Regular Massage Greatly Reduces Stress, Anxiety and Promotes Good Mental Health

Massages used to only be available in upscale health clubs and luxury spas, but now, you can get them almost anywhere. The reason for this is that people have to come realize just how valuable massage is for their health and overall wellness, which includes that of the mind, body, and spirit.

In fact, massage is the most widely used type of complementary and alternative medicine in hospitals today for the treatment of pain, mental health, stress reduction, and general wellbeing.

Today, they are not looked at as a mere luxury, but rather an investment in yourself and your health. Massage therapy represents the oldest and simplest form of medicine, dating back to as far as 2,700 B.C.

Massage is a term used to describe the pressing, rubbing, kneading, puling, stretching, and otherwise manipulating muscles, skin, joints, and tendons.

There are many different types of massage, but some of the most popular are:

Swedish massage therapy – This is without a doubt the most common type of massage in the US. It involves long smooth strokes, circular movements, and kneading. The massage therapist uses oil or lotion when performing this type of massage. It is considered to be very relaxing and gentle.

Deep tissue massage – This type of massage is quite different from Swedish massage therapy, as it targets the deeper layers of your muscles and connective tissue. It is often performed on an individual who has postural problems, chronically tight muscles, or who is recovering from an injury.

Hot stone massage –This type of massage is exactly what it sounds like. It revolves around the placing of heated, smooth stones on certain points of your body in order to loosen tight muscles. Sometimes, the therapist may apply gentle pressure with the stones. Although this may sound like it isn’t pleasant, the warmth of the stones actually provides you with a very comforting feeling.

Sports Massage – You don’t have to be a professional athlete to get a sports massage. Nevertheless, this type of massage therapy was designed for people who live an active life and work out often. The main focus of a sports massage isn’t relaxation, but rather the prevention of injury and enhancement of your athletic performance. A number of different techniques are used as part of a sports massage.

Trigger Point Massage –This type of massage focuses on specific areas of your body, instead of the whole body. The therapist pinpoints the muscle that is causing your problems and then applies deep pressure in order to relax it.

The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami has run many studies on massage’s effects on mental health and results showed massage therapy to effectively reduce symptoms associated with:

Anxiety
Depression
Stress
Other mental health conditions

Many people treat themselves to a massage every once in a while, which is without a doubt great both for their physical and mental health. However, regular massage therapy will provide you with much more benefits.

You’ll start living a happier and healthier life if you get massages regularly.

The majority of people today deal with a lot of stress. Worrying about paying the bills on time, family problems, an unpleasant work environment, and the general hustle and bustle of daily life can all lead to a huge amount of chronic stress, which ultimately leads to ill health, and an increased risk for serious disease, such as heart disease, stroke, and others. One of the best ways to relieve yourself of the excess stress and anxiety in your life is massage therapy.

Massage therapy is not only able to relax certain muscles in your body; it can put your mind into a state of deep relaxation as well. Not only that, but it will also trigger the release of brain chemicals called endorphins, which battle stress and enhance your mood.

On top of that, massage therapy will stimulate the release of other feel-good hormones, such as dopamine and serotonin. By elevating the presence of these hormones, you’ll decrease the production of the stress hormone known as cortisol.

By relaxing both your body and mind, massage therapy will improve your sleep quality, which in turn promotes good mental health.

Not getting enough sleep can lead to slowed down thought processes, memory loss, and unhealthy food choices. People who don’t sleep enough tend to have elevated stress and anxiety levels, but massage can help with too.

How Regular Massage Boosts Your Mood

We all know how a good massage can make us feel relaxed and give us a better outlook on life. However, did you know that there are many real health benefits to massage? Regular massage has amazing mood-boosting abilities that will have your overall mental outlook improved in ways you did not think possible.

Massage Changes Immune Function

In a study published by Massage Magazine, a 25-minute massage was capable of inducing many physiological reactions in participants. Participants who received the 25-minute massage had lowered serum cholesterol levels, the findings of the study suggested that massage not only boosted immune function but also supported and promoted general good health. Maintenance of the major blood markers such as cholesterol can do wonders for improving mood, especially for long time sufferers.

