Adrenal fatigue is a term used in functional and integrative medicine to describe a pattern of adrenal dysfunction that results from chronic, sustained stress. It’s not a diagnosis recognised in conventional medicine — but the pattern it describes is real, increasingly common, and something holistic therapy is well placed to address.
What the Adrenal Glands Do
The adrenal glands produce cortisol (the primary stress hormone), adrenaline, and a range of other hormones including DHEA and aldosterone. Cortisol has a natural daily rhythm — high in the morning to support energy and alertness, declining through the day, lowest at night to allow sleep. It also spikes in response to stress, giving the body the energy to respond to threats.
When stress is chronic — running at a sustained elevated level for months or years — the adrenal glands are required to produce cortisol continuously, at times and in quantities they’re not designed for. Over time, this can lead to a flattening of the cortisol curve — either chronically elevated (early-stage adrenal stress) or chronically flat and low (later-stage adrenal exhaustion).
The Signs of Adrenal Dysfunction
Common patterns include: exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix, struggling to get going in the morning despite tiredness, an energy crash in the afternoon, feeling wired but tired at night, difficulty managing stress that previously felt manageable, hormonal disruption (particularly low progesterone), salt or sweet cravings, brain fog, and frequent illness. These aren’t diagnostic criteria — they’re patterns that, taken together, suggest the adrenal-stress system is under significant strain.
How Reflexology Supports Adrenal Recovery
The adrenal reflex points are among the most important I work with. Supporting adrenal function through reflexology — working to encourage regulation of cortisol output and to reduce the stress activation that is perpetually triggering the adrenals — is a central part of how I address chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalance, and burnout presentations. The nervous system regulation that reflexology provides also allows the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) to recalibrate over time. Read more on the reflexology page and the hormonal health page.
The Broader Approach
Adrenal recovery requires more than a single intervention. Reiki and craniosacral therapy both reduce the chronic nervous system activation that is depleting the adrenals. Adequate sleep, appropriate nutrition, boundary setting, and reducing demands where possible are all necessary parts of the recovery process — holistic therapy accelerates and supports these but can’t replace them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I have blood tests before starting? Conventional cortisol testing is limited in detecting the kind of adrenal dysfunction I’m describing. Some functional medicine practitioners offer salivary cortisol tests that are more informative. I don’t require testing before treatment, but discuss it with your GP if you’re concerned.
How long does adrenal recovery take? Recovery from significant adrenal exhaustion is measured in months, not weeks. This is a condition that takes time to develop and time to reverse. Regular, consistent support produces the best outcomes.
Can I still exercise during adrenal recovery? Moderate, enjoyable movement is generally beneficial. Intense exercise that increases cortisol demand is counterproductive when the adrenals are depleted. Gentler options — walking, yoga, swimming — tend to work better.
I’m based in Wilby, near Wellingborough. Get in touch to discuss your situation, or explore the full range of therapies I offer.