Introduction

• Do you ever feel like no matter how much sleep you get, you’re still exhausted?

   

• Does your patience wear thin quickly, leaving you irritable or overwhelmed?

   

• Are you pushing through your days on autopilot, surviving on caffeine, and hoping the fatigue will just pass?

If any of these questions hit close to home, you might be dealing with more than just everyday stress. What you’re experiencing could be chronic stress that has quietly taken hold of your body, leading to something much deeper: adrenal exhaustion and dysfunction of the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis. As working moms in our mid-40s to mid-50s, it’s easy to shrug off these symptoms as a “normal” part of aging or just part of being busy. But that low-grade, constant stress might be quietly damaging your health.

In this article, we’ll explore how chronic stress can sneak up on you, how it impacts your body in ways you might not realize, and how untreated stress can spiral into full-blown exhaustion. We’ll also bring in the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where energy and balance are everything, and your health is seen as a delicate interplay of many factors—including your emotions, lifestyle, and environment. Uncovering the root cause of your fatigue can help you regain the energy you need to thrive.

What Does Chronic Stress Look Like?

As a busy working mom, your life is filled with constant demands, from balancing a career to caring for your family. It’s no wonder that stress builds up without you even noticing. In our culture, being stressed is almost a badge of honor, but at what cost?

Chronic stress doesn’t always feel like the heart-pounding anxiety of an immediate crisis. Instead, it can manifest in quieter, more subtle ways that we often dismiss. Here are some symptoms that might be signals from your body telling you that it’s overwhelmed:

1. Unrelenting Fatigue

Despite sleeping 7-8 hours a night, do you wake up feeling like you haven’t rested at all? Chronic stress can prevent your body from entering the deep, restorative sleep cycles it needs.

2. Irritability and Mood Swings  

Do small frustrations set you off? You may find yourself more reactive and less patient than you used to be. Emotional turbulence is often one of the first signs of chronic stress.

3. Trouble Focusing  

Does your brain feel foggy? Chronic stress diminishes cognitive function, making it hard to concentrate or remember things.

4. Frequent Illness  

Are you constantly battling colds or infections? Stress weakens your immune system, leaving you more susceptible to illness.

5. Weight Gain or Difficulty Losing Weight  

Are the pounds creeping up despite your best efforts with diet and exercise? When your stress response is overworked, your cortisol levels rise, promoting fat storage, especially around your middle.

6. Cravings for Sugar or Salty Foods  

Stress depletes your energy, driving you to crave foods that give a quick boost. Unfortunately, this can worsen the fatigue and set you on a rollercoaster of blood sugar highs and lows.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these symptoms might suggest an imbalance in your body’s Qi, a.k.a., your life force or energy. When the flow of Qi is disrupted—often by emotional stress or overwork—your body becomes depleted, just like a drained battery. This depletion can show up in physical symptoms, as well as emotional unrest.

The Hidden Link: How Chronic Stress Leads to Adrenal Exhaustion

You might have heard of adrenal fatigue or burnout, but what’s really happening is more complex. Chronic stress affects the HPA axis, which controls your body’s response to stress. Let’s break down how this works:

The Hypothalamus: This part of your brain detects stress and signals the pituitary gland.

The Pituitary Gland: It tells your adrenal glands to release cortisol, your primary stress hormone.

The Adrenal Glands: Located just above your kidneys, they release cortisol and other hormones to help your body handle stress.

Under normal conditions, your body handles short bursts of stress well. But when the stress never lets up—when you’re constantly running on empty—the HPA axis is forced to work overtime. The adrenal glands, which are responsible for producing cortisol, become fatigued and eventually unable to keep up. This condition is often referred to as “adrenal exhaustion”.

In TCM, adrenal exhaustion can be seen as a weakening of your body’s foundational energy or “Kidney Qi”. The Kidney is considered the root of vitality in TCM, and prolonged stress depletes this energy, leaving you feeling worn out on every level. Your Kidney Qi controls many functions in your body, including hormone regulation, energy levels, and resilience to stress. When it’s depleted, you not only feel exhausted but are also more prone to illness and emotional instability.