Improves Serotonin Levels

Serotonin is a brain chemical that regulates mood, and depression is attributed to lowered or irregular serotonin levels.
Massage can help those with low serotonin levels because it boosts the body’s natural ability to produce serotonin. Everyday Health reports that those who receive regular massage can expect to see an increase in their serotonin levels and a subsequent drop in depression and pain.

Reduces Stress Hormones

Everyday Health reports that regular massage also reduces the presence of stress hormones in the body, including cortisol and adrenaline. The reduction of these hormones in the body leads to a host of positive mood changes for the person receiving regular massage therapy.
In one study, participants who received 6, 30-minute massages over the course of 2 weeks reported that they had a reduction in anger, sadness, and stress.

The key to enjoying these positive benefits of massage is to make sure that you are receiving a massage with moderate pressure. This type of pressure will activate the healing properties of massage therapy.

As Beneficial As Medical Treatments

The American Massage Therapy Association has noted several studies that show how regular massage therapy can improve the symptoms of many medical conditions. These conditions include many mood related disorders.
The AMTA cites links to massage therapy combined treatment effectiveness with the following disorders:
Anxiety
Fibromyalgia
Insomnia
Depression
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

The studies linking the combined treatment of massage therapy and traditional medicine to improved moods for these patients show how massage significantly affected the mood of those patients receiving massage therapy to significantly improve treatment outcomes.

Additional Benefits

When we think of mood-boosting benefits, it can be easy to bottleneck those thoughts into those related to alleviating depressed mood and anxiety. However, massage can boost your mood by just improving your overall quality of life.

Think about how your outlook would benefit from things like improved flexibility and decreased healing time after an injury? Well, massage therapy can do these things for you.
Increased Flexibility

Licensed Massage Therapists can help address soft tissue damage and disorders. Massage can help you loosen tight muscles and work on tight ligaments and tendons to increase your flexibility. These types of improvements in your daily activities can lead to great boosts in overall mood.

Decreased Healing Time

Massage increases blood flow to massaged muscles. With small tissue injuries like sprains and strains, massage has been shown to reduce the healing time associated with these types of injuries.
Of course, you should always let your massage therapist know what type of injury you’re dealing with to ensure they use proper technique to assist with the healing process.

Give It A Try

Everybody reacts differently to massage. You may find that it takes a few massage sessions before you can relax enough to reap the benefits of your massage therapy sessions.
If you would like to see how massage therapy could improve your mood, the only real way to know is to find a local licensed massage therapist.

Make sure that they are licensed and that they have the proper training so that you can see all the benefits that their training has to offer.

Massage is a wonderful way to improve your emotional and mental state. By simply enjoying the relaxing therapeutic touch that massage offers you, you can boost your mood, and regular massages can ensure that you feel good in mind, body, and spirit for the long-term!

How Massage Therapy Heals Physical Pain

Massage therapy is the ancient healing practice with numerous physical and mental benefits.
Anyone who enjoys massage knows how wonderful it feels. It is truly one of the best and more relaxing treats we can give ourselves. However, massage goes way beyond just being a feel good activity; it has real medicinal benefits and is a therapy that is used more and more as medicine to treat various medical conditions.

It is believed to relax both physically and mentally, which lowers heart and respiratory rates, and blood pressure. It can greatly reduce the physical and mental effects of stress and also helps boost the immune system. In general, massage is one of the greatest wellness tools for the health of the mind, body, and spirit.

There are many types of massage therapy such as Swedish, deep tissue, sports, reflexology and acupressure massages which people use for relaxation and wellbeing, in addition to addressing specific sources of pains and aches.

One of the goals of massage is to help relieve tension in muscle tissue where there is tension and stress. All that built-up tension can cause restriction in our blood circulation as well as the supply of nutrients going to all the body’s tissues and organs; massage can help decrease nerve compression, increase joint space, and range of motion.

This may lead to decreased pain, as well as increased function in mobility and range of motion. It also helps with circulation, which helps improve the way oxygen and nutrients are delivered to muscle cells, and help remove waste products.

