It is incredible really the number of followers on my Hypothyroid Mom Facebook page that ask about insomnia. I receive comments at all hours of the day and night from hypothyroid people struggling to sleep at night. This is a very real issue.
Written by Dr. Cammi Balleck
Did you know that sleep is an essential part of optimal health?
No, you don’t need to just take a sleeping pill, you need to give your body the nutrition it needs to function like it was created to. If we are healthy we have energy all day and sleep all night. Drugging yourself every night has its risks, research shows that sleeping pills kill 500,000 Americans annually. Sleeping pills just knock you out without solving the problem. They treat symptoms but not the cause.
It’s a fact. If you’re not sleeping well, it’s impossible to be healthy!
Insomnia is having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or the inability to get quality sleep throughout the night. Persistent insomnia is a huge clue that something is desperately wrong with one’s balance in life. Left untreated, insomnia can destroy one’s health. The sad thing though if you’re not sleeping you’re not healing and you become off balance as you don’t sleep.
The thyroid hormones work in a feedback loop with your brain — particularly your pituitary, hypothalamus and adrenals — in regulating the release of thyroid hormone. Your pituitary makes TRH (thyroid releasing hormone), and your hypothalamus makes TSH. If everything is working properly, you will make what you need and you’ll have the proper amounts of T3 and T4. Those two thyroid hormones — T3 and T4 — are what control the metabolism of every cell in your body. But their delicate balance can be disrupted by nutritional imbalances, toxins, allergens, infections, and stress. If your hormones are off balance your whole system suffers.
Understanding the cause of insomnia
Insomnia is caused by nutritional deficiencies. The deficiencies are caused by poor quality foods, poor digestion, and poor elimination. In addition depletion is caused by man-made artificial “foods”. You need minerals and amino-acids to sleep well. It is true stress keeps us awake but the real deep cause is not the stress, but the lowered resistance to stresses and increased nervous irritability because of deficient nutrition.
Nutritional deficiencies cause a biochemical imbalance and can cause an “over-firing” in the brain. It is something that occurs when you put your head down, trying to go to sleep or trying to get back to sleep in the middle of the night, and suddenly your mind starts to produce all of these unwanted, uncontrollable thoughts. It’s as if the mind has a mind of its own.
The most common cause of insomnia is when our stress hormone cortisol is out of balance meaning it is too high at night. This will cause you to stay awake. Cortisol is the hormone your body produces in response to stress, real or imagined, which is why it’s commonly referred to as “the stress hormone”. Cortisol is suppose to be high in the morning when you wake and slowly lower during the day. However if you are stressed, cortisol can be high at night and keep your energy high and you awake.
Also other neurotransmitters such as GABA and melatonin can be imbalanced causing you to stay awake. The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system, just like the thryroid. If you have a low thyroid it’s most likely you have low adrenals. They work together. Adrenal exhaustion can come when we are coping with chronic long term stress. Your adrenal glands are overworked, the result is you feel exhausted, often depressed, insomnia, and your muscle tone decreases while body fat increases. Your thyroid function is closely coupled to your adrenal function, which is intimately affected by how you handle stress. How you handle stress is affected by if your body has enough nutrition to handle it or not.
Most of us, okay, all of us are under stress, which results in increased adrenalin and cortisol levels and elevated cortisol has a negative impact on thyroid function. Thyroid hormone levels drop during stress, while you actually need more thyroid hormones during stressful times.
When stress becomes chronic, the flood of stress chemicals (adrenalin and cortisol) produced by your adrenal glands interferes with the thyroid. A prolonged stress response can lead to adrenal exhaustion which is often found alongside thyroid disease.
18 things thyroid patients can do now to sleep
Traditional naturopaths look at the underlying causes of symptoms and attempt to correct nutritional deficiencies before disease sets in. I focus on determining the root causes by looking at your entire body and environment. Of course optimal thyroid treatment is key for thyroid patients struggling with insomnia. However there are additional things to consider and I’ve included links to preferred brands below.
Supplement needs vary on an individual basis so consult with your doctor to be sure the suggested supplements are right for you. Some of the supplements are not recommended during pregnancy or lactation. Your physiology and life history are unique. Your path to health will be unique too.
- Exercise in the morning and do a relaxing yoga or meditation at night.
- Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide the L-tryptophan needed to produce melatonin and serotonin.
