Your Lack Of Sleep Could Be The Result Of A Thyroid Imbalance

Jun 11, 2018 by apost team

If you have issues with your thyroid, there's a good chance that you're experiencing sleep problems, too - but many people don't realize the two symptoms are connected. When your thyroid isn't working properly, your hormones aren't balanced. This can make it hard to sleep at a time when you need as much rest as possible. 

Your thyroid is a gland in your neck. Most of the time, it does its job, and you probably don't think about it much. But if your thyroid starts to overproduce or under-produce hormones, you'll experience a variety of negative health effects. 

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Hypothyroidism is the most common health problem related to the thyroid. When someone has this condition, their thyroid doesn't produce enough hormones. Hyperthyroidism is the opposite: the thyroid produces too many hormones. 

Thyroid problems are often caused by the immune system. If the immune system mistakenly believes the thyroid is a threat, it goes on the attack. This can result in the thyroid becoming either overactive or underactive. 

Thyroid problems can cause a wide variety of symptoms. Here are some of the most common ones. 

• Frequent exhaustion or fatigue
• Feeling cold all the time
• Weight gain
• Thinning hair
• Dry or flaky skin
• Constipation
• Stiff, achy joints
• Slow pulse or low heart rate
• Irregular periods
• Low mood
• Brain fog
• Sleep issues such as insomnia

It's hard to live your best life if you're not getting enough sleep. If you think your thyroid might be causing sleep disturbances, it's important to treat your thyroid itself - not just your sleep problems. 

You can take sleeping pills to get some short-term relief, but it's not a good idea to rely on them. These medications don't do anything to treat your underlying thyroid issues. If you don't treat your thyroid, you may end up with other problems down the road. 

Your thyroid hormones do a number of important things in your body, and if they're out of balance, it's easy for your other body systems to become unbalanced as well. For instance, a thyroid imbalance can affect your adrenal glands and your circadian rhythm. It can even give you sleep apnea and night sweats. Thyroid problems can also give you anxiety, which is a well-known cause of insomnia. 

Getting enough sleep can help you recover from your thyroid problems faster. It can also improve your health in other ways. Here's what you should know about improving the quality of your sleep when you have thyroid problems. 

Sleeping well can help you lose weight. Getting a good night's sleep can help you make good food choices and battle cravings the next day. Over time, this can lead to sustainable weight loss - something that people with hypothyroidism often struggle with. 

Healthy bedtime habits can reduce insomnia. If you drink coffee and read stressful news stories close to bedtime, it's no wonder you can't sleep. Plan to do a quiet, soothing activity before bed every day, and you might find that you fall asleep faster. 

Getting enough sleep can regulate your blood sugar. Thyroid issues can throw your blood sugar out of whack. Getting enough sleep can help to fix this problem. 

Yoga: Doing a few relaxing yoga poses before bed can help you sleep better. 

Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a popular treatment for insomnia in some parts of the world. 

Aromatherapy: The scent of lavender can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. 

Do you have any of the symptoms described in this article? If you have thyroid problems, have you noticed a change in your sleeping habits? We'd love to hear about your experiences with these issues. 

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!