Here is a sneak peek into the diary of Atika Dhandia, an ace gemologist, image consultant & a yoga expert….during her days of organizing the World Cultural Festival in New Delhi and her journey where she’s telling us some awesome ways to get rid of fatigue.
The World Culture Festival
It has already been more than nine months since the biggest of its kind- The World Culture Festival got over! (which had more than 50,000 artists participating from more than 62 countries on a stage as big as 6 football fields and witnessed by more than 2.5 million people on ground over 3 days) The preparation for the event started six months in advance and I have been at the helm of affairs along with a lot of others! The passionate person that I am, I completely threw myself in the preparation of the three-day event. All other things in life seem to have gone on hold although I did all this with great joy and aplomb!
Hectic Organizational Activities
As the time progressed my days were entirely consumed by hectic organizational activities and my structured morning and evening routines of Yoga – daily walks – timely sleep pattern – conscious eating etc went for a toss. Stress was mounting with the increasing workload but all went well till the event as the adrenal rush and the excitement was too high to notice any change in the body or mind but the after math was something which I was not prepared for. Body and mind both experienced changes and the worst changes were in my sleep pattern, I only wanted to get rid of fatigue as fast as I can. There was constant fatigue in the system which continued till much later, even after the event was over.
This happens to most of us, whenever we go through any kind of stress, whether it is physical, mental or emotional! This is an indication that the hormonal community has gone erratic partying because you let them loose.
The Adrenal Fatigue
I was told that I was suffering from Adrenal fatigue. Adrenals are the tiny glands above kidneys which secrete adrenalin gush and the stress hormone, cortisol. We are able to return to a calmer internal state in a few minutes if the stress is a short lived one but if a situation is prolonged due to any reason then it can be taxing on the adrenal glands and every time the heart rate increases the blood is sent to the muscles of arms or legs to prepare for action. With high stress, the blood is shunted away from the digestive or reproductive systems leading to weight issues, irregular monthly cycles, symptoms of insomnia crop up during stressful times and continue to mar the harmony of daily life!
The adrenal hormones are catabolic, which means they foster processes that burn energy and break down cellular structures. If you activate the adrenal glands over and over again, which happens during stressful times without sufficient recovery in between, your body becomes depleted and exhausted, making you susceptible to a variety of illnesses.
In such a situation, the doctors will put you on a hormone medication that will apparently help you for a short period of time but after a certain period of time, your body will not function without these pills leading in turn to drastic weight issues, emotional swings and other problems associated with long term use of these synthetic hormones.
The Real Hormone Story
The sad reality is that the modern medicine system does not understand how to treat hormone system of ‘Men’ and ‘Women’ after a certain level. It has been discovered that more than half of the women who start Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) stop before three months of treatment because of its unwanted side effects. Yet the media continues to present it as a measure to prevent heart diseases and osteoporosis and an aide to improve the quality of your life. However, research and experiences do not support this approach!
The Alternative Approach To Getting Rid Of Fatigue
Interestingly, there is another science that treats the hormonal – endocrinal system with greater detail and more success without any side effects and that is the ‘Science of – Ayurveda, Yoga with Mudras’. This, incidentally, is also the means to stay young and healthy at any age!
Steps to move from Fatigue to Fitness
To move from fatigue to freshness, you need to do things that turn off the adrenal hormones and promote secretion of anabolic hormones, such as growth hormone.
Ways To Get Rid Of Fatigue #1: Avoid Caffeine
Growth hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland almost exclusively during the deepest stages of sleep (slow wave sleep). To promote slow wave sleep, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and take a warm bath before bed. Do not lie awake in bed for more than 15 minutes at a time during the day. If you can’t sleep, get out of bed and do some quiet activity until you feel ready to attempt sleep again!
Ways To Get Rid Of Fatigue #2: Sun Salutations & Pushan Mudra
Sun Salutations and the Pushan Mudra are a sure fire way to treat your adrenal fatigue/Adrenal Glands, provided that you are not suffering from high blood pressure or any heart /cardiac issues!
Sun Salutations
Sun Salutations is the ultimate way to heal almost anything in your body! Set the goal of practicing it for 10-15 minutes then simply flow from pose to pose. Allow it to become a moving mediation that reigns in the chatter of the mind and links the breath to your every movement. It is excellent not only for adrenal fatigue but for your entire endocrinal system, each of the 600 hormones that the glands secrete.
Ways To Get Rid Of Fatigue #3: Pushan Mudra
This mudra is designed to stimulate the entire stomach, kidney area, the seat of adrenal glands. To do this mudra, find a comfortable virasana /Vajrasan. Once you get this mudra perfect, close the eyes and begin to breathe into the opening of energy lines in the body. As the energy begins to flow start to bring your focus to the 3rd chakra, located at the solar plexus, just above the belly button and below the diaphragm. Take about ten breaths. As you inhale, take light and positivity into the body, digesting it, and as you exhale, release an energetic waste from the body. After about ten breaths, release the mudra and rest with the hands turning palms face -up on the thighs!