Signs of Adrenal Exhaustion

When your adrenal glands and Kidney Qi are depleted, the symptoms go beyond just feeling tired. Here are some common signs:

Extreme Fatigue: Even small tasks feel exhausting, and you might find yourself needing naps or struggling to get through the day.

Difficulty Waking Up: You might wake up feeling groggy or like you need several cups of coffee just to get going.

Low Blood Pressure: Feeling lightheaded or dizzy when you stand up could be a sign your adrenal glands are underperforming.

Salt Cravings: This may be your body’s way of trying to balance electrolytes when your adrenal function is low.

Weight Gain: Often, women with adrenal exhaustion notice weight accumulating around their abdomen, despite no major changes in diet.

These are just a few signs that your body is in distress. In TCM, when the Kidney energy is low, it can also cause lower back pain, weak knees, or a feeling of coldness in your body. This is why a holistic approach is essential—treating the symptoms without addressing the root cause will only provide temporary relief.

Why Chronic Stress and Adrenal Exhaustion Often Go Unnoticed

Unfortunately, many women continue to suffer from chronic stress and adrenal exhaustion without realizing what’s happening. Here’s why it often goes unnoticed:

Subtle Symptoms: Many symptoms of chronic stress, like fatigue and irritability, are easy to ignore or attribute to aging.

Societal Pressure: As working moms, we’re often expected to “do it all” without complaining, so we push through the fatigue.

Misunderstanding: Conventional medicine doesn’t always recognize adrenal exhaustion, and lab tests may not show anything abnormal until your body is in full burnout mode.

In functional medicine and TCM, we focus on preventative care—catching imbalances early, before they spiral into more serious conditions. Recognizing the subtle signals of adrenal exhaustion is the first step toward reclaiming your energy.

Healing Chronic Stress and Adrenal Exhaustion with a Holistic Approach

Now that you understand how chronic stress can silently damage your health, let’s talk about what you can do to heal. The path to recovery involves supporting your body and mind, balancing your stress response, and nourishing your energy reserves.

Listen to Your Body

One of the first steps in healing is learning to listen to the signals your body is sending. I believe that symptoms are your body’s way of communicating its needs. Start paying attention to when you feel most fatigued, what triggers your stress, and how your body responds.

Reduce Your Stress Load

While it’s impossible to eliminate all stress, you can find ways to manage it more effectively. In both TCM and functional medicine approaches, we emphasize stress-relieving practices such as:

Breathing Exercises: Deep, mindful breathing can calm your nervous system and help restore balance to your Qi. Take 5-10 minutes each day to focus on slow, deep breaths.

Acupuncture: Acupuncture helps balance the flow of energy throughout your body, which can reduce stress and support adrenal function. Regular sessions can replenish your Kidney Qi and reduce tension in your body.

Gentle Movement: Incorporating low-impact exercises like walking, yoga, or tai chi can help balance your energy without depleting you further.

Nourish Your Body with Whole Foods

What you eat directly affects how well your body can handle stress. I recommend focusing on foods that nourish your energy and reduce inflammation. Here’s how you can start:

Warm, Cooked Foods: Soups, stews, and cooked vegetables are easier to digest and help support your digestive system, which can be weakened by stress.

Protein-Rich Meals: Protein helps stabilize blood sugar, which is important for balancing your stress hormones.

Healthy Fats: Foods like avocado, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds nourish your body and provide essential fatty acids for hormone production.

Limit Sugary and Processed Foods: These foods can spike your blood sugar and increase inflammation, exacerbating fatigue.

Support Your Adrenal Health

Certain herbs and supplements can help restore your adrenal function and replenish your energy reserves. Some of my favorite nutraceuticals are adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, licorice root, and rhodiola, which help your body adapt to stress and promote energy balance.

Prioritize Restorative Sleep

Sleep is when your body repairs and replenishes its energy. If you’re struggling to sleep, try these tips:

Create a Sleep Ritual: Establishing a calming pre-bedtime routine signals your body that it’s time to wind down. Consider activities like reading, gentle stretching, or a warm epsom salt bath before bed. Avoid screens and bright lights at least an hour before sleep, as they can disrupt your circadian rhythm.

