Adrenal Fatigue and Chronic Stress

Have you ever heard of adrenal fatigue?

If not, have you ever been fatigued for extended periods of time, felt sluggish doing normal daily activities, or no matter what we try you aren’t able to get a good night’s sleep?

There are a few hormones that help with the balance of sleep and being energized throughout the day. The main players are cortisol and melatonin. Melatonin you might know because it is commonly supplemented to help with sleep. Cortisol on the other hand works inversely, when melatonin levels are high, cortisol levels are low and vice versa. Cortisol is the hormone that responds to stress we experience daily.

The cycle of cortisol levels should be the highest within 30-45 minutes after waking up and then dwindle as the day goes on. This cycle can change throughout the day depending on stresses when encounter. Things that can shift this cycle are the foods we eat, things we drink, using technology before bed and any other stressors we experience throughout the day. Good news is our bodies are designed to handle these stressors. Stress is not intended to be a long-term problem, there needs to be a balance of rest, digest and heal and fight or flight.

The problem arises when disruption of cortisol is chronic over months or years that it starts causing issues. 90% of all doctor’s visits are due to chronic stress. Research has shown that it can lead to poorer quality of life and several comorbidities, such as cardiovascular problems, cancer, mental and physical health issues, and contribute to all-cause mortality. This is why we want to help you handle this stress with chiropractic adjustments before it ever becomes chronic.