Massage therapy can help reduce the symptoms of depression such as lethargy and anxiety, according to the Touch Research Institute at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine…

“The healing power of touch extends across the lifespan,” says the Institute’s Tiffany Field, Ph.D., “from helping babies grow and children concentrate at school to decreasing chronic illnesses and disease.”

This type of ancient healing offers genuine benefits, so much so that some conventional hospitals are making it a standard therapy for patients.
Along with helping with relaxation and improving sense of well-being, getting a massage has been shown to:

Relieve general pain
Decrease symptoms of PMS
Provide arthritis relief by increasing joint flexibility
Release nerve compression (carpal tunnel, sciatica)
Increase relaxation by stimulating the release of serotonin and dopamine.
Decrease stress by reducing the production of cortisol (the stress hormone)
Provide relief for tight muscles and increases their flexibility
Helps fibromyalgia pain
Helps with recovery from injuries
Reduce joint pain, stiffness, soreness and injuries
Decrease swelling (or edema)
Improve sleep
Alleviate acute and chronic lower back pain
Help lower blood pressure, anxiety, fatigue and depression
Improve athletic performance and helps prevent sports injuries
Pain Related To Cancer, HIV and Parkinson’s Disease
Muscle tension in back, shoulders and neck pain
Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Rotator Cuff Syndrome
Sciatica
Frozen Shoulder

Research shows that those who receive massage on a regular basis have a reduced level of anxiety than those who don’t. One study found that receiving regular massages could help lower blood pressure, anxiety, and stress hormones in those with hypertension and migraine headaches.

The best part about this type of therapy is that it affects the nervous system via nerve endings. This helps to stimulate the release of endorphins (our body’s natural “feel good” chemicals). Endorphins help increase the sense of relaxation and well-being. It also helps relieve pain and reduces levels of stress chemicals (such as cortisol).

Massage helps promote circulation of the blood, which boosts the supply of oxygen and nutrients to tissues in the body. It also helps to flush toxins from the lymph nodes. Of course, massage is excellent at melting tension, knots, and stress from stiff muscles and joints, and this helps to improve mobility and flexibility.

Experts advise that massage stimulates activity of the vagus nerve that controls the secretion of food absorption hormones, breathing, and heart rate.

Massage is also noted as being especially helpful in working out stress-related tension from the body, which experts believe accounts for as much as 80 percent to 90 percent of disease.

If you live with chronic pain for whatever reason or you have some acute pain from an injury look into a getting a massage from a trained and licensed massage therapist, it may help your pain and also help you to feel better emotionally and mentally.

10 Fantastic Benefits Of Massage For Men and Women

More and more research is providing evidence for the health benefits of massage and it has become a well-recognized and respected form of complementary or alternative medicine. There are many good reasons for getting a massage but here are ten of the best!

1. It makes you feel GREAT! Massage has been found in clinical studies to boost mood and can help alleviate symptoms of depression and sadness. Aromatherapy massage uses essential oils, which have medicinal properties and can be chosen for their mood-enhancing qualities. Neroli, sweet orange, bergamot, and lavender are all known for their mood elevating qualities.

2. Massage helps you relax! If you are feeling stressed or uptight, massage is for you. The deep, soothing, and rhythmical strokes of a good massage should feel pleasurable to receive and they help the body to unwind as tensions are released. Massage can help you get into a place of very deep relaxation, which is essential for the body to heal.

3. Massage helps reduce muscular tension and can alleviate muscular aches, pains, and injuries. Massage helps alleviate stiff neck, pain in the joints, back pain, and so on. Massage helps block pain receptors in the nervous system and it increases blood flow to the muscles. This can help increase joint mobility, and so can be beneficial for conditions such as arthritis.

4. Massage helps reduce symptoms of anxiety. By lowering the cortisol levels in the body, massage helps calm the mind and relax the body. Anxiety is inevitably reduced through this process.

5. Massage helps alleviate tension headaches. Tension headaches can be caused by postural misalignment or by muscular tension in other areas of the body. Massage relaxes the entire body and this release can result in the diminishment of tension headaches.