Set a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (even on weekends) helps regulate your internal clock. This consistency allows your body to get into a rhythm, which can improve the quality of your sleep.

Herbal Support for Sleep: In Traditional Chinese Medicine, herbs like Ziziphus (Suan Zao Ren) and Rehmannia(Shu Di Huang) are often used to calm the mind and nourish the body, promoting deeper, more restorative sleep. Consult with a qualified practitioner to find the right blend for your unique needs.

Restore Your Energy Reserves with Acupuncture and TCM

Traditional Chinese Medicine offers powerful tools to support adrenal health and combat chronic stress. Acupuncture is particularly effective for helping to regulate your body’s stress response, balance hormones, and boost energy. By focusing on specific acupuncture points related to the Kidneys, Liver, and Spleen, acupuncture can help restore the natural flow of energy in your body, addressing the root cause of adrenal exhaustion.

Herbal medicine is another key aspect of TCM, providing nourishment and balance to depleted systems. For example, formulas that strengthen Kidney Qi and Yin (often depleted in adrenal exhaustion) can be customized based on your symptoms. In TCM, the goal is always to support your body’s natural healing process, guiding it back into balance rather than simply masking symptoms.

Balance Your Emotional Health

In both functional medicine and TCM, the mind and body are seen as deeply connected. When we carry emotional stress—whether it’s anxiety, frustration, or sadness—it directly affects our physical health. Taking time to address your emotional well-being is essential for healing.

Journaling: Writing down your thoughts and feelings is a great way to process emotions and release stress.

Mindfulness and Meditation: Simple mindfulness practices can help bring you into the present moment and reduce feelings of overwhelm. Start with just a few minutes a day to center your mind and regulate your breath.

Talk to Someone: Whether it’s a trusted friend, family member, or professional therapist, having a support system can help you manage the emotional weight of chronic stress.

Reclaiming Your Energy: A Holistic Path Forward

Healing from chronic stress and adrenal exhaustion is a journey, but it’s one that you can absolutely embark on with the right tools and support. The key is to understand that your fatigue isn’t a result of you “not doing enough” or “not trying hard enough.” It’s your body telling you that it needs to rest, replenish, and restore its balance.

Here’s a simple summary of the steps you can start taking today:

1. Pay attention to your body’s signals: Chronic fatigue, mood swings, and brain fog are signs that your body is under stress. Don’t ignore them.
    

2. Reduce stress through lifestyle changes: Incorporate stress-relief techniques like acupuncture, breathing exercises, and gentle movement into your routine.

    

3. Nourish your body with healing foods: Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods that balance your blood sugar and reduce inflammation. Avoid processed sugars and junk food.

    

4. Support your adrenals: Use adaptogenic herbs and supplements to nourish your adrenal glands and support energy recovery, and work with a TCM practitioner to customize your treatment.

    

5. Prioritize rest and sleep: Your body cannot heal without proper rest. Create a calming bedtime routine and focus on getting restorative sleep.

    

6. Seek holistic support: Whether through acupuncture, herbal medicine, or counseling, surround yourself with resources that help you heal your body and mind as a whole.

Incorporating the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine alongside a functional medicine approach allows you to take a comprehensive and personalized approach to healing. Your body has an incredible capacity to recover and regenerate once it’s given the right support. By making these changes, you can break free from the cycle of exhaustion and start living with the vitality and energy you deserve.

Remember: You’re not alone in this. As an exhausted working mom, it’s easy to feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. But you don’t have to keep pushing through without relief. Take the first step today to honor your body, nourish your energy, and find balance again.

Chronic stress doesn’t have to be your new normal.

If you’re ready to start your healing journey or have questions about how to support your adrenal health, I’m here to help. Reach out for a consultation, and let’s work together to restore your energy and well-being. It’s time to stop surviving and start thriving. Book your free fatigue evaluation call.

By Montserrat Corsino, L.Ac., MSOM, functional medicine practitioner

Montserrat is the owner and lead practitioner of Mana Integrative Health. She specializes in helping exhausted moms with hormonal, digestive, and mental/emotional imbalances.