Chronic fatigue and stress management: 12 Tips for better tomorrows

In my post about chronic tiredness, I talked about ten reasons you might be feeling tired all the time. One of the reasons I mentioned was an overstimulated HPA axis (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenals), which many people call “adrenal fatigue.” People call it adrenal fatigue because prolonged stress means that the adrenal glands are constantly producing cortisol and catecholamines. These hormones, however, are directly affected by the HPA axis, which is connected to the adrenal glands. That’s why I said it was more a HPA axis issue. At any rate, stress can cause chronic fatigue and stress management techniques can potentially help.

Chronic fatigue and stress management tips that might help

Before I get into my list, I have to say something about mental health days that people can now claim at many jobs. Resist the temptation to take a “mental health day” and use it to clean your house or run errands! Mental health impacts physical health and vice versa. It’s very important to take time for self-care because self-care is healthcare. Too much go, go, go can lead to chronic fatigue and stress management becomes imperative. Now, on to my tips!

(CBD, herbs, and essential oils can interact with medications and some have side effects. Always talk to your doctor before trying any botanical supports.)

CBD

One of my favorite ways to calm down, especially in the moment, is to carry around a CBD spray in my purse. It is a full spectrum, alcohol extract so it absorbs quickly. I love it! It has this slight cherry taste that I find pleasant and is made with a hint of peppermint oil. The best part about it is how discreet it is and how immediate the relief is. When I feel myself tightening up, getting all anxious and upset, it brings me down quickly. But, I also like CBD gummies from time to time, especially ones that provide some immune support, too. After all, stress zaps your immune system, weakening your defenses and making you more vulnerable to illness. CBD also promotes restful sleep and relaxation. So, if you have chronic fatigue and stress management is a necessity, CBD might just be your new go-to.

Herbal support

Herbs can offer some great support for chronic fatigue and stress management, too. Who hasn’t drunk a cup of chamomile tea after a busy day? There are several herbs known for their adaptogenic properties and adrenal and nervous system support. These are some of the most popular ones that are more widely available: Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Kava Kava, Ashwaganda, Rhodiola root, Reishi mushroom, and American Ginseng root.

Aromatherapy

This is a great way to keep it low key all the time since you can diffuse essential oils throughout your home and car. And, some people just respond better to essential oils or prefer to use them over herbs or CBD. Aromatherapy support for chronic fatigue and stress management can be either diffused in an entire room through a room diffuser or inhaled only by you through a personal diffuser or aromatherapy inhaler. You can also use essential oils in a massage or bath, as discussed below. For a diffuser or even a massage, I like to use blends for a more synergistic effect. That way, I calm both body and mind, encourage rest and restoration, and give my body what it needs. Some of my favorite blends to support a healthy stress response include: At Peace, Aligning, Calming, and Peace and Quiet. In fact, I really like to just sit there and sniff the bottle of Aligning I keep in my desk drawer. I know that may sound weird, but hey, I love my plants!

Massage for chronic fatigue and stress management

Another way to encourage the body to let go of stress and calm the vagus nerve is massage. Massage encourages relaxation, detoxification, and rest. You can enhance the massage with essential oils or a CBD massage oil that includes beneficial antioxidants and other ingredients that soothe muscles and balance your skin. If you want to use essential oils, remember to dilute them in a carrier oil. The best carrier oils for massage are jojoba oil and almond oil, for consistency, price, and odor. There are several others that are nice for skin, but are cost prohibitive, such as apricot kernel or borage seed. Jojoba oil closely mimics our own natural skin oils and has many benefits. Dilute essential oils at the ratio of 40 drops: 4 ounces of massage oil.

Relaxing bath

Water has always been associated with calm. Taking a hot bath, especially with Epsom salts, essential oils, or CBD infused into the water is especially beneficial to tight muscles and tired minds. Try CBD bath tea or CBD bath bombs for a unique at home spa experience! If you choose to diffuse essential oils into your bath, as a certified aromatherapist, I highly recommend you mix them with polysorbate 20 first. Otherwise, they will just float on top of the water. After all, oil and water don’t mix. And remember, a little goes a long way, although about 20-25 drops is good for a bathtub full of water. Some great oils for a relaxing bath include: lavender, ylang ylang, and patchouli. Do not use hot oils like thyme, cinnamon, or rosemary in the bath!

Deep breathing

Deep breathing exercises activate your parasympathetic nervous system, helping you calm down. It reduces heart rate, expands the lungs, improves oxygen flow, and can be used in conjunction with meditative prayer or mindfulness for extra benefits.

Nature

There are many benefits of getting outside besides exercise and vitamin D. Time in nature combats depression, improves sleep, and promotes calm. Studies show that people who spend at least two hours in nature a week recover from illness faster, lower their stress, have better attention, and even lower crime rates, according to an article in YaleEnvironment360. Get out there and soak up the woods.

Mindfulness for chronic fatigue and stress management

Mindfulness is the practice of being completely present in the now, without judgement. It means being still and noticing your surroundings and how your senses interact with them, how your body feels, and the thoughts going through your head. Most of the time, we are too busy thinking about the next thing and getting worried or upset about it. We don’t take the time to just be.here.now. Mindfulness forces you to slow down, truly see and feel, notice, and savor. Many, many times in Scripture we are told not be anxious, not to be afraid, not to worry. Putting down the phone and focusing on right now can be incredibly freeing.

Meditative prayer

I feel this is really another form of breath work or mindfulness and can, in fact, be combined with those. Meditative prayer is the practice of praying a Scripture. It is intense focus on one passage or verse and praying it back to God. This practice takes the focus off our stress and instead, puts the focus on Christ.

Play for chronic fatigue and stress management

The benefits of play for adults is regenerative. Our brains need a break! Adults who play enjoy greater productivity, less depression, less burnout, and a better outlook. They also tend to have better problem-solving ability. When you suffer chronic fatigue and stress management is a must, play might lift your spirits and help you relax and de-stress. It’s also a great way to kindle close relationships. It doesn’t have to be active, if that is hard for you. It can be a board game or fun craft instead. Just be sure it’s fun!

Create

This is a bit like play, but engages more of your imagination. Drawing, sculpting, role playing, cake decorating, sewing, building, painting–all of these involve a different part of your brain. Like play, they can provide an escape for your brain that calms you down when life seems overwhelming and stressful. Creating something beautiful that is just for you, such as relaxing adult coloring books even, offers short bursts of stress relief and fulfilling distraction. Try it.

Soothing sounds

My last tip is sitting with your eyes closed, maybe doing some deep breathing, while listening to soothing sounds. This might be running water, a crackling fire, rain, a nice baritone voice singing slow octaves, or some other calming sound. This reduces the constant mind chatter and can help you focus on deep breathing. Sometimes people even use sounds like these to help them sleep. And, interestingly, research on the effects of different sound frequencies on brain waves and heart rates suggests that sound can have a calming affect on the brain and heart. 432hz seems to have special significance for our bodies. So, low (as in bass notes, not quiet necessarily), slow tones can have a very positive effect on calming the body. Think of the dwarves singing around the fire in Bilbo’s house in the Peter Jackson version of the Hobbit.

I hope you find these twelve tips helpful for chronic fatigue and stress management. There’s really something for everyone! Try one or more today and feel better.