6. It helps you get a good night’s sleep. Massage helps you relax so deeply that you may feel very sleepy after a session. If you plan to have your massage later in the day, it can lead you into a deeply restorative and restful sleep.

7. It helps you detoxify the body. Massage helps stimulate the lymph system, which helps carry toxic waste from the muscles, organs, and tissues. This can help with digestion and will improve your overall health.

8. It can even help you improve posture. Postural imbalance can be caused by muscular tension. Massage helps the muscles to deeply release any tension. Once relaxed, the body can return to its natural state of balance and correct alignment can ensue.

9. Trigger point therapy, myofascial, and Swedish massage can ease symptoms of fibromyalgia. These techniques help flush toxins from the body and decrease tension. Specifically, trigger point therapy deactivates trigger points using finger pressure. Swedish massage provides relaxation and stress relief that helps ease fibromyalgia pain. Myofascial Release applies gentle pressure to connective tissue that helps alleviate pain and restore motion by elongating muscle fibers.

10. Massage can help improve cardiovascular health. By reducing tension and increasing blood flow and lowering cortisol levels, blood circulation is improved, stress is lowered, and the heart can operate at an optimum level with less stress. This leads to improved heart health.

So… if you were in any doubt about the efficacy of massage, hopefully by now you can see there are so many good reasons to get one that it wouldn’t make sense not to. Before any of the health benefits, you get to feel nourished and nurtured by some kind, caring hands. You end up feeling like a new person!

You’re so relaxed it’s as if you’ve been away on a two-week vacation! If you’ve never tried a massage, you don’t know what you’ve been missing! Not only will you feel fantastic but also some of your health problems may simply fade away after a few sessions, or at the least be very much improved.

There are many different forms of massage, including Swedish, deep tissue, reflexology, aromatherapy massage, hot stone, sports massage, and various others. Each has its own purpose, but the most popular one that helps with various types of ailments and for general wellness is the Swedish massage that uses kneading motions.

Massage is also flexible, since you can choose to get a full body session or one that addresses specific trouble spots on the body, like the neck, feet, or back.

Regular massages offer cumulative benefits for the mind, body, and spirit.
Check out a massage therapist today and give it try!

Using Massage To Improve General Well-Being

Did you ever wonder about the health benefits of massage, or did you think it was just a luxury item for self-indulgent rich folks with lots of time on their hands for pampering? There are several different types of massage and many ways that massage can help to increase your general well-being.

Some of the most commonly known types of massage are Swedish, Thai, Shiatsu (Japanese finger pressure) aromatherapy massage, and reflexology.

A quick definition of these types follows below:

• Swedish massage typically uses oil on bare skin and long sweeping, or circular, and rhythmical strokes that induce a sense of relaxation, peace, and calm.

• Thai massage may be done with the recipient either naked or clothed: the practitioner uses various stretching maneuvers along with deep finger pressure to reduce tension. It is usually performed on the floor and famously the practitioner walks along the back!

• Shiatsu is typically performed through clothing on a mat known as a futon on the floor. Deep pressure on acupuncture or acupressure points using thumbs, hands, elbows, and even feet may be used. Some stretching but generally less vigorous than Thai massage. Shiatsu works by balancing the distribution of energy throughout the body.

• Aromatherapy massage uses oils blended with essential plant oils whose properties are known to have medicinal qualities. The beneficial molecules get absorbed into the bloodstream via the skin and aid in healing.

• Reflexology is an ancient form of foot massage. Points on the feet relate to various parts of the body and are pressed and massaged to bring about healing in the related body part.
You probably know that massage is incredibly relaxing. If you are into natural highs, or just want to feel better overall, then massage is probably a good choice for you.
So, how does it work? You know that when you have a massage your body quickly softens into a deep state of relaxation. Massage works by relieving muscular tension, increasing blood flow to an area and promoting relaxation.

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine point of view, massage helps to alleviate stagnation in the flow of vital energy, or Qi, and improve the circulation of energy. When energy in the body is in flow, health ensues. When energy is stuck, disease is the result.
Various studies have found massage to be helpful in reducing symptoms in the following conditions:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Back pain
• Sports injuries
• Stress

The benefits of gentle caring touch should not be underestimated in and of themselves.
There are a few contra-indications for massage, which include deep vein thrombosis, cancer, blood disorders, open wounds, severe osteoporosis, and fractures. If in doubt, consult your physician before trying massage.

