Fatigue is a part of the rat race we all are participants of in today’s world. Most of the time, deep and long-standing fatigue is not recognized by us due to our busy schedules. Fatigue is mostly caused by both external pressure and our internal drives. We keep pressing the accelerator of our body fulfilling our duties all year round, but this comes with certain consequences.
A deep sense of fatigue is often the result of the phenomenon called hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction (HPA-axis dysfunction or HPA-axis dysregulation). HPA-axis dysfunction has been recognized by medical studies and have been linked with numerous health problems that include obesity and major depression as well.
What Exactly Is HPA-Axis Dysfunction?
HPA-axis dysfunction is the way the body responses to stress in a subtle way. The HPA system strategically helps in the slowing down of adrenal stress response. The modern way of life has caused many of us to perceive a chronic state of stress and this has impacted our hormonal functions too. When the HPA-axis gives negative feedback to the body, it allows the body to make better use of the limited amount of energy left in the system. While HPA-axis dysregulation is triggered by acute stress, even a series of traumas, illnesses, and certain infections can result in this phenomenon.
Signs of HPA-axis dysfunction include a feeling of unrest on waking up, low mood, brain fog, low resilience to stress, intolerance to cold, and the body gets more prone to infections. Other symptoms include low blood sugar, low blood pressure, digestive issues, dizziness when standing quickly, and cravings for sugar and caffeine. It is recommended that you take help of a doctor if you notice these symptoms for some time at a stretch. You can also bring lifestyle changes if you notice such signs and symptoms to reduce the feeling of deep fatigue and chronic stress.
Easy Tips To Follow At Home And Recover From Fatigue
Read on to learn a few tips that you must follow if you are going through a phase of chronic stress and deep fatigue.
1. Get Enough Rest
Rest restores the bodily functions incredibly. Spending time in rest and relaxation can be energizing and wonderful for the body. It is important that you consider good-quality sleep as a priority and get enough sleep. Spend time with friends in the evening and participate in good, happy conversations. You may also try to turn the lights out as early as possible in the evening as limiting the exposure to artificial light promotes in the production of natural melatonin and encourages deep, long hours of sleep.
2. Greet The Morning Sun
Exposure to natural light helps in regulating the natural sleep-wake cycle. When you expose your eyes to sunlight on waking up in the morning, you promote better energy levels in your body throughout the day. Exposure to natural light also helps in greater melatonin production in the evenings, which is needed for deep sleep. Sun exposure stimulates the production of vitamin D in the skin and regulates various hormone functions as well.
3. Exercise Just Enough
Exercising is certainly the key to maintain essential general health. But fatigue can pose a threat to your body’s balance if you exercise too much. Work out for not more than 45 minutes if you are going through chronic fatigue. In fact, you may also replace challenging workouts with gentler activities such as walking, stretching, and yoga. Make it a point that you get enough rest after exercise on a daily basis.
4. Eat Nutritious And Warming Foods
When you eat raw and cold food, your digestive system finds it difficult to digest it while recovering from fatigue. Instead, eat cooked foods which are warming and dense in nutrients. They will be easier on the digestive system and your body will be filled with thermodynamic energy as well. Eating and drinking warming foods will also help the body build its energy systems.
5. Have Natural Superfoods
Go for unprocessed whole foods and other natural superfoods. Choose to eat brown rice, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and include proteins and healthy fats to your diet. This way, you will provide the body with long-lasting energy without any fluctuation in blood sugar levels. A densely nutritious diet can include raw cacao, sea vegetables, nuts and nut butter, organic organ meats like liver, dark meats around the bones, and mineral salt. People who are prone to dizziness, low blood pressure, and caffeine and sugar cravings can add a pinch of salt to their diet as well.
While it may seem that healthy eating and enough rest and sleep are just basic ways to cure fatigue, these are changes you can incorporate in your lifestyle to create a healthy foundation for your health and body to work effectively. This will create enough space for the body to start healing and help you get enough benefits from other therapies as well.