- Eat cherries in the evening. Cherries boost the body’s own supply of melatonin.
- Eat nuts, which are rich in selenium.
- Speak to your doctor about testing your vitamin D level.
- Eat foods rich in vitamin A such as sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and greens. Note – dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, chard, and collards are ok but they have goitrogenic properties especially when eaten raw so take care not to eat them in large amounts. Cooking and steaming reduces the goitrogenic effect.
- Use organic coconut oil in your cooking, smoothies, and on your skin.
- A small cup of chamomile tea after dinner may help you begin the relaxing process.
- Passionflower is native to tropical and sub-tropical sections of the Americas and have a long history to promote emotional balance through relaxation of the nervous system which acts as a natural stress relief and natural sleep aid. Passionflower is also used to relieve anxiety.
- Lemon balm is considered a “calming” herb. It also helps as a natural stress relief and natural sleep aid. It was used as far back as the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep (natural sleep aid), improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion (including gas and bloating as well as colic). However use caution with lemon balm if you have autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
- Kava kava has been shown in several studies to decrease feelings of mild anxiety and symptoms of insomnia. There are anecdotal reports of kava’s ability to do so without alterations in consciousness. People who consume alcohol should avoid kava as well.
- A larger number of studies have examined whether the herb Valerian is effective for treating insomnia. In many of these, valerian decreased the time it took for participants to fall asleep and, in some studies, it lengthened total sleep time and/or improved sleep quality. The generally recommended dose is 450-600 mg taken about 2 hours before bedtime.
- Melatonin is a hormone that occurs naturally in the body. It is associated with regulating circadian rhythms (your 24-hour wake-sleep cycle). Some studies have found that melatonin improved sleep in patients with major depression as well as for those with schizophrenia. It is advisable to consult a physician with expertise in treating sleep disorders when considering using this or other herbal or supplements for insomnia.
- Speak to your doctor about testing for iodine deficiency. Iodine is a key component of thyroid hormone. If you aren’t getting enough iodine in your diet (and most Americans don’t), no matter how healthy your thyroid gland is, it won’t have the raw materials to make enough thyroid hormones. Also, sea vegetables, such as seaweed, are rich in iodine (hijiki, wakame, arame, dulse, nori, and kombu).
- Take a high quality omega 3 supplement with double the EPA than DHA.
- Try taking your thyroid medication right before going to sleep at night, rather than taking it first thing in the morning. This helps many thyroid patients with insomnia, but it can also make insomnia worse for other patients. Every person’s body is unique but this is worth considering. Be sure to speak to your doctor whenever you make changes to how you take your medication.
- I like to have my patients take magnesium at night before bed to help with insomnia. Taking supplements such as magnesium at the same time as your thyroid medication may decrease the effectiveness of the thyroid medication. Separate the timing of when you take your thyroid medication and supplements by 4-6 hours.
- Insomnia is a common sign of adrenal fatigue. Our adrenals and thyroid are so intricately connected. One way to treat adrenal fatigue is through the use of an adaptogen herbal formula, including herbs like Ashwagandha and Rhodiola
. They are great healing herbs for the adrenals and thyroid and really good in times of stress.
An insomnia problem is no different from any other chronic illness – you must address the underlying issues if you hope to correct the problem.
About Dr. Cammi Balleck
Dr. Cammi Balleck is an ANCB Board Certified Traditional Naturopath. She has been called the leading Happy Hormone Doctor. She has over 11 years experience specializing in biochemical balance and she is author of the book Happy the NEW Sexy. Cammi is the women’s health expert for Women’s Day, O, Prevention, Shape, and First Magazines as well as a featured expert for TBN, and FOX NEWS NATIONALLY. In addition she has made guest appearances on CW stations in Denver.
Very thankful for this site and all the comments.
I am 54 and have been on Armour thyroid 165mg/daily for 29 years for Tertiary Hyperthyroidism, (a hypothalamic issue) which appears to be pretty uncommon. Have lived a healthy life taking thyroid medication, and usually feel good if I take it the same time every day. Thankfully, it is my only regular medication.
However, I have been dealing with terrible insomnia for the past four years. It started with a job change from days to nights. I have struggled with sleep for many years, although not like this current insomnia. I slept just fine when working 9 to 5.