A good massage usually lasts about an hour but length of sessions can run from half an hour to up to two hours. A recommendation by word of mouth is usually the best way to find a great practitioner; however, you find them you should check out their credentials and make sure they are certified by a reputable school.

All in all then massage is much more than a superficial and luxurious way to pamper yourself. Massage can have far-reaching effects on your overall health and general well-being and can be a valuable tool in your self-care regime.

Regular sessions can increase your quality of life by enhancing your mood, reducing the tension you carry, and alleviating an array of physical symptoms.
If you can manage a session, a week you will really notice an improvement in how you feel about yourself and your outlook on life will improve, as you feel more comfortable inside your own skin.

3 top ways to reduce everyday stress

Learning how to deal with stress is something that everybody needs to know. Even our health can suffer the effects of stress which can also make it difficult to think clearly enough to solve even the simplest task. The good news is that there are simple easy techniques for reducing your stress which we will cover here in this article.

As more studies show the link between stress and many health problems, stress management becomes an important consideration for many people. These 3 top stress management ways can help you to reduce the levels of stress in your life, so make good use of them.

Massage

Go get a massage, this is the first method for reducing and managing stress levels. Massage has often been thought of as a great way to relieve sore muscles, but it can also reduce overall body tension, anxiety and stress too. There are a lot of studies that prove massage is a great way to reduce stress when done regularly. There are many different types of massage, so you should try several kinds and find the one that you prefer.

Nowadays it’s not usually hard to find qualified massage therapists. Massage can release endorphins in the brain which produce pleasure which is helpful in not only stress reduction but also helpful for emotional issues such as anxiety and depression to name a few.

Relaxation Techniques

We have all already probably heard of various methods of relaxation. Some of the most popular methods are basic mediation and the various forms of yoga. You can attend online or actual classes to learn the different parts of these methods so you can learn to relax. There are also other options to these major relaxation techniques. A simpler and more straightforward option would be to learn deep breathing techniques. You can use these even when you are seated in your work station. Progressive muscle relaxation and mental imagery are also possible basic techniques you can use against stress.

Exercising on Schedule

It’s just like what your physical education teacher always said. Maintaining a regular exercise schedule can do wonders for your body. The major benefit of exercise is that it can encourage the proper circulation of your blood. This in turn ensures that oxygen and nutrients reach the various cells in your body. You need these if you ever hope to fight the bad effects of stress on your health.

You’ve now heard only a few of the most effective stress management tips available there are still other ways to approach the management of your overall stress including enough sleep and eating health. What causes your stress can be as important as treating it so you need to know what that is. Stress management can take many forms, and the methods you use will depend on your circumstances and what you prefer.

How to Use the 80/20 Principle to Reduce Stress

The 80/20 rule popularly known as the Pareto Principle was born by an Italian, Vifredo Pareto, after observing that approximately 20% of the people living in Italy owned an astonishing 80% of wealth. It reflected a simple symmetry of inequality then, and the principle gradually spread to other areas of life, particularly stress relief. According to Pareto, the majority of any output comes from the minority of any input.

From a wellness perspective 80% of your health problems will come from 20% of the lifestyle choices you make. Smoking for example, is a small thing that causes many people several health problems. When it comes to stress something that seems trivial would be enough to trigger major problems in some people. Someone might say something about your appearance thinking it’s a joke but if you take it to heart, chances are that it will weigh down on your mind.

To deal with the negative thoughts you will probably run to the pub for a drink but end up spending money that was meant for your bills. Later you might have to lie and the domino effect of stress continues. Depression easily steals 80% of one’s quality of life and most often, we fail to realize that its root cause is not what people say but low self-esteem. Simply working on your confidence would in this case be the 20% you need to do to avoid stress.

In today’s society, people with depression or ADHD quickly turn to drugs in a bid to manage the situation but if you were to follow the 80/20 principle, that is a drastic turn. Attention deficit problems, stress and depression are usually as a result of lifestyle choices so the simple solution would be making changes the foods you eat, how you work out and improve your outlook on life.

