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I was doing research this week on adrenal fatigue for a blog post I’m writing for renowned functional medicine doctor, Frank Lipman, MD. 

The adrenal glands are the major players the body’s stress response system, helping us respond to and recover from stressful situations. Engaging in activities that we find relaxing or that put us into a state of flow, connecting with friends and family, getting enough high-quality sleep, and keeping blood sugar balanced (to name a few) all help support and nourish our adrenal glands.

I already know a lot about adrenal fatigue (when the adrenal glands get tired and don’t work as efficiently), both from working with clients who are suffering from it and also having experienced it myself. I can pinpoint the signs and symptoms a mile away, and I can feel when my adrenal glands are starting to get overworked and overtired.

But I’m a stickler for staying current on the research. So I was reading all the latest information from thought leaders in the functional medicine world – Chris Kresser, Aviva Romm, Mark Hyman, Sara Gottfried, Marcelle Pick, Dr. Lipman himself – and I came across a symptom of adrenal fatigue that I’d never seen before.

Learning about this symptom took my breath away. I experience some version of it everyday. So do many people I talk with. And I’d never thought about it in the context of adrenal dysfunction.

It’s the urge to cocoon, or to resist getting out of bed or leaving your house. Dr. Sara Gottfried, author of The Hormone Cure, writes:

“The adrenal glands burn out, and you feel depleted. Maybe depressed — not severely depressed — more low-grade sadness and don’t-want-to-get-out-of-bed-ness. As if you couldn’t handle another ounce of stress. You want to stay home every weekend and watch Apple TV. You want to cocoon.”

I don’t actively feel sad everyday (thank goodness), but almost inevitably, everyday, I feel some form of, “No! I don’t want to leave the house!”… even when it’s for something fun! (For the record, I almost always overcome my anxiety, leave the house, and have a great time. I often drive (or rollerblade) home, thinking, “Wow, I’m so glad I went.”)

I’ve always chalked this up to just a bit of quirkiness. Or introversion. Realizing that it could also be a message from my adrenals was a big wake-up call.

My adrenals were telling me that I can’t handle any more stress right now – not even good stress.

BUT I didn’t interpret this as a sign that I should never leave the house again. Far from it.

Instead, I took this as a call to pay closer attention to my schedule and make sure that it’s aligned with with my priorities and values – and to say no to the things that don’t. (Saying “no” may be one of the healthiest things we can do for our adrenals – and our overall health.)

It’s also a call for me to carve out more time for the things that relax me (gardening, jigsaw puzzling, playing the piano, being the “weird old lady” who rollerblades up and down the block) and a sign that my adrenal system needs constant loving attention and support.

Maybe I also need to evaluate the number of social engagements and fun activities on my calendar, to give me more “me” time, but I won’t give them up entirely.

There’s a concept called eustress, or “good stress,” in which a stressor is deemed to have benefits for the person who experiences it. Fun things (when we have just the right number of them) fall into that category, as does a deadline on a fulfilling project, for example. You may stress about the deadline, but the project is fun and rewarding.

If you recognize yourself in any of this – if you’ve ever thought “Ack, I don’t want to go!” or “Ugh, I don’t even want to get out of bed,” think adrenals, adrenals, adrenals, and what you can do to give them more support. If that includes rollerblading, and you want to join me (yes, outside the house!), I’m out most afternoons.