Exercise and Adrenal Fatigue

It is a well established and understood fact that exercise is a fundamental factor in health and wellbeing. Just like, emotional stress, food sensitivities and infections, however, exercise can be a stressor. The dose of exercise is important, and more does not always mean better. High-intensity exercise can cause the body to produce excessive amounts of cortisol. (1) Over a constant quantity of time, this can lead to adrenal dysregulation and fatigue. The healthier you are, the more exercise you will be able to tolerate.
If you are considering incorporating more exercise into your life here are some general recommendations to follow:

• Play-like activity with a friend while in nature may be best.
• Exercise to the point of breaking a sweat, 2-3 times per week. 15-30 minutes is ideal.
• After a week if you think you are feeling worse, scale back because you are likely over-training. If you are feeling better, you can ramp up a bit.

You are likely over-training if any of these things are true:

• Exhausted after workouts
• Fatigued in general
• Not sleeping adequately
• Sore a lot

If you are feeling depressed, unwell or, just want to get fitter then exercise should be part of your plan of action but remember moderation is the key. Doing too much for too long could only make things worse not better.

Disclaimer

This article in not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.