I never thought it could be because of the ‘time of day’ I was taking thyroid medication causing the insomnia. But I believe that might be the answer. I ran across this information in a book recently and had an epiphany! I thought this must be why I have been struggling so much with insomnia!
I have always taken it around 5/5:30 in the afternoon. It just seemed to work well for my schedule, and I’ve always felt good, so I have done that for many years.
I have tried so many things to help. Most don’t really work, but some do at times, like NyQuil or over the counter sleep aides. This last year I have taken Ambien many nights which does help but is really only a band aide. I know ultimately, these things are not the answer for healthy, good quality sleep.
Also, been told many times it could be coffee – I don’t drink it anymore so there’s that, or people like to say is because of menopause. I don’t think so. It just seems like something else not right and causing the insomnia.
So, I am going to start slowly shifting my dose to at night before bed as that seems to work well for some people. If that doesn’t work, I’ll try taking it in the morning, and just continue with trial and error until I find the optimal time of day. Recently saw a sleep doctor, have not had any testing yet. Also. I bought a book called Sleep Fix, which has helped shed some light on this. Please share any thoughts anyone might have. Just want to sleep again! This has been a really rough 4 years!
Hi I am in my 80’s in good health and take Levothyroxin 50mcg daily except once a week 100mcgs. My problem is unrelated as my lab results are good but having a hard time sleeping. Found a great herbal supplement that works, however it does have Lemon Balm in it which apparently can interfere with thyroid function altho I have read different views on that. Just wondering if anyone knows if its harmful for low thyroid (its apparently recommended for hyPERthyroid people). I know abit about herbs and for instance Motherwort has the same precaution but according to a professional herbalist its safe for low thyroid so am wondering if its similar for the lemon balm?
Hello,
I’ve was diagnosed with Hashimotos 4 years ago. I’ve been taking Levothyroxine but I was still extremely tired and can’t fall asleep until 3 or 4 am. I read the book Hashimotos Protocol by Dr Wentz and it is starting to change my life. I started taking a more natural T4 called tinosint. I need to adjust to it which took me a couple of weeks of hot flashes and just a a little anxiety but after that period I feel really good. I started to take, zinc, vitamin d, magnesium, B12 and selenium. Feeling so much more energy and don’t get short of breath when I work. I’m not sure I will need to continue my Tinosint in the long run but for now I’m feeling good so I don’t mind. Tinosint has a couple of programs that will assist with the cost. It is a little more than a generic Levothyroxine.
As soon as I started reading posts from this group, I didnt feel so alone. I have been told I have hoshimotos for 15 years and have been on natural Armour Thyroid gradually going from total of 60 mg(1 grain) per day in split dose to 120-180 mg (2+ grain) a day in split dose. . .which did put me hyperthyroid for prbly almost two years I think, untill reducing dosage. It helped with my high bp( coincidently for 2 years) and also palpatations. I have always slept good untill last two years and now have digestion problems and cant sleep even with quentiapine/seroquel. I get so tired and irritable. I just want to sleep. I figure I have stress/adrenal issues. . .I have been through 2 difficult divorces over last 18 years (not being happy any of those years), the last 10 year marriage/divorce being angry ALL the time, also death of my best friend who happened to be my brother. My other bro having MS for 35 years barely able to move his legg/extreme tremor hits himself repeatedly in face just to eat. . .after loosing his wife 15 years ago! Much stress for me. . .figured I’d be dead in a few years from all this. Who knows. Fyi I remarried my 1st hub(we had 4 kids together) and am very content finally) But I am trying (most of the time lol) to read how to conquer this immune thing I have and beginning to experiment with supplements. I was afraid of iodine sups but after reading many posts, I will try iodine too! Thanks so much for support!
Hi Dawn, You are not alone and I’m happy that Hypothyroid Mom has been helpful to you. It is wonderful to have you on my website. All the best, Dana Trentini (aka Hypothyroid Mom)
Where can I get passionflower? Is it an extract
or capsule?
I have Hyperthyroidism i ll.see the endocrenologist nect week. Can i drink Sleepy Temple Tea at night to help me sleep….
