Recovering from adrenal fatigue is not a “take this, do this” formula—it requires putting MANY puzzle pieces together and being diligent to consistently do the work!

If you need a refresher on the signs and symptoms of adrenal fatigue click on over here >

Often we don’t see the effects of stress immediately or they reveal themselves in not so evident ways like skin issues, unexplained weight gain, an autoimmune diagnosis or migraines. True adrenal fatigue recovery focuses on addressing the root issue rather than temporarily masking the symptoms. 

If you are tired, overwhelmed or worn out, what can you actually start doing today to make a big impact on adrenal fatigue symptoms?

These are easy and effective techniques you can incorporate daily (without spending much or any money) to get your energy, focus and passion back for life! When you start to notice adrenal fatigue signs, follow this guide to help kickstart recovery.

First and Easy Steps to Take Towards Adrenal Fatigue Recovery

Eat bedtime snack

Blood sugar balance is key to a good, restful night’s sleep. Very often we wake up in the middle of the night, in particular between 1-3 am, due to blood sugar imbalances. Sometimes we even think we have to go to the bathroom but really our blood sugar wakes us up! Most of my clients and students noticed a huge difference in sleep within the first week of adding in a small bedtime snack.

You want to eat a small snack, not a full meal, about 30 minutes before going to bed. You want this to be high in proteins and fats, with some nourishing carbohydrates if you need a bit more—this is where you will need to do some trial and error and figure out what works for you. 

Fun fact: if you take CBD oil at night like me, CBD oil is actually best absorbed by the body with a bit of fat! It’s the perfect duo.

Adrenal balancing bedtime snacks:

• spoonful of nut butter
• macadamia nuts
• slices of raw cheese
• few spoonfuls of whole milk plain yogurt (add a spoonful of granola if needed)
• 1 slice of sprouted or gluten free bread with lots of butter or nut butter
• 1/2 green apple or banana with nut butter

Decrease caffeine

This is the one most people don’t like me for, but decreasing caffeine is one of the most powerful ways you can get your true energy back! Caffeine is a drug (yikes) and sadly only masks the bigger issue—need for adrenal balance!

Caffeine is literally liquid stress to our bodies.

When we are down or tired, we reach for the caffeine or alcohol, hoping it will pump some life into our day—but the reality is that this is only going to give you a false and shortened sense of energy and, in the long term, is going to hurt your adrenals more. Stimulants may pump you up momentarily so you feel like you have energy, but then you are going to crash again, reach for more caffeine, and the adrenal fatigue cycle will continue and worsen.

Instead, take steps to focus on true healing—addressing the true issue rather than masking your symptoms with another cup of coffee! Switch it up with matcha (a slow burning source of caffeine without all the negative effects of coffee or tea) or decaf coffee!

Take a magnesium bath

Taking a bath before bedtime is a signal to your body to rest and relax, it is also a very effective way at putting aside the worries of the day and intentionally putting yourself into parasympathetic or relax mode—so important for adrenal healing! 

Magnesium is an anti-stress mineral and one that most women are deficient in. Magnesium helps the body return to balance after a cortisol surge and is greatly depleted by stress and blood sugar issues (often an underlying issue with adrenal fatigue). Magnesium is best absorbed topically through the skin which is why a magnesium bath is so effective to both absorb the mineral and to calm the body.

More on my sleep time rituals here >

My favorite magnesium supplements:

• Ancient Minerals Magnesium Lotion
• Magic Magnesium [with electrolytes]

Invest in blue blocking glasses

The average American adult spends 12 hours a day in front of a screen. Blue light—found in LED lights, fluorescents, computers, TVs, smartphones—has a high concentration of energy as compared to other visible lights on the spectrum like sunlight. Blue light can suppress melatonin production which can result in difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep and not feeling well rested in the morning. 

With adrenal fatigue, deep restful nighttime sleep is the most powerful way to heal the body, so avoiding situations that can interrupt our sleep is key! Melatonin shifts your circadian rhythm into the “I’m sleepy mode” and helps you both fall asleep and stay asleep so you get deep restful sleep. Studies show that blue light not only stimulates the brain but also confuses are circadian rhythm into thinking it’s day time when really it’s time to sleep.

Blue blocking glasses do just that! They filter out some of the blue light, in particular the highest wavelengths, so that you will be more alert during the day even after hours of computer work, have less eye strain and get a better nights sleep. I’ve noticed a significant decrease in migraines and tension headaches too!

If you have an iPhone you can actually program it to change to “night-mode” at a certain time every night which will give your screen a bit more of a yellow or natural sunlight tint. 

A good rule of thumb is to cut screen time 1 hour before bed—but at the very least grab some blue blocking glasses and aim for 30 minutes before bed!

My favorite blue blocking glasses:

• Felix Gray (love these!!)
• Sunski Blue Light Glasses

Process the emotional component of adrenal fatigue

Very often an emotional trauma or conflict (even years or decades prior) can prevent our bodies from healing!! The body and brain, without you even realizing it, keeps going back to that stressful event putting you in a chronic state of stress and cortisol preventing your body from truly resting and healing. 

One of the easiest techniques you can do is make a big list of what’s stressing you out as well as big emotional events (both positive and negative ones) over the past few years. Often just recognizing these “stressors” is the first and most powerful step! Please do not hesitate to seek professional help, this can be an amazing resource and very often a missing puzzle piece in recovery! Just remember that all the supplements and vitamins in the world won’t solve the issue if there is an underlying emotional component.

Set boundaries with technology, social media and the news

It’s no joke that technology is a blessing but having constant access to our phones, social media and the news can greatly increase your cortisol and put you in a constant stress state—oh and that’s not even mentioning the anxiety the news can bring, especially in 2020! Reducing your screentime can help alleviate adrenal fatigue symptoms.

Creating positive boundaries with screen time is only something you can make happen. I encourage you to set aside two times a day where you put aside or turn off the screens, in particular the phone. I like to do this first thing in the morning when I start working (I make myself complete one big task first before checking social media), after nap time for some special time with my daughter and evenings I put my phone on airplane mode about 8:30pm. 

Look at YOUR day and figure out what times would work best for you! You’ll notice a pretty instant shift in your energy, mental health and sense of calm!