Growing up, my mother used to say, “We’re a napping family”. As a little kid, I accepted that and laid down to take my naps. My mom and I napped almost every day of my childhood until I went to first grade. It turns out she knew what many mothers know or eventually figure out: exhaustion makes for crabby kids and unhappy stressed-out moms.
What is the cause of exhaustion?
Being exhausted is a function of the adrenal reserves in need of “refueling”. When we’re napping or getting deep sleep the adrenal glands are not working on mental, emotional, or physical stress. Many of us experience adrenal exhaustion on a daily basis.
Do you also have any of these signs of adrenal fatigue or exhaustion?
- Energy crashes at different points in the day
- Low self-esteem due to low energy output
- Feeling anxious
- Craving sugar or salt
- Dilated pupils
- Poor appetite in the morning
- Decreased tolerance to cold
- Sensitivity to lights and loud noises
- Apathy
- Disturbed sleep
- Low blood sugar episodes
- Low levels of gastric hydrochloric acid
- Sluggish bowels
- Histamine imbalance
- Unreasonable fears, due to low energy and possibly high copper toxicity
To compensate, it’s common for us to:
- Grab a cup of coffee for energy to start the day and consume caffeinated drinks or sugary snacks to try to sustain their energy throughout the day.
- Go to bed late, wake up early, and push through fatigue instead of laying down to rest.
- Choose food based on convenience versus nutritional value.
- Be on the run while eating, paying little attention to eating without stress and chewing food well.
Dr. John Tinterra, a doctor who specialized in adrenal function, surmised in 1969 that 66% of the public could be classified as having severe adrenal exhaustion. That was before the internet, mobile phones, online gaming, and lack of physical education increased to levels we haven’t had before. This applies to both children and adults.
Let’s face it, we are a society of fast food (white, starchy, sugary, salty, and creamy) eaters, we put more onto the calendar than is humanly possible, and we are not stopping to refresh or reset our heart and minds, even for 10 minutes! These things throw the physiology of the body out of balance, affecting our sympathetic nervous system and adrenal function. All of this negatively impacts those two disc-shaped little beauties called the adrenal glands. One sits on top of each kidney, located on either side of your low back, just above the end of your ribs. They secrete a number of hormones that prepare our bodies to respond to stress, and they are essential for life.
Give Yourself Some Love
Many of us have become adept at overriding the signals that the adrenals give us when they need replenishing with things like rest, good food, and water. To begin to unravel adrenal exhaustion you may want to consider restoring and fortifying your body and mind by adding any of the following into your day:
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Loving Energy®, a supreme adrenal tonic based on an ancient formulation created by Taoist monks. These monks would keep a pot of this tea going all day in the kitchen. Several times a day, when they took a break from their prayers and studies, they would drink a cup. Enjoy the full and thirst quenching flavors of schizandra berries, licorice, spirit reishi mushroom and eleuthero ginseng.
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Liver Life®, a superior liver formula, supports healthy regulation of stress hormones by the liver.
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Mind Focus® for you,NDF Focus®, for your child(ren). These two formulas help replenish energy the cells need to focus, concentrate, and be alert.
- A 20-minute power nap is NASA’s recommendation for “the most benefit from a sleep cycle without any of the grogginess associated with longer sleep periods”. 1
- Attention Restoration Theory suggests the ability to concentrate can be restored by being in nature...wait, what?2
- Decrease caffeine products, slowly but surely. You will have a huge amount of energy after 7 days decreasing3, and ultimately, eliminating caffeine. Add in some high powered green tea for a steadier energy boost, it’s antiviral too.
- Eat foods and herbs good for your adrenals: Water, salty flavored foods (miso soup, sea salt, salted raw sauerkraut or kimchi) kidney shaped food (black beans, kidney beans – most beans), blue and black food (blueberries, blackberries, mulberries), seafood (fish, shrimp, seaweeds), seeds (flax, pumpkin, sunflower, black sesame), nuts (walnuts, chestnuts), animal products (pork, duck, lamb, eggs, and cheese), bone-marrow broths and soups, grains (barley, millet), vegetables (asparagus, deep green leafy vegetables, celery, and cucumber), tonics (chlorella and kelp), moistening herbs (nettles, oatstraw, marshmallow, slippery elm, comfrey, aloe vera gel, rehmannia root, coix).
A Quick Start to Power Napping
- Play your favorite power nap soundtrack.
- Find a comfortable position.
- Slowly relax each part of your body.
- Clear your mind.
- Slow down your breathing; breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
We are all susceptible to over extending ourselves and it costs us vitality and happiness when we do. These 7 ideas are easy to add into your day and make a huge difference restoring balance to your life. Happy napping!
We are all susceptible to over extending ourselves and it costs us vitality and happiness when we do. These 7 ideas are easy to add into your day and make a huge difference restoring balance to your life. Happy napping!
1 NASA: Napping Just 26 Minutes Can Improve Job Performance by a Third. What's the ideal length for a catnap? https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/nasa-napping-just-26-minutes-can-improve-job-performance-by-a-third.html
2 Attention Restoration Theory II: a systematic review to clarify attention processes affected by exposure to natural environments. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10937404.2018.1505571
3 Refueling your energy levels. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/refueling-your-energy-levels
