Vertigo is a type of dizziness, and if it becomes a long-term symptom, it can greatly affect the quality of your life. Vertigo can be caused by many different factors, including Adrenal Fatigue.
While Adrenal Fatigue is caused by chronic stress, it can also lead to surprising symptoms like blood pressure problems, low blood sugar, or lack of sleep, which can contribute to vertigo.
This article will explore the relationship between Adrenal Fatigue and vertigo and what you can do if you are experiencing this link.
What Is Vertigo?
Vertigo is a type of dizziness, which is well known as a feeling of being unsteady or lightheaded. However, there are many other symptoms that you may experience if you have vertigo. These include:
- A spinning sensation, you may feel like either you or your world is spinning
- A loss of balance and difficulty standing or walking
- Rapid eye movements
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headaches
- Ringing in the ears
- Hearing loss
- Sensitivity to light and noise
What Is Adrenal Fatigue?
To understand the link between Adrenal Fatigue and vertigo, it is important to understand what Adrenal Fatigue is first. Your body manages stress through the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response System.
This system consists of six different circuits of related organ systems that work to keep your body in balance and to manage stress.
In the case of short-term stress, your adrenal glands will produce stress hormones such as cortisol. These hormones help your body respond to stress by fighting or running away, for example. Once the stressor clears, the production of these hormones should reduce.
However, in the case of long-term stress, your adrenal glands will continue to produce these stress hormones. Over time, this can cause your adrenal glands to become depleted of cortisol, and imbalances will start to arise in the NEM system, resulting in Adrenal Fatigue.
This is a condition where the body is unable to keep up with long-term stress, resulting in various symptoms. The symptoms you will experience in Adrenal Fatigue will depend on where the imbalance in the NEM system is.
One of the systems that can become imbalanced is the Neuroaffect circuit. The brain, autonomic nervous system, and gut microbiome make up this circuit and are responsible for producing neurotransmitters, also called brain hormones.
An imbalance in this circuit can cause a range of different symptoms, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Challenges falling and staying asleep
- Getting stressed by situations that generally wouldn’t stress you
What Is The Link Between Adrenal Fatigue and Vertigo?
There are many different ways in which Adrenal Fatigue and vertigo are linked. However, if you are experiencing vertigo as a result of Adrenal Fatigue, the cause will depend on where the imbalance is in your NEM system.
If you have an imbalance in the Neuroaffect circuit, the lack of sleep may contribute to vertigo as it may fatigue the vestibular system. This system is a sensory system and helps to maintain balance and spatial orientation in your body.
If this system is fatigued, your balance and orientation will be affected and may cause vertigo.
Imbalances in the Bioenergetics and Cardionomic circuits can also cause vertigo. These circuits are involved in managing blood sugar levels and blood pressure. These processes are also affected by cortisol.
Cortisol and Blood Sugar Levels
Glucose is the main source of energy for your body. Your blood sugar levels are a marker of the glucose levels in your body and should be within a certain range rather than being too low or too high.
One of the main sources of glucose is food, particularly carbohydrates. However, your body can also convert non-carbohydrate sources from your liver and kidneys into glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis. Cortisol is one of the hormones responsible for this process.
In the case of Adrenal Fatigue, when your cortisol becomes low, this can affect glucose production from gluconeogenesis.
While you can still get glucose from food, this may increase the chances of low blood sugar levels. If your sugar levels become too low, it can cause a range of symptoms, including dizziness and, in some cases, vertigo.
Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force your blood exerts against the walls of your arteries. This measurement is represented by two different numbers and sometimes looks like a fraction.
Your blood pressure should be around 120/80. If it is over, it is considered high, and if it is below 90/60, it is considered low (3).
There are multiple different hormones as well as minerals, such as sodium and potassium, that help maintain your blood pressure. Cortisol is one of the hormones that helps to regulate blood pressure and supports the hormone aldosterone.
Aldosterone helps regulate blood pressure and the balance of electrolytes, sodium, and potassium in your blood, which helps to support blood pressure.
When cortisol levels become low, it will affect your blood pressure both directly and indirectly. Directly, cortisol helps to regulate blood pressure. If cortisol levels are low, your blood pressure may reduce.
Indirectly, cortisol affects aldosterone, and if cortisol levels are low, it will affect the role of aldosterone in your body. This can affect the electrolyte balance and may also result in low blood pressure.
A drop in your blood pressure may occur when you stand up, also called postural hypotension, or it may affect your blood pressure constantly. Either way, both forms of low blood pressure can cause dizziness and vertigo.
Adrenal Fatigue and Vertigo: What Can You Do About It?
As you may notice, there are many different reasons why Adrenal Fatigue and vertigo can be linked. If you are experiencing Adrenal Fatigue and vertigo, several remedies may help improve the vertigo.
Nutrition
Where poor nutrition can put further stress on your adrenal glands, good quality nutrition can help support your adrenal glands and help to support you in your recovery from Adrenal Fatigue. More importantly, though, nutrition can help reduce the link between Adrenal Fatigue and vertigo.