Thanks
I am a seventy-six year old female who hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in five years! When I was in my 3o’s and my obgyn put me on some form of thyroid and then took me off after several months saying everything was now fine. Fast forward to old age -can’t fall asleep, can’t stay asleep, am anxious, depressed and lethargic. After sorting through years of medical records, mine, I see where TSH scores were out of balance, that I had some ANA with a suggestion of Sorgren’s(pn). Having said that, I have tried everything including edible marijuana. The Mj let me sleep, but no dreams and over time a bit of brain muddle, so I quit. HELP! I think perhaps an endocrinologist might help. Any suggestions?
I am a 50year old male with almost the exact same symptoms…but for six years. Edible THC is also the only thing that helps me also..
My tTSH score is 2.4, but my doctor thinks that’s way high for a guy in my shape. Have you seen the thyroid support supplements on amazon? The one body one has 10k reviews and a lot of anecdotal comments that may help you.
Does anyone have experience having a hypothyroid for many years – and then become hyperthyroid?
Insomnia, BP issues, Etc., …
I will be 73 in April.
I did. And they missed that it had switched from hypo to hyper and that the hyperthyroidism was causing my heart to work at five times the usual speed. Result – heart failure at 48 years and a damaged heart. 🙁 So make sure they keep monitoring your heart beat and if you get any palpatations at night, swollen feet or ankles, short of breath, tell your doctor/s.
Meditation is great for blood pressure and the heart. Especially TM (Transcendental Meditation). It lowers blood pressure and supports the heart. It has been scientifically proven.
I take high doses of Vitamin D with K in it to support absorption. I avoid grains (I basically eat a coeliac diet) and eat as fresh food as possible. I found the above article very interesting as my main challenge now is insomnia. I am trying out Melatonin which has helped a lot but as I have Hashimoto as well as Hyperthyroidism, I am cautious to take too much.
Best of luck!
This is called autoimmune disease Hashimoto:(
Apparently Oxalate levels in many healthy foods like nuts, spinach, sweet potatoes, etc. – play a significant role in our overall health.
Can anyone suggest sleep remedy foods or supplements for a person who has had hypothyroid problems for many, many years that recently switched to hyperthyroidism?
I have had a thyroid problem for many years. I take Levothyroxine 75mg , lately I find once I have taken them I become quite tearful or get that anxious feeling on my tummy. Not sure why now. Does anyone have any suggestions for me.
I used to take levothyroxine, then it disappeared and came back with a different formulation which did not work for me. I took the opportunity to switch to natural thryroid, which my nutritionist had been urging me to do for some time. I’d been afraid to do this— the thyroid is extremely sensitive to change, even tiny ones. I used the book Stop the Thyroid Madness and started on NP Thyroid by Acella. My md kindly helped me gradually get on the right dosage. Ever since, my thyroid has been completely stable and non-problematic. I highly recommend finding someone who will help you switch to natural thyroid (armpit is one kind, my success has been with NP thyroid by Acella. If your med makes you feel bad, find another! I had to do this for some time but am very happy I did. Good luck!
Has anyone found a natural stress /sleep supplement which doesn’t interfere with Synthroid medication (Hypothyroid)?? Melatonin doesn’t agree with me, adaptogen herbs cause the need to increase Synthroid. Ideally, I hope to get my doseage level down.
Came here to ask this. Just switched my synthroid from morning to night, and have had great results taking magnesium at night prior to this change. I’m trying to figure out if I can have it both ways, and how my evening routine should look.
Hi Sarah,
I’m considering doing as you mention, switching my synthroid intake at night. It’s brutal to go without proper sleep and life demands, you continue to function. Can you share an update how the switch went?
I have no thyroid I have insomnia. I came out of the hospital taking 72 calcium pills along with magnesium and a vit d pill with everything else the useless dr threw at me because he disnt know what he was doing.. anyway I have tried everything and I mean everything from drinks to tea to food to cherries. Sleeping meds from the dr. Still nothing. I sleep maybe 2-3 hours a night. Anything anyone could help me with would be appreciated very much. To top it off I have spinal fluid migraines. I sleep in a very dark room with 2 fans and in the winter the window is open so I can be cooler to try to sleep. So help please.
My mother is going through the same exact issue. Her primary care doctor just keeps feeding her sleeping pills and medication for anxiety. But her anxiousness is coming from lack of sleep. Praying for you. Please let me know if anything changes for you and I will do the same. We’re pretty stuck right now.
