HPA AXIS DYSFUNCTION
Feeling tired? Unmotivated? Maybe you are exhausted but you can’t sleep? Or when you do sleep, you wake up feeling just as tired or even more so than when you went to bed?
You could be dealing with HPA Axis Dysfunction …
The HPA Axis stands for Hypothalamus, Pituitary Adrenal Axis.
This is your body’s stress response system. It is made up of endocrine organs, hormones and signaling molecules. You may be familiar with the term adrenal fatigue. However, we know that your adrenal glands don’t just fatigue and stop working. The more accurate term for this condition would be HPA Axis Dysfunction and it’s actually more common to some degree than you may think, thanks to our modern day lives of always being busy and on the go.
Our HPA axis is designed perfectly to respond to acute stressors that our ancestors faced but not so much to the chronic perceived stress of our modern daily lives. If we are continually activating our HPA axis through continuous life stressors, it leads to the inability for it to effectively regulate the production of hormones and other connected systems downstream such as the gut and the brain.
We can see high cortisol in the short term or dysregulated cortisol (meaning low cortisol in the AM and high cortisol in the PM) and then long term it can lead to low cortisol. This dysregulation of cortisol production will lead to low levels of other important hormones such as testosterone, DHEA, estrogen and progesterone.
Our HPA axis also regulates our neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters affect our mood, brain function and even our heart rate.
Symptoms of HIGH Cortisol (this is not an exhaustive list)
High blood sugar
High blood pressure
Anxiety
Low sex drive
Irregular periods
Headaches
IBS type symptoms
Feeling “tired but wired”
Symptoms of LOW Cortisol (this is not an exhaustive list)
Dizziness
Fatigue
Low motivation
Feelings of burnout
Brain fog
Susceptible to chronic infections
Missing periods
Muscle weakness
NOW, I’m never going to leave you hanging without some action steps to take to help get you feeling better and more balanced!
We have to remember, most stress we experience today is perceived stress. This means that it isn’t life threatening and it is how our body is responding to life events around us. If we are fuming sitting in traffic, we are responding by letting ourselves get worked up over a situation we can’t control.
However, we CAN work to change how our body responds to daily life stressors.
Ways we can do this can include daily mindfulness practices of journaling, deep breathing throughout the day, taking time for a few minutes of meditation.
Also practicing what I like to call self coaching.
When we become aware of the situation and how we are responding, taking a moment to stop and remind ourselves that we are safe (remember a stress response tells the brain that it is in danger and not safe), take some deep breaths, do a body check. Relax your furrowed brow, your clenched jaw, soften your eyes, pull your shoulders down from your ears, release the tension in your gut. You get the idea. From here, we can zoom out and look at the situation from a place of objectivity instead of emotion. Remind yourself that being upset doesn’t change the fact that we are sitting in traffic. We will get there when we get there. If we are late to something, we can call who we are meeting with and let them know we are late. This can apply to deadlines, opening up a full email inbox at the beginning of the day, even heated discussions with others.
It takes practice but becomes easier with time.
Next we have to address our lifestyle which is likely the largest piece keeping us in the loop of HPA axis dysfunction.
How we exercise, how much we eat, and what we eat affect our stress bucket more than we realize.
Minimize processed foods and load up on less processed, nutrient dense foods. This isn’t me saying processed foods are bad and we should never touch them. However, eating excess sugars and processed foods does contribute to stress in the body especially if done chronically. Make sure you are eating an abundance of colorful veggies, fruits, fiber and protein.
STOP THE YO-YO DIETS, CHRONIC DIETING AND EXCESSIVE CARDIO.
Here at Level TEN we are all about eating enough food and working out smarter, not harder. We live in a culture that prioritizes weight loss at the expense of our physiological health.
Chronic under-eating and dieting can exacerbate HPA axis dysfunction. If you are chronically under-eating and are suffering from HPA axis dysfunction you may even have the opposite effect you want to see due to rising cortisol levels.
The same applies to working out excessively. Most of us don’t need to do hours of cardio, daily HIIT sessions and never take a rest day. Try lifting weights with progressive overload 4 days a week and walking more. You will likely feel less stressed and experience improved recovery which results in improved body composition changes.
Eat your carbs and make sure you are including plenty of nutrient dense sources of carbohydrates. Studies (linked below) have shown that low carb and ketogenic type diets actually increase levels of cortisol in the body. The type of carbs do matter though, as not all are created equal. Increasing the amount of nutrient dense carbs in the diet such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, taro, and whole fruit has a different effect on our blood sugar than refined carbohydrates.
Again, sprinkle the refined carbs in, but don’t rely on them solely to hit your carb goals.
Which brings me to my next point …
Keep your blood sugar levels balanced.
Blood sugar dysregulation is a huge stressor on the body. Ways to manage more balanced blood sugar levels throughout the day are to eat more of the nutrient dense carbs listed above.
Eat balanced meals complete with protein, some fat and fiber. Eating the bulk of your carbs around your training can help increase your insulin sensitivity as well which means the cells of your body will use the glucose from your carbs more effectively.
Don’t ignore your gut health.
Have you ever heard your gut be referred to as your second brain? The gut is intricately tied to our brain. Stress affects our digestion and vice versa.
If you are experiencing frequent bloating, chronic constipation and/ or diarrhea, work with a qualified coach (shameless plug for Level TEN Coaching) to help you get your digestion on track and reduce stress and inflammation in your body. Add in plenty of veggies, colorful berries and fiber to your diet and include fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir.
Improve your sleep.
Sleep is when our body repairs itself and recovers from the hustle and bustle of the day. If you aren’t prioritizing your sleep, you likely won't feel better anytime soon.
Aim to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep every night during normal sleeping hours. Keep a consistent sleep wake cycle of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. You will get better quality sleep and wake up feeling so much more well rested.
By simply being more mindful with your thoughts and making some simple changes in your daily lifestyle and diet, you can have an even bigger return on your overall health.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by this list, start with just some small changes. Even little changes can add up to improved health over time!
With good vibes - Coach Courtney