Anyone can use Pareto’s principle to reduce stress especially during this festive season when there are countless matters to attend to. Try making two columns of things that brings you stress and those that bring you joy. If for example you find that shopping causes you a great deal of anxiety, have someone else do it for you so you can focus on activities that bring happiness.

Trying to impress others is one of the reasons why many people feel dejected, rejected and unwanted. In line with Pareto’s principle you should protect the 80% that encompasses happiness and wellbeing by invoking positive thoughts and embracing simple solutions to seemingly big problems.

How to Live in the NOW

Many people live in the future. Why? Most people have a future that doesn’t mirror their present so they’d rather be in the future. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because Law of Attraction states, “…that which you give your attention to will manifest in your life.” However, staying in the future means your present is passing you by. The following are some ways to help you live in the now and live a happy life without stress.

1. Don’t think about it.

Your goal is to stop thinking all the time. Go write down things that pop in your mind, this could be exams that are coming up or that visit to grandpa in a few weeks. Then cross off the ones that you are happy about. The first kiss with your lover can be a great memory that you might want to remind yourself of sometimes. Now you’ve a list of bad things you think about all the time. Because you want to stop thinking about them simply make a pact with yourself to do something stupid each time your head wanders off to one of the subjects on your list. This can be shaking your head really hard or even do 3 push-ups. Warning: Be reasonable and always try to forget if it comes up again.

2. Do Yoga and exercises.

Doing daily exercising will get you in great shape and stops your head from wandering off. Don’t say to yourself I can’t exercise until I finished this, because that’s exactly what you want to get rid of.

3. Avoid daily routine

We like to plan our days so that we don’t hit any surprises. But there’s nothing wrong with some variation or on-the-fly decisions. Donate a dollar to the collector in front of your grocery story. Smile randomly when you see a new store opening up or a beautiful tree. They’re resources you can use for a very long time. You can visit the store to buy new things, and the tree will always be there for your viewing pleasure – and oxygen.

4. The past and future is a reflection of the present.

The most important thing is to do good in the present. Great memories will bloom and future health and wealth can be created. With that in mind it’s only natural to be your best in the present. Really enjoy what you’re doing. Writing or watching television; find the good things in your current activity. It’s the only thing you should worry about.

5. If you don’t like the present, change it.

You can’t change the past but you can change the future. And that’s most important. If you’re not happy with something in your life currently then change it. Want to be a architect? Go study architecture. Feeling lonely? Make a MySpace profile and meet new people. The only thing that is important is that your happy about the present. Only then your future is as bright as can be.

Practice living in the now and know that by accessing the power of now, you can enjoy even more success than ever before.

5 Tips For Reducing Work Stress

Whether you hold a full-time job or work as a freelancer, work from office or work from home, stress is a real issue that every working professional has to deal with sooner or later. As the work culture gets increasingly complicated and employees are expected to work more for less; it’s now more important than ever to find your own recluse.

Relax, if you’ve been feeling stressed out lately from all the workload, just follow these simple tips for a quick fix.

Tips to reduce work stress

1. Listen to music: If your workplace permits listening to music during working hours, plug-in the headphones and tune in for some light, acoustic music. Not only does relaxing music ease your brain by taking away stress, but it can also give you some much-needed motivation to complete the tasks in hand. Classical symphonies, relaxing OSTs and acoustic sound all work wonders.

2. Take a break: With the constant pressure coming from the weight of the world around us, it’s quite easy to feel bogged down and depressed. This is why one must break away from work life once in a while even if it sounds implausible. A break can give you a fresh perspective on things and how to get things done, which is essential for career growth and success. Don’t be afraid; just take a break and go someplace where you always wanted to go before.

3. Smile and laugh a lot: Now before you brand us crazy for asking you to laugh for no reason, just hear us out. Science has found that our mental health and brain function is interconnected to facial expressions. When people feel stressed out, a lot of stress is held in their facial muscles, so smiles and laughs can relieve some of that held tension and make you feel relaxed.

