Put acupressure on your path to recovery
One symptom of Adrenal Fatigue is feeling tired most of the day. Is this too general?
Adrenal Fatigue sufferers are particularly tired in the morning and late afternoon. They feel most energetic after 5:00 p.m. and by bedtime a dreaded “second wind” kicks in … There they lay - wired awake, too tired for sex, angry, anxious and alone, since their partner is, hopefully, asleep.
Next morning they dutifully struggle to get up and get the gang up and fed and off. Often they resort to pounding sweets and coffee to get something, any kind of buzz going. They start to feel better after 11:00 a.m. – hit the wall of fatigue around 3:00 p.m, start perking up again after 5:00 p.m. and writhing in insomnia after 11:00 …
If this is you, or someone you love, awareness is the first step to ending the agony. And, it is agony to feel tired, stressed, anxious and overwhelmed all the time.
What are the Adrenal Glands? They are two, small, triangular glands located on top of each kidney. They produce essential hormones which aid in dealing with stress including adrenaline, corticosteroids and androgens.
The adrenal glands provide our get up and go and are intended to provide intermittent “fight or flight” response. When this reaction is demanded on a constant basis, because our bodies are not recharging naturally, they become exhausted and begin to deteriorate. And, so does the quality of our lives.
What causes Adrenal Fatigue? The on-set is often triggered by a major shock such as a death, divorce, serious burns (including sunburn), bankruptcy, job loss, marriage, promotion or relocation without support of friends or family. Yes, even “happy” changes can throw us out of wack.
It is also associated with unresolved, long-term stress or anxieties including drug or alcohol abuse, newborn baby adjustments, financial stress, marriage difficulties etc. Finally, you will find it snuggled into the “straw that broke the camel’s back” scenarios of lack of recovery from a series of emotional and physical events.
Who “catches” Adrenal Fatigue? In the U.S. an estimated 80% of American women and men, will suffer from it at some point in their lives. Of the women, moms are the most vulnerable. Specifically …
Type “A” Perfectionist, Super Mom, Personalities; Back to School Moms burning the candle at both ends; Moms with 2 or more children and little support from family or friends; Single moms and married moms with extremely unhappy and stressful home and/or work conditions. Other factors include drug or alcohol abuse; alternating shift work that requires frequent adjustments to the sleep pattern and an obsessive “all work, no play” lifestyle.
Solutions abound including anti-anxiety prescriptions, sleeping pills, dietary changes, hormone replacement therapy, counseling, vitamins, supplements, patches and more prescriptions. I tried many of these along my path to recovery. One of the healthiest choices I made was hands-on and medication-off.
Therapy Massage - Acupressure: Acupressure is a therapy massage technique in which fingers press key points on the surface of your skin to stimulate the body’s natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body’s life force (called qi or chi) to aid healing and relaxation. (Acupuncture presses the same points as acupressure, but uses needles vs. touch.)
Acupressure works and can give you significant relief, immediately. My first appointment was for two hours! I wanted, hoped and prayed it could knock me back in my groove. It did. That night I slept like a baby. From then it has been a nurturing part of my ongoing rejuvenation process.
Recommendations: Begin with a weekly acupressure session or, minimally, every other week. Secondly, schedule a late afternoon appointment and take the rest of the day off from your “busy-ness.” DO NOT JUMP FROM YOUR APPOINTMENT BACK INTO THE FRAY. No. Bad. That behavior is what’s dragging you down. Feeling tired and Adrenal Fatigue is a serious condition. You seriously need to change your ways and get well.
If your kids aren’t old enough to fend for themselves on Acupressure Eve hire a baby-sitter, beg your mother, your sister or a friend. Best bet for support is another tired mom. Don’t worry, once she sees how great you are doing it won’t be long before you “earn” this favor by keeping her kids!
Post appointment is the time to relax, drink lots of water and eat a light nourishing meal. Refrain from drinking any alcohol (interferes with sleep) and go to bed early with your journal, a calm inspirational read and/or your loving partner. Thirdly, use acupressure as a springboard and form other lighter, livable routines.
Like …
simplifying, prioritizing, and doing more of what matters most and less of the rest. Like eating more greens and brown rice and fresh fruits … Like allowing the phone to go to voicemail after 8:00 p.m. and staying off all your electronic busybodies … Like splashing lavender essence oil on your pillow and in your bathtub and breathing peace in, stress out.
Yeah – this is the way to come back to yourself – your strong, relaxed and whole mom self.
Did you know that perfectionism is a form of self-abuse? Or that what you may consider normal “mother guilt” is a symptom of anxiety? I didn’t. Learned a lot about myself over these past couple years and now I am feeling GREAT.
Your turn. Take it on and take it easy, Mom. You are worth it.
Viveca Stone-Berry's guide to fatigue recovery began 3 months before her wedding. At least that's when the reading, research, doctor's appointments & soul searching began. See, it's when everything was going so GREAT emotionally she finally noticed her physical get up and go was gone. Her journey from couch potato to get-up-and-go! is now an easy 8 Step Process to help other women. Visit http://www.FatigueBeGone.com & http://www.GetReadyForLove.com