Low Energy and Poor Sleep? The Thyroid Connection

Hormones play a big role in how much energy and vitality you have.  They can also affect your sleep and how well your body manages daily stressors.

If you feel your energy reserves are low, you don’t feel refreshed after a night’s sleep and you’re running on empty, it’s time to consider your hormonal health and in particular your thyroid function.

Thyroid Hormone

Your thyroid is an endocrine gland that influences almost every cell in the body by increasing their metabolism and function.  Thyroid hormones influence our heart, respiratory and digestive systems and controls our metabolism and ability to burn body fat.  It controls reproductive health in both men and women. The thyroid is crucial for brain and neurological development in babies and growth in children.

Thyroid hormone imbalances, either releasing too much or too little hormone, will affect your overall health and vitality.

Low thyroid function has been linked to many conditions and symptoms include weight gain, constipation, cold intolerance, menstrual irregularities, fatigue, depression, dry skin, brittle nails and hair loss.

Overactive thyroid function can cause weight loss, anxiety, heat intolerance, palpitations and diarrhoea. 

High levels of thyroid antibodies show an autoimmune attack on the thyroid gland and many hypothyroid cases are due to Hashimoto’s disease.

Symptoms of a ‘sluggish’ thyroid

During perimenopause many women feel fatigued, lethargic and lack energy.  They often put it down to their busy lives and lack of hours in the day.  But is something being missed here?

If you experience the following symptoms, it may be time to have thyroid hormones checked:

·       Falling asleep when you sit down after dinner

·       Weight gain that seems to be resistant to your best efforts of dieting and exercise

·       A heavy, tired feeling in the body

·       Rough, dry skin and coarse hair

·       Hair loss. Also check for thinning of eyebrow hair on the outer section of eyebrow

·       Sensitive to cold and feeling cold even in warm temperatures

·       Lack of perspiration when exercising

·       Moodiness

Testing thyroid hormones

Functional pathology testing for thyroid hormones goes beyond testing TSH and T4.  A comprehensive view of all the thyroid hormones including TSH, T4, T3, Reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies can give an overall picture of thyroid health and function.

Overview of thyroid hormones:

TSH

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is released from the pituitary gland and it communicates with the thyroid to regulate release of hormone.

T4

T4 is metabolically inactive in the body as it is bound to protein, and converts to T3 to become active.  Free T4 (fT4) is measured to indicate the amounts of T3 available.

T3

Total T3 is measured to see the amount of active thyroid hormone available and if your body is able to convert T4 into T3.  Free T3 (fT3) is measured as it is the most usable and active form of thyroid hormone. Reverse T3 (rT3) is an inactive form of T3 that can’t be used by the body and it occurs when there is high stress and cortisol levels.

Thyroid antibodies

High levels of Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) Ab and Thyroglobulin Ab indicate an autoimmune reaction against the thyroid.

Basal body temperature

Basal body temperature measures armpit temperature on waking, first thing in the morning.  It needs to be done with a basal thermometer over three consecutive days and is a way to determine thyroid function.  If your temperature is below 36.5 degrees Celsius, you may have low thyroid function.  

What can affect thyroid health?

Iodine deficiency

Iodine is an essential nutrient for thyroid health and thyroid hormone production and plays a major role in fertility, development, growth and metabolism. It also supports our immune defences in the saliva, stomach and intestines. A deficiency of this mineral can have impacts on many aspects of human health.

Dietary sources of iodine include seafood, sea vegetables and eggs.  Drink filtered water, as chlorine and fluoride affect iodine levels. 

Supplementation with iodine needs to be kept within recommended ranges as high amounts can actually slow thyroid function.  

Symptoms of iodine deficiency include:

·       Rough, dry skin

·       Inability to sweat

·       Dry mouth

·       Difficulty concentrating, slow mental process, poor memory

·       Weight gain

·       Hair loss

·       Swelling in the neck

Gluten sensitivity

Gluten causes inflammation in some individuals which leads to an autoimmune reaction and has been linked with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. 

Chronic stress and adrenal function

Your thyroid is affected by stress. Thyroid function is linked to adrenal function which is directly affected by how you manage stress.

When you experience chronic stress in your life, your adrenal glands produce adrenalin and cortisol in response to this stress.  Elevated cortisol levels impact thyroid function and thyroid hormone production.  This can lead to weight gain, blood sugar irregularities and other metabolic conditions.

Improving thyroid health through diet and lifestyle approaches

Identify and address the underlying cause; chronic stress, inflammation, iodine deficiency, gluten intolerance, hormone imbalance

Below are some general dietary and lifestyle approaches for thyroid health. It’s best to work with your naturopath or health care provider to make sure any changes to your diet are appropriate for your individual needs.

Include iodine rich foods in the diet; seaweed, spirulina, shellfish, fish

Include foods in the diet that contain nutrients to support thyroid health such as selenium, iron and zinc 

Avoid gluten and soy

Manage stress levels with meditation, exercise and emotional freedom technique (EFT) which all help lower stress hormones.

Exercise supports thyroid hormone production and improves tissue responses to these hormones. It will also support metabolism and reduce stress.

Avoid fluoride and bromine which inhibit the release of thyroid hormones.  Use a natural toothpaste that contains no fluoride.  

Limit the use of pesticides in the house and garden as these substances compete with thyroid hormones.

Avoid exposure to POPs (persistent organo- phosphates) and heavy metals as they reportedly reduce thyroid activity and health. 

Resources:

Armstrong, M., Asuka, E., & Fingeret, A. (2023). Physiology, Thyroid Function. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.

Chaker, L., Razvi, S., Bensenor, I. M., Azizi, F., Pearce, E. N., & Peeters, R. P. (2022). Hypothyroidism. Nature reviews. Disease primers, 8(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-022-00357-7

Sorrenti S, Baldini E, Pironi D, Lauro A, D’Orazi V, Tartaglia F, Tripodi D, Lori E, Gagliardi F, Praticò M, et al. Iodine: Its Role in Thyroid Hormone Biosynthesis and Beyond. Nutrients. 2021; 13(12):4469. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13124469

Silva, J. E., & Bianco, S. D. (2008). Thyroid-adrenergic interactions: physiological and clinical implications. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association, 18(2), 157–165. https://doi.org/10.1089/thy.2007.0252

This blog is not a platform for providing medical diagnoses or treatment recommendations. The information provided is intended for general knowledge and informational purposes only. The blog content is designed to educate and inform readers about naturopathic principles and practices, but it should not be taken as a replacement for professional medical guidance. The individual needs of any particular person have not been taken into account and readers should always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for any health concerns  Read Disclaimer here