Stress & Fatigue

Waking feeling exhausted and wanting to sleep for a further 12 hours? Do you find it hard to fall asleep with all the mental chatter?

Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you find yourself taking on more than you can handle?

Stress in the modern world

Stress is unavoidable these days. More and more, people are becoming overwhelmed with the demands of life. With less time for ourselves, how are we able to unwind?

Stress triggers our 'fight or flight' response, preparing the body to avert potential danger. Hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released, causing the heart rate, metabolism and breathing rate to speed up. This is beneficial in short bursts but if the stress response goes on for too long, it can have damaging effects on wellbeing.

Stress reduces digestion and impairs the absorption of nutrients required for growth, repair and restoration. Furthermore stress places a larger demand on the body for nutrients like B vitamins and magnesium.

If left unmanaged, stress can lead to disease such as type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, thyroid disease, adrenal fatigue and exacerbate existing health conditions.

Common causes of stress

Work & study - deadlines, exams & smartphones causing us to be always switched on.

Relationships - bullying, emotional strain and conflict.

Financial - bills, increasing cost of living, having dependants.

Diet & lifestyle - poor diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use.

Environmental - car fumes, GMO foods, chemical additives and flavour enhancers, sugar.

Health related stress - recent diagnosis, pain, chronic illness.

Major life events - death in the family, divorce, child birth, accidents, loss of job.

Symptoms of chronic stress

If you think you’re experiencing chronic
stress look out for symptoms such as:

Fatigue
Insomnia
Digestive issues
Migraine headaches
Skin problems
Altered appetite
Irregular periods
Reproductive problems
Weight loss or gain
Irritability
Anxiety
Blood sugar dysregulation

How Naturopathy can help

There are many different ways to manage stress, including identifying your triggers, relaxation techniques, lifestyle changes and seeking support from others. Its also important to correct nutrition and mitigate any nutritional deficiencies that may be present and exacerbating symptoms.

It may be advisable to perform a 24 hour cortisol test to obtain a deeper understanding of your cortisol awakening response. This will evaluate if you’re producing too much or too little cortisol. Or if your cortisol is rising too late in the day causing energy to peak in the evening, in turn contributing to sleep disturbances.

If you would like to get on top of your stress, book an appointment by calling 0400 770 322 or Book Online.