign that you have been living in fight or flight mode a little too often and are producing adrenaline when you should be making sleep hormones like melatonin instead.
2. Afternoon Slump – the irresistible urge to nap in the mid-afternoon can also be a sign that your adrenaline is out of sync and not being secreted at the right time. When your adrenal glands get tired after a period of prolonged stress or busy-ness, they will often go off-line for a rest when they should be working to keep you alert. Mid-afternoon slumps are a sign that this may be happening for you.
3. Getting Sick More Often – high adrenaline levels will decrease your immune response. Over time, this can lead to getting sick more often since your body cannot respond as well to attacks from bugs. If you find yourself catching everything that goes around this season, it may be an indication that you are pushing yourself too hard and need to slow down.
4. Sugar Cravings – chronically high adrenaline levels affect your insulin secretion, leading to more dramatic highs and lows in your blood sugar balance. When your blood sugar drops lower than normal, or if you are hitting the wall and feeling burned out, chances are your body is going to be screaming out for a quick fix of, you got it, sugar!
5. Feeling Anxious or Depressed – too much adrenaline can have a double whammy effect of making you feel jittery or anxious, just like having too many cups of coffee. It also suppresses serotonin production, which can lead to feelings of dullness or sadness over time. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a common cause of low feelings at this time of year, but it could also be that you are running on too much adrenaline.
If you see yourself in any of these indicators, it’s probably time to slow down and re-evaluate your schedule.
Carve out some time for yourself, commit to a more regular sleep schedule, or find an activity that you can enjoy without pressure or time constraints. If you still find yourself struggling, don’t be afraid to seek out professional support. Sometimes our adrenal glands need a bit of extra help to build themselves back up. Adrenal fatigue and adrenaline burn-out are things we see and treat often at True Potential, so give us a call to book an appointment if you think you need some extra help getting back on track.
In the meantime, happy autumn to everyone, and I look forward to seeing all my patients and colleagues again at the end of the month when I return to practice.