I suffered the same thing for 2 years and I thought I would die soon. As far as I know, you are about over dose of Levothyroxine even if your blood test is in normal range. Just try reducing the dose a little bit over time gradually. I took 75mcg everyday before and slept only 2-3 hours per night. Then I decreased the dose to 62,5 mcg, after 3 months I slept better. Now I take 50mcg and can sleep at least 5-6 hours per night, plus around 1 hours at noon. Don’t reduce your dosage significantly because your body need time to adapt the new dose. And ensure that your blood test is still in normal range. You should often do light exercises, it will also help you for sleep and clear your mind.
Hope my comment could help your issue.
I have tried the cherry juice and does not work for me. I cannot ingest anything with sugar before bedtime. I am going to try taking the thyroid med before bed instead of the morning and see what happens.
As helpful as ashwagandha can be for some, it can be horrible for others. Ashwagandha is part of the nightshade family. If you are doing an autoimmune protocol diet or have fibromyalgia, you should avoid all nightshade plants. Peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and paprika are some of the others you should not eat. Nightshades are guaranteed to cause a huge fibro flare for me. Many supplements that have been developed for thyroid issues and adrenal fatigue contain ashwagandha. Always look at the ingredients. If you have a reaction and your symptoms worsen after taking a supplement, it may be due to the nightshades contained in it.
Thanks so much for your advice. Very helpful. I have Hashimoto’s, fibromyalgia and terrible insomnia. All of my supplements for sleep have Ashwagandha.
Thanks again!
Ira
Sooooo good to know I was all in until I read your post – never heard about nightshade!!! Than You!!!
I was told it is the pituitary gland, not the hypothalamus that produces TSH.
Actually, it’s the hypothalamus that produces TSH which stimulates the pituitary.
The hypothalamus produces thyrotropin, not TSH. The pituitary produces and excretes TSH production. IJS
It” the hypothalamus and yhe pituitary together.
I am so glad I read this article. I have hypothyroidism and just started on a low dose of Armour today. One of my concerns is that sometimes I have trouble falling asleep and what do I do now that I’m on this medicine, but I see you suggest cherries at night so I imagine the tart cherry concentrate I get at the Vitamin Store will be fine to drink before bed. At least hope I am right. Thank you.
I have throbbing in neck can’t sleep lost 3 stone in year waiting for a blood test and ultra scan and mri on throat do I have thyroid
I was on levothyroxine for 7 years and went off it due to weight gain and insomnia. I recently tried Iodoral (Iodine) and I felt great for 2 days and slept great and my temperature finally came up to 98.6 in the a.m. after being 95.5 for ever. However, after 2 days of being on Iodoral, I got a bad headache. I have migraines also, so am prone to headaches. I’m wondering if there’s any other kind of Iodine that might not cause headaches?
I take .88 Levothyroxine and 50 Trazodone; would there be a problem with any of your supplement suggestions?
As my thyroid and hormones shifted and wreaked havoc, I suffered from insomnia for months. Worked with naturopath, thyroid dr and psychiatrist and nutritionist. Changed diet, worked on gut healing, meditation, breathing, sleep hygiene protocols, and tried all kinds of drugs from Ambien to Serequel (which I woke up with anxiety attack), teas with valerian, passionflower, etc., Chinese herbs, supplements, and more. None of really worked. The ONLY thing that is helping right now is Kavanice Ultra PM. It has 5htp and Melatonin and helps with GABA receptors. It’s been a God send. It’s something I probably could not be on for long, but it’s definitely helping these last couple months to get my life back.
Michele, I’m happy to hear you’ve found something to help with insomnia. It is amazing how our bodies are all different and it’s about finding that one thing that can make all the difference. Good to have you at Hypothyroid Mom.
I’m 48 years old female and I ended up in a thyroid storm on life support due to a malfunction thyroid and I’m now on 100 micrograms of levothyroid but also have been believing that I needed a mood stabilizer and antidepressant medicine although I have safely stopped the mood meds because I really don’t need Them.
I’ve also learned that when taking thyroid medicine
It’s only effective on an empty stomach with a glass of water ( not coffee) lol
Also,! Only the thyroid med to be taken by itself not with any others
There is only 1 thyroid you can take with coffee, that is Tirosint. This is what I take. All other thyroid meds need to be taken with water only and wait 1 hour for it to be effective.
