Cole Herbals Blog Articles

TIRED OF BEING TIRED?

We all feel tired from time to time. We stay up too late to binge watch a favorite show. We get up at the crack of dawn for an 8:00 a.m. appointment or to catch an early flight. Those early mornings and late nights can make us feel tired for a day or two—until we’re able to catch up on our sleep. And that’s to be expected.

What isn’t to be expected is when a day or two of feeling tired turns into weeks and even months of chronic fatigue. With that fatigue you may suffer from body aches, low blood pressure, and even hair loss. Your skin may become discolored or you may lose weight without explanation.

These are all symptoms of what we call adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal fatigue is caused when your adrenal glands aren’t able to meet your body’s needs sufficiently. These small glands sit atop each of your kidneys. Their job is to help regulate your metabolism by producing several types of hormones that are essential to life.

Adrenal function is especially critical during times of stress, when the body is in an ongoing fight-flight-or freeze state. This state occurs when the human body perceives a threat to its very survival. A physiological response triggers a sudden release of hormones meant to help prepare the body to deal with the threat. Blood pressure is elevated. Breathing and heart rates accelerate. The body becomes tense as it prepares to fight, freeze, or flee.

This heightened state can be triggered by acute stress or by threats—real or imagined. When your adrenal glands aren’t able to keep pace with these factors, the body may suffer from adrenal fatigue.

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