The keys to releasing tiredness from stress, thyroid issues, insomnia and more can be found within our hormones. The hormone or endocrine system is a core part of our being that can be behind general fatigue when imbalanced. This network of glands make and deliver hormones all over the body via the blood stream to tell the body what to do and how to do it, like having your own inner system manager. This part of our anatomy is still considered mysterious and overly complicated, let’s shy away no longer and dive in - explore what glands can contribute to tiredness and how to balance them. Do send this blog post on to anyone you feel could use it, merci :)

Not all in your head - Hypothalamus

Starting at the top of the body the hypothalamus gland in the brain is the connecting point between your hormones and nervous system. It controls an awful lot of bodily functions considering its small stature - the gland is smaller than your fingertip. When imbalanced problems that can potentially manifest swing widely between weakness, depression, docility, very low blood pressure to hyper strong, rage, passive-aggressive or addictive behaviour, high blood pressure, we may have been traumatised in life, all of which sounds exhausting.

To support an imbalanced hypothalamus back to health, strengthen our nervous system and help relieve what may be making us tired here we can rub our jaw. This is above the jawline on the face, up towards, next to and above the ears, these areas may be tight and painful, rub to relieve the tension. Do one side at a time, supporting the other side with your other hand while laying down. Consider these exercises an add-on to your self-care routine for as long as you feel it is helpful. Nutritionally we may need extra vitamin C to support an imbalanced hypothalamus.

If any or all of these suggested exercises seem intriguing as you read them it is because they would benefit you. Or if you feel strongly averse to trying them, or dismissive, this could point to some self-sabotage – do you feel you can’t help yourself, or that you can’t support your hormones to relieve tiredness and gain more energy? My aim is to empower you here with this kinesiology knowledge.

Personal solar panel - Pineal

Let’s continue with our glands. The pineal gland is also housed in the brain and uses light to monitor whether it’s day or night and so sets our body rhythms accordingly. When imbalanced we can suffer with insomnia. Just like children, adults also benefit from routine and we all do well with a regular bed time and minimising exposure to blue light, particularly from devices and TV, in the two hours before bed. Shift workers who work through the night regularly will most certainly have an imbalanced pineal gland.
To support yourself here, sleep in the dark with no night lights or plugged-in devices on standby, a jaw rub also balances this gland too. Spending some time outside each day helps regulate our body clock, daylight through glass doesn’t have the same benefits. Magnesium would be a helpful mineral to take with meals, but even more so if it tests as strong in a kinesiology session.

Butterfly at your throat - Thyroid

Moving down to the throat now an overactive thyroid is likely to mean bad sleep, anxiety and tiredness, while a person with an underactive thyroid can expect fatigue, lethargy and sleepiness. This gland controls metabolism, when there is an issue here it can be hard to keep to your desired weight. Difficulties with speaking up are also common with imbalances in this throat-centered gland.

To support your thyroid and speaking your truth place two fingers at the base of your throat, in the dip just above the collarbone, with the fingers of the other hand at your right temple – between the top of your ear and eye. You may feel a strong pulse here – hold until it settles, or if you can’t feel a pulsing hold until you do. Either way 1 or 2 minutes is enough, then swap sides so you are touching your left temple and base of throat simultaneously as before. Use this whenever you feel to, daily is great. Helpful supplements that tend to muscle test well for the thyroid include iodine and spirulina.

Stress management - Adrenals

Lastly we have the adrenals, which sit on top of the kidneys, and are in charge of our responses to stress. The pressures of modern life unfortunately mean it’s so common to hear of people battling constant tiredness, anxiety, panic attacks, worry/negative thinking, laying awake in the early hours, pressing on with no time to rest and recharge. We may not even be aware of the need for rest and rely on constant stimulation, fast food and high sugar snacks/drinks to get through the day, which doesn’t help matters. We may be inches away from a nervous breakdown. Stress and ‘fight, flight or freeze’ reactions have become normalised, this all puts an enormous strain on the adrenals and kidneys, and renders enjoying and thriving in life impossible.

Our bodies are equipped to handle short term stress, after which ideally we take time to rest, relax and restore our strength. With long term stress being today’s normal it is not surprising that many of us have been suffering with years of insomnia, exhaustion, anxiety, digestion issues, migraines, worse still we have heart disease, diabetes, and accelerated ageing among other disease processes that are related to stress.

What is truly normal and preferable is for us to turn to healthy ways to manage stress. If you are knocking and banging different areas of your body while you are rushing around it is a sign to slow down. Bruises, small cuts, accidents and trips don’t happen when we are relaxed, balanced and taking our time.

Prioritising High Quality Rest Time has become essential to me and my clients as a way to enjoy life, and be able to cope when stressful situations arise. Keep doing what you genuinely find calming, let returning to calm every day be your new habit. I’m talking about walks in nature, time with the dog or cat, solving puzzles, an evening bath, yoga, qi gong, reading a book, classical music, herbal teas, a pint of water, uplifting films, listening to spiritual teachers such as Eckhart Tolle.

Horror, thriller and action films or books, driving over the speed limit, the news, coffee, takeaways and large amounts of chocolate etc,. may be welcome distractions and stimulating but won’t let our body/mind recharge, and don’t count as restful activities.

Supplement wise, stressed-out adrenals love vitamin C and vitamin B, especially B3 (for worries), and B5 (for constant rushing around).