Tired and Wired? 7 Ways To Feel Better Fast

Nurse practitioner Marcelle Pick has treated many women she says are “tired and wired”— women whose lifestyles stress them out and leave them utterly exhausted yet unable to sleep. What’s the first thing they can do to feel better? Change their diet, she says.

Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner made with whole foods, lots of colorful vegetables, and few simple carbs. Skip the processed foods and added sugar. Have larger meals earlier in the day and snacks after breakfast and lunch. For even more help, take a good multivitamin, omega-3 fatty acid supplements, and have your vitamin D level check. (It should be at 50 ng/ml.)

While this is general advice for good health, it also covers the first steps toward treating adrenal dysfunction — when our adrenal glands, which excrete stress hormones, shift into overdrive because we are chronically stressed.

For many people, packed schedules, bad eating, unreasonable self-imposed high standards, unhealthy emotional patterns, and a 24/7 connected life conspire to create a near constant “fight-or-flight” state, explains Pick, author of the book, “Are You Tired and Wired? Your 30-Day Solution to Adrenal Dysfunction.” This can cause our adrenal glands, triangular-shaped glands located above our kidneys, to excrete stress hormones much more frequently than they were intended.

“What we have now is people are feeling like they are being chased by that tiger all the time, which is producing large amounts of cortisol all the time,” Pick tells Newsmax Health. “People are using their iPhone, iPad, their computer. They’re making phone calls when they are at appointments. They never shut down. We don’t have relaxation mode anymore.”

Consequences of untreated adrenal dysfunction can go beyond insomnia, Pick says. Immune system problems, gastrointestinal issues, unstable blood-sugar levels, weight gain, extreme menopausal symptoms, and many other problems also can result.

While men also may suffer from adrenal dysfunction, Pick explains, women are more prone to it because their brains are better wired for multitasking, allowing them to take on more tasks at once, sometimes compounding stress.

Although adrenal dysfunction is not a diagnosis the medical establishment formally accepts, Pick predicts it will be “standard of care” to test for and treat it in about 25 years. A long lag between scientific research and standard medical practice often exists in medicine, she notes. The science is behind it but standard medicine is slow, she says.

When women in her Maine-based practice report stress-related physical and emotional symptoms, Pick tests their salivary cortisol levels throughout the day and treats patients according to whether adrenal dysfunction is mild, moderate, or severe.

“It’s certainly possible that, depending on diet, lifestyle, genetics, and life events, a woman’s symptoms can remain either mild or moderate indefinitely,” Pick writes. “Women who have the most adrenal-friendly diets and who nurture themselves emotionally are most likely to be able to stall the progress of the disorder.”

Pick’s tips to help beat adrenal dysfunction and restore balance to mind, body, and spirit include:

Ruling out other medical conditions Screening for thyroid problems, checking blood-sugar and cholesterol levels, looking for vitamin deficiencies, and running other tests helps eliminate other potential health issues. While most conventional health practitioners don’t test for adrenal dysfunction, a functional healthcare provider like Pick — one who uses a science-based approach that focuses on prevention and underlying causes of disease and conditions — will. Conventional healthcare providers are more likely to test for Addison’s disease and Cushing’s syndrome, two rare adrenal disorders, Pick says.

Taking supplements Work with a knowledgeable practitioner who can recommend supplements based on your adrenal dysfunction and needs, such as astragalus to boost energy, and DHEA to lift mood and immune function, and burn fat and build muscle.

Moving around Regular gentle exercise is important, as well as a practicing yoga, meditation, or other mindful exercise. Overly vigorous exercise can increase your cortisol levels.

Pinpointing the emotional issues that create stress Identify a way to work through them such as talk therapy, 12-step groups, and other forms of healing.

Eating organic food Environmental toxins also can stress your adrenal glands.

Creating a space in your home that’s a safe haven This is a place to escape the phone, television, and other people’s demands.

Going electronics free Skip the electronic media for all or part of your weekend to reconnect with your partner and family. (If that makes you feel anxious, try eliminating all work-related media as a start.)