Small Frequent Meals
If your sugar levels are low due to Adrenal Fatigue, small, frequent meals can help to provide the glucose your body needs to support your blood sugar levels. A simple way to do this is to have three meals a day, such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and then a snack between the meals.
If you are forgetful, set a reminder on your phone or calendar to have these meals and snacks. Skipping them may result in your sugar levels dropping.
Food Quality
Small, frequent meals will help to ensure that you receive glucose to maintain your sugar levels, but the quality of your nutrition can also help. Carbohydrates are one of the three main macronutrients and the one that affects your sugar levels.
While proteins and fats don’t directly affect your sugar levels, they can help to further slow down the release of glucose from carbohydrates. While all carbohydrates will release glucose, some will release quickly and others slowly, which is also known as the glycemic index (GI).
Incorporating carbohydrates that release glucose slowly (low GI foods) can help to sustain your sugar levels. Examples of these foods include:
Whole wheat bread- Durum wheat pasta
- Brown or wild rice
- Oats
- Barley
- Quinoa
Most fruits and vegetables are also low GI. If you can eat the skin of the fruits and vegetables, it will further lower the GI, as fiber further helps to slow the release of glucose.
Focusing on these carbohydrates will help to keep you fuller for longer and may help prevent your sugar levels from dropping.
Some carbohydrates that release glucose quickly (high GI) include the processed and refined carbohydrates, such as:
- White breads and rice
- Sugared cereals
- Fruit juices and sodas
These foods will release glucose quickly and can result in a spike in your sugar levels, followed by a drop. This may exacerbate your symptoms.
While it may be impossible to completely avoid these foods, limiting your intake of these foods can help prevent further spikes in your sugar levels.
Additionally, if you are having one of these foods in a meal, pairing it with vegetables, protein, and a healthy fat such as avocado can help to further reduce the release of glucose.
Replacing Your Electrolytes
In some individuals, electrolytes such as sodium and potassium can decline, increasing the risk of vertigo. Several foods are natural sources of sodium and potassium. Sources of potassium include(4):
- Dried apricots
- Prunes
- Cooked lentils
- Squash
- Kidney and soy beans
- Potato
- Bananas
Sources of sodium include(5):
- Salt, according to taste
- Pretzels, salted crackers
- Hard cheeses such as cheddar
- Pickled foods
- Olives
Before trying these foods, however, it is important to get your electrolyte levels checked due to the effects of excessive electrolytes, especially sodium, in increasing blood pressure.
Hydration is also an important aspect in balancing your electrolyte levels. Too much water can cause these electrolytes to become diluted, and can cause a low concentration of them.
While hydration recommendations depend on your age, gender, activity level, and the current weather, a general recommendation is 1.6 L of water per day(2).
This recommendation does not need to be achieved all at once; rather, take small sips of water throughout the day. An easy way to check your hydration levels, if you aren’t sure you are drinking enough, is to look at your urine.
If it is clear or pale yellow, it means you are well hydrated, and if it is dark yellow, it means you are dehydrated.
Lifestyle Changes
Being Mindful Of Your Movement
If you are experiencing low blood pressure when you change positions, move positions slowly. Rather than standing up quickly and increasing the risk of low blood pressure and vertigo, stand up slowly and allow your body time to adjust. Sometimes it can be helpful to use a railing as you change positions.
Exercise Safely
Exercise is an important part of stress management, however, exercise can aggravate the link between Adrenal Fatigue and vertigo. Get clearance from your healthcare provider before exercising. Then, focus on gentle movements such as stretching on the floor or restorative yoga.
Walking can help, but this should only be done if you are not experiencing vertigo at the time. Exercising with a friend can also help improve safety measures if you sometimes experience vertigo.
Managing Stress Levels
While exercise is one way to manage your stress levels, if you can’t exercise, there are other great ways to relieve your stress. These include journaling, deep breathing, and practicing mindfulness. If your stress seems overwhelming, seeking professional help and talking to someone is also a great way of managing stress.
Sleep
Sleep is an important activity as it helps your body heal and lets your brain process information. It also helps to rest your vestibular system. The recommended amount of sleep is seven to nine hours per night.
If you are struggling to fall asleep or waking up in the middle of the night, you can practice better sleep hygiene. This includes(1):
- Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
- Establish a routine before you go to bed.
- Reduce your exposure to light later in the day.
- Reduce your exposure to electronics before you sleep.
- Reduce stimulants such as alcohol and coffee in the afternoon.
Takeaway Message
Many different factors can cause vertigo, including stress, thus the link between Adrenal Fatigue and vertigo. However, by making small changes to your nutrition and lifestyle habits, many people experience relief from vertigo in Adrenal Fatigue.
If you have been experiencing vertigo and would like to explore your adrenal health more to see if there is a connection between the two, you can give us a call at +1 (714) 709-8000 for a consultation.
