Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda both view summer as a time of expansion, activity, and creativity. You’re probably feeling these natural energetic shifts as you fill your calendar with home improvement projects, outdoor activities, backyard barbecues, and family vacations. It seems our go-go-go lifestyle just gets amplified by the longer days of summer. But if you’re struggling with fatigue, sleep problems, brain fog, inflammation, and any of the other myriad of discomforts associated with adrenal fatigue, you may not be feeling so excited to go-go-go. Lucky for you, now is the perfect time to do an adrenal reset so you can feel refreshed and energized to actually enjoy the long days of summer!

The adrenal glands are two little glands that sit on top of the kidneys that are responsible for secreting stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. But the adrenal glands don’t work alone; they are also influenced by the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. Together these three glands form the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis (HPA axis) and together they are responsible for the body’s stress response. Over time chronic stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, and even chronic infection can start to chip away at your ability to handle stress and can disrupt the delicate balance of the HPA axis and the hormones it produces. What has long been referred to as adrenal fatigue, burnout, or stress is more accurately described as HPA axis dysfunction. Regardless of the name, you end up feeling pretty terrible.

The fix for feeling lousy due to HPA axis dysfunction is to rest, reduce your stress, eat well, and take some supplements to support HPA axis function. Although at first glance much of this may seem at odds with the frenetic energy of summer, summer actually offers some unique opportunities to support healthy HPA axis function!

Build in some actual rest time for yourself.

With a bounty of foods at their peak of freshness and taste, summer is also a great time to take the stress out of healthy meal planning. Instead of elaborate meals take advantage of seasonal produce that is show stopping without much prep work. Simple meal ideas include salads paired with grilled meats and starchy vegetables, lettuce wraps, or yogurt with fresh summer fruit. A word of caution: although it is tempting to live off of light summer fruits and veggies or maybe skip meals when the weather is too hot, for those suffering from HPA axis dysfunction it is critical to keep the blood sugar balanced throughout the day by eating healthy, balanced meals at regular intervals. Check out the Natural Grocers Healthy Meal Wheel for a visual guide of a balanced meal and use our Menu Planning Guide for simple meal ideas. And remember that most people trying to regain healthy HPA axis function will do better with at least some starchy carbs in every meal.

Take a relaxed walk in a natural environment.

The long, warm days of summer are also the perfect time to get out into nature and practice the Japanese art of Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. The idea is simple, take a relaxed walk in a natural environment and you’ll reap numerous physical and mental benefits that support healthy HPA axis function. Benefits like a balanced release of stress hormones, healthy pulse and blood pressure, and a shift toward increased parasympathetic nervous function (the part of the nervous system that plays a role in conserving and restoring energy).[1] You can use your Shinrin-yoku as a means to gently move your body too, or you can choose another gentle exercise such as yoga, gardening, or swimming. The point is to move gently; strenuous exercise is counterproductive when trying to regain healthy HPA axis function, so take it easy.

Engage in a project that truly feeds your soul.

Take advantage of the creative energy of summer and engage in a project that truly feeds your soul. I’m not talking about staining the deck or painting the shutters. Instead think of projects that get your creativity flowing and allow you to forget about other responsibilities for a while, things like gardening, painting, writing, or even an adult coloring book.

A few other important things to consider while working to reset your HPA axis:

• Avoid, or at least minimize, caffeine and never indulge on an empty stomach. If you must drink coffee, try and keep it to one cup a day.
• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is one of your best healing tools but accomplishing this in the summer might mean going to bed while the sun is still up if you’ve got to get up early. It may be challenging at first, but you won’t heal without good sleep.
• Support your HPA axis with a stress and adrenal support supplement routine. In combination with diet and lifestyle changes, stress supplements can help take the edge off and adrenal support supplements help to nourish and balance the HPA axis.
• Finally, and perhaps most importantly, put yourself first, or at least near the top of the list. Give yourself permission to turn down some requests in order to have more downtime and reprioritize what really hasto be done in favor of shorter to-do lists, giving yourself more time for healing.

Use the energy of summer as motivation to take care of yourself and your HPA axis. Schedule some down time, find healthy meal ideas to eat regularly, and participate in activities that feed your HPA axis rather than deplete it. Add a stress and adrenal support supplement routine and you’re well on your way. Just think how great you’ll feel kickin’ back under a shady tree on a hot summer day, sipping a cool mocktail, allowing your tired HPA axis to gently reset itself!