I have been suffering from severe/chronic insomnia for over 4 months due to personal/professional stress. It has wreaked havoc on my body and quality of life. My PCP prescribed 15mg Mirtazapine and 3-5 mg of melatonin. I have been taking this combo for a little over a month after being on everything from Ambien to Klonopin with virtually no improvement in my sleep. After a complete blood workup by a holistic AP, I was told that I have mild hypothyroidism. Also, my insulin like growth factor, estrogen, and progesterone are all extremely low. I was prescribed Nature-throid(48.75 mg), LugoTab (12.5 mg Iodine) and Secretropin (3 sprays at bedtime for Insulin Growth Like Factor). My AP says it safe to still take Mirtazapine and Melatonin. Can someone please give me some feedback. Will this help my chronic insomnia and is it safe to take this cocktail of meds/supplements together? Oh, I also started taking Adrenevive.
Also, should I address the low estrogen/progesterone? Can this hormonal imbalance be the cause for insomnia as well? My body is completely out of whack…hot flashes, cold sensitivity, memory loss, wired-tired feeling.
Sounds to me like you’re going through menopause. I would talk to my gynecologist if I was you because menopause is a natural process and you don’t want to interfere with it. Your gyne can recommend what to take/do to relieve menopausal symptoms.
I have never read about this but ever since taking oil of oregano, I sleep like a baby. I used to regularly get 7 1/2 hours every night and then hypo/Hashimoto’s. I began with only two to four hour intervals of sleep. After taking oil of oregano, I am easily getting six or more hours at once.
That’s wonderful Kathy that you’ve found something that helps. Good to have you at Hypothyroid Mom.
How do you take it?
I have insomnia for over 2 months, multiple visits to the Dr, they prescribed antidepressants, and antihistamine for sleep after reading the side effects I didn’t take any, I’ve try the sleep therapy and some night i can sleep up to 5 or 6 hours but still not enough for me, I feel lots of things, from panic attacks, anxiety, dizzines, headaches, tremors, inflamation, high sugar, low and high bp, weight loss with out trying, palpitations, just tired, some times I feel I won’t make it trough the night, being in the hospital several times, blood work, x rays, everything is normal they said, until this morning I finally went to have a thyroid blood work as I have all the symptoms for hyperthyroidism, i have to wait a couple days for the results but im desperate for some sleep.
What did it come out as? I have had all the same symptoms which have gotten a lot worse over the last 7-8 months. I got a 10 panel blood to figure out what was going on and it came back as a .2 tsh level. Now I am waiting on the second set of tests to confirm before they send me to an endocrinologist. It’s such a frustrating thing to deal with!
Hi Mel, Be sure your testing includes the 6 lab tests included in a chart in this article. Good to have you at Hypothyroid Mom.
https://hypothyroidmom.com/top-5-reasons-doctors-fail-to-diagnose-hypothyroidism/
I am 50 female , have been diligently taking Synthroid /Levo 100 mag since past 20 years for Hashimoto’s and not a single positive change ever. I have ‘normal’ results on paper every year and the primary/endocrinologist asks me to simply continue with year long refill. I decided to to take this in my hands, as despite pleading with several endocrinologists about why I am so eternally chronically fatigued, they see the paperwork and send me off with the same Synthroid/Levo as if all is fine, while only I know it is not.
A week ago, I started taking Sea Kelp for thyroid support (has Iodine from Kelp and potassium iodide 225 mg, 100% daily value). Just as a short time experiment, I stopped the Levo 100 mag temporarily during this week.
Lo and Behold! For the first time in all these years, I began to feel energetic where I felt like taking walks (my joints did not hurt, no soreness). Also, physically, I did not feel drained and dragged like before. Due to severe tiredness and lethargy, I used to sit or lie down most of the time, but since taking this iodine supplement, I started being productive for the first time! I know I should introduce my Levo back, as this was only for a short time , but now am wondering, ‘Should I? the Levo/Synthroid did nothing all these years, as long as I am feeling good now”. The only thing I notice is , from 3 days out of the week on kelp/iodine, I started waking up in the middle of the night and takes me an hour to go back to sleep. Not sure if it is a side effect or can that be changing to hyper-thyroidism slowly? Otherwise, I feel great with the energy levels up for the first time in 20 long years on Synthroid. I also have to add that I changed my high fiber-low fat diet to a Ketogenic diet by eliminating grains. Please share if anyone has any similar experiences or can advice. Thanks!
