Are You Twired? Find out why some people feel simultaneously tired and wired.
Twired (adjective)
To be in a combined mental state of tired and wired.
Have you ever wondered why you get into bed, exhausted, and for some reason your brain suddenly starts to come alive again, just like Jenny’s 2am Press Conference? This paradoxical combination of feeling tired yet wired, or “twired” is often associated with adrenal fatigue. In this blog post, we explore what adrenal fatigue is, why it’s happening to you, and ways you can manage this condition to finally have a restful sleep and get your energy back.
What is adrenal fatigue?
Adrenal fatigue is mostly known as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis (HPA) axis dysfunction. The HPA axis is the communication between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal glands, and the dysfunction is used to describe the disruption in the regulation of the body’s response to stress. It is a collection of symptoms believed to occur when the adrenal glands, which are responsible for production of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, become tired and over worked.
When the body perceives stress (e.g., running away from a bear or reading a horrible email from your boss at work), the hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which signals the pituitary gland to produce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol, which helps your body regulate stress.
This day and age, many people feel stressed from work, kids, money, interest rates (or just about everything), and the body is in a constant state of ‘fight or flight’ which makes the adrenal glands become tired and overworked and many symptoms can arise as a result.
What are the symptoms?
Constant fatigue
People experiencing twired fatigue often feel exhausted in the morning despite a good night’s sleep.
Sleep disturbances
People often feel like night owls, they cannot wind down before bed and often struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Feeling wired
People often report an inability to relax, even when exhausted.
Low daytime energy
Energy levels may fluctuate in the day and dip after lunch and then ramp back up after 6pm.
What are some ways that Naturopathy can help you to get your energy back?
- Identify and restore nutritional deficiencies associated with fatigue and poor sleep.
- Identify factors in your life that are burning you out.
- Help you establish new boundaries so you can do the things that you want to be doing.
- Educate you on movement and exercise for fatigue
- Recommend the use of herbal medicines and nutraceuticals to restore the HPA axis
And so much more…
References
Herman, J. P., McKlveen, J. M., Ghosal, S., Kopp, B., Wulsin, A., Makinson, R., Scheimann, J., & Myers, B. (2016). Regulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical Stress Response. Comprehensive Physiology, 6(2), 603–621. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c150015
Stephens, M. A., & Wand, G. (2012). Stress and the HPA axis: role of glucocorticoids in alcohol dependence. Alcohol research : current reviews, 34(4), 468–483.