4. Exercise: No, we’re not going ask you to abandon work to visit the gym for a 40-minute lifting session. All you have to do is some simple stretches in between work to feel refreshed and relaxed. You can even go for a 10 min walk, do some pushups, or dance around when no one’s looking to bring back peace of mind.

5. Call in social support: Working, especially from home, can get very lonely at times due to lack of co-workers. In that case, it’s always good to call a friend to share your feelings and concerns. Involving friends and family within regular work schedules can relieve stress, improve trust, and benefit relationships in more ways than one.

Donâ’t think too much; just try out these simple tips the next time you get stressed to feel the difference.

Stress and Your Adrenals

Adrenal fatigue is a condition which is becoming increasingly prevalent, but at the same time is under-diagnosed. Relatively few people are aware that this condition is responsible for many of the fatigue-related symptoms they deal with on a daily basis. Prolonged or chronic stress is the major cause of adrenal fatigue.

An individual suffering from adrenal fatigue may find that even after sleeping for several hours the symptoms of fatigue can still be felt. It can seem that no amount of sleep or relaxation can overcome the kind of fatigue that a person who has adrenal fatigue experiences. One tell-tale sign of having adrenal fatigue can be a reliance on coffee and other stimulants to be able to get through the day and accomplish regular daily tasks.

Unfortunately, the consequence of adrenal fatigue does not just stop at feeling constantly fatigued and worn-out. The effects of chronic and prolonged stress can be very damaging to the body. In learning how to restore proper adrenal function you may be able to greatly increase your enjoyment of living.

Prolonged Stress Exhausts Your Adrenals

The adrenal glands play a critical role in human health, well-being and survival. Ideally, in times of stress the adrenals release hormones in amounts proportional to the perceived threat or need. These hormones trigger further hormone releases that temporarily enable super-powers in the person, enabling them to think and act faster and stronger than normally.

For health to be maintained it is necessary for these hormones to be dissipated by physical activity, followed by a critical rest period to enable the system, especially the adrenal glands, to fully recover. Unfortunately, in our modern lives this set of circumstances rarely occurs in our daily lives.

More often, the triggers that set off the ‘fight or flight’ response are emotion-based responses which lack a corresponding physical release. Worse still, there is usually no respite period before the next episode. Simply put, this is chronic stress.

Chronic stress causes prolonged production of adrenaline and cortisol which leads to exhaustion of the adrenals and depletion of these hormones. The adrenal glands cannot keep on producing stress hormones indefinitely. Eventually their output diminishes and constant fatigue sets in.

Stress Damage is System-wide

Each organ and every system in the body will suffer from the profound effects of malfunctioning adrenal glands. Once your adrenal glands are compromised, your body’s ability to metabolize fats, carbohydrate and protein will also be compromised. This occurrence also causes the depletion of specific nutrients that are much needed by the body for its optimal functioning.

Your body’s electrolyte balances, cardiovascular system, your heart and sex drive are also largely affected. These changes occur in degrees over time and may not be noticed in isolation. Eventually the adrenal depletion reaches a stage where it is impossible to remain unaware of a problem, usually a feeling of constant fatigue and being run-down. It is also usually noticed at this time that the person is more susceptible to infection and injury than they ever remembered previously being.

Exposing yourself to prolonged or chronic stress forces the body to continually produce stress hormones thereby constantly keeping it in panic mode. This becomes the accepted ‘norm’ and may go largely unnoticed. When the body is always in survival mode it is unable to effectively perform other important functions such as digesting food, fighting infections, regulating hormones, improving blood flow, etc.

In this state, the heart is constantly pumping harder and beating faster. The arteries will also be constricting most of the time while the body’s metabolism is using lean muscle as fuel for energy each time the body is subjected to stress.

Need for Repair

If you are suffering from adrenal fatigue it is first necessary to reduce or eliminate the stress causing it, or learn to deal with it more effectively to reduce the response to stressors. Then changes need to made to both diet and lifestyle, particularly rest patterns, to enable the adrenals to repair themselves. Unfortunately, as the damage did not occur overnight, neither will be the recovery, which can take up to two years.