Practices for Adrenal Wellness
Our adrenal glands are located in our mid back, just under the bottom set of our ribs, nestled in beside the kidneys. They work hard for us producing stress hormones (namely, adrenaline) so that we can get through challenging situations. As helpful as that is, many of us are too stressed too much of the time, so our adrenals get depleted.
From a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) perspective, the kidneys house our original qi, and when this area is out of balance, we can have too much fear and anxiety—which makes sense considering how related the adrenal glands are to our stress and anxiety responses.
Adrenal Fatigue
For some people, this manifests in adrenal fatigue, which usually comes with excessive tiredness, an inability to gain back energy, cravings for certain foods, and “brain fog.” It’s not just that you’re tired—it’s that you’ve been too tired and too stressed for so long that your system has gone out of balance. If you have adrenal fatigue, it might be helpful to talk to a doctor or naturopath as there might be certain supplements or medications that can help support this imbalance.
Diet might also help with adrenal fatigue, especially when paired with gentle, relaxing mindful eating practices (such as simply slowing down a little and paying attention to your food). Warm, cooked, comforting food such as stews with root vegetables are an example of a food that would give your adrenal glands a little love.
Movement for the Adrenal Glands
Our adrenal glands benefit from restorative practices, which of course includes good night sleep and naps, of course, but Restorative yoga can also be incredibly helpful (try one of my Restorative classes here: https://withribbon.com/video/collection/5484/5479). The adrenals also benefit from being warm, and one of my absolute favorite ways to support the adrenals is to lie on the belly (or in the Massage Table pose) and place a hot water bottle over the kidneys in that mid/upper back region.
Twists can also feel really nice to stretch out and flush this area, and movement that focuses on this area of the back can be really helpful. Cat/cow is one of my classics because it is so good for so many things in the body, including supporting the adrenal glands.
I also love the very simple gesture of placing the palms on the adrenal glands on the back. It’s a bit of an awkward move, but I can always feel how my body loves being touched there, how it feels really warm and gentle and supportive. You can enhance this practice by closing your eyes and taking five deep breaths into your hands while holding them on your back.
This is a version of the Massage Table pose (AKA Restorative Frog)
Movement for the Adrenal Glands
Our adrenal glands benefit from restorative practices, which of course includes good night sleep and naps, of course, but Restorative yoga can also be incredibly helpful (try one of my Restorative classes here: ). The adrenals also benefit from being warm, and one of my absolute favourite ways to support the adrenals is to lie on the belly (or in the Massage Table pose) and place a hot water bottle over the kidneys in that mid/upper back region.
Twists can also feel really nice to stretch out and flush this area, and movement that focuses on this area of the back can be really helpful. Cat/cow is one of my classics because it is so good for so many things in the body, including supporting the adrenal glands.
I also love the very simple gesture of placing the palms on the adrenal glands on the back. It’s a bit of an awkward move, but I can always feel how my body loves being touched there, how it feels really warm and gentle and supportive. You can enhance this practice by closing your eyes and taking five deep breaths into your hands while holding them on your back.
Adrenals and the Psoas
The psoas muscle (well, actually, there are two) originates at the low back ribs, nestled right up next to the kidneys and adrenals. It runs down through the front, snuggling up to the intestines and ovaries (if you have ovaries) before connecting to the femur bones in the upper inner thigh/groin region. These are huge, complex muscles, and the only ones that connect the spine to the legs.
The psoas can get tight for a lot of reasons, including sitting too much, too much cycling or running, or stress. Releasing the psoas can come with a lot of emotional release as well.
One of my favorite ways to release the psoas is Supported Bridge. In this one, you lie on your back with your knees bent, and then slide a prop (like a yoga brick, bolster, or pillow) under the back of the hips and then breathe into the belly and try to relax as much as you can. Breathing deeply into the belly kind of plumps up a psoas that has been chronically squeezed, getting tight and further irritating the adrenal glands. Full, deep breaths can help to release this area.
Supported Bridge pose
When working on supportive practices for the adrenals, we are also working on supportive practices for the nervous system and emotional balance. Chronic stress isn’t just about, for example, trying to get to work on time. It’s about consistently feeling unsafe and never having a chance to come down to a place where you feel totally relaxed and able to be yourself. There are so many reasons that stress can get stuck in the body, but working on loving those adrenal glands might be a really helpful place to start.
Try my class Feel Good Yoga for the Adrenal Glands now: https://withribbon.com/p/56929