Oops , I meant to write Synthroid/Levo mCg and not mag.
Selonia, that’s astonishing!! Dropping grains/carbs is the hardest..I have not managed that yet but I know it would help with many symptoms like weight gain. And at 74, I have been tired forever and as I get older, all I want to do is sleep.
I have hypothyroidism for more than 30 years and I am taking levothyroxine. I eat seafood and seaweeds whenever I am low on energy and it helps, but be careful if you have gout.
Hello, I’m 75 and have Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s I take 146.25 mg of Nature-throid. I still suffer from insomnia. I had almost stage 4 breast cancer in 2003. By God’s grace I’m still here but ever since the cancer treatment (strong chemo and radiation) I can’t sleep without the aid of drugs. I’ve had thyroid since I was in my 20’s. I’ve read over your 18 things to do for sleep. I most of them except the kale and dark greens. I am disparate to get off trazadone and belsomra it effects my memory so much. So is there any help for us older suffered. thanks Patty
I use 5mg of melatonin and 2 pills of Natra Sleep.
I never used belsomra, but replaced ambien with 5mg melatonin from Natrol. Ambien was giving me flu like symptoms.
I first used 1 pill of natra sleep and half of trazadone, and eventually 2 pills of natra sleep and none of trazadone. It worked on me for calm and help me sleep quicker and for longer hours, and replace trazadone with a natural pill.
You can buy it in GNC or Amazon. It contains:
Passion Flower, Lemon Balm Herb Extract, Valerian Root Extract, Chamomile Flower &
Suntheanine L-Theanine.
After months of intent I’ve research motivated by extreme anxiety attacks and weeks of insomnia the one consigned finding was low iodine. I was suffering with hyperthyroidism.
I highly recommend you read this book ; The Iodinr Crisis by Lynne Farrow
You will never look back!
Good luck
After months of intensive research motivated by extreme anxiety attacks and weeks of insomnia the one consistent finding on the root cause of thyroid and other diseases was iodine deficiency. I was suffering with hyperthyroidism.
I highly recommend you read this book ; The Iodine Crisis by Lynne Farrow
You will never look back!
Good luck
I’m 60, been taking levothyroxine for 15 years, went from .25 to 100mcg, recently I was diagnosed with low THS4, doc recommended ultrasound but still haven’t done it, kinda scared 😟 any recommendations?
The best combo I found for high cortisol and borderline low thyroid contributing to insomnia is phosphatidylserine followed by the low dose of nature-throid my doctor prescribed. After researching I found the seriphos her clinic sells really can’t be beat for reviews and price per pill. Most negative reviews are during a short period the company changed the formula. I just wish it came in smaller bottles.
I was getting a rebound effect when it wore off though and waking up. Then I couldn’t get out of bed taking the thyroid hormone in the morning. The prescription pills peak about when the seriphos is wearing off so when taking them close together at night it seems to solve both problems. I can only speculate why that works until tests are repeated but from the first night I followed seriphos with nature-throid I fell back to sleep solidly and had the least fatigue, sinus inflammation, and joint pain all the next day. While my insomnia isn’t completely solved yet none of the rest has returned.
I also found testoquench has some of the same feel but much milder and longer lasting than seriphos. I take it after dinner. However, I also have very high estrogen and high testosterone so how much of the effect is related or unique to my combination of problems I don’t know. Personally I’d rather not take such a broad mix of herbals with no exact dosages listed but I’ve taken far riskier things, prescription or not, trying to treat insomnia and fatigue for 20 years.
I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in December 2017 been taking 50mg of Levothyroxine since then i find that my tiredness has escalated and my irritability fluctuates!!!! can anyone advise???
Probably wrong dose, or if you’re taking levothyroxine instead of Synthroid, that makes a difference. It takes time to get the right dosage. You need to be tested every month to see what your thyroid level is until you get the right dose.
I have been taking my synthroid right before bedtime for years and slept like a baby – never any problem sleeping… but recently I started taking it in the morning and now am having insomnia problems… I’m going to try taking it before bed again and see what happens…
So, how do you feel after taking it back at night ?
I m 18 years old …India
I am 6 ft 5 inch
I am suffering from hypothyroidism from last 8 years ….
From past few years I feel lazy and tired …n more sleepy…what can I do beside taking medicine to reduce fatigue…
Eat lots of vitamin A fruits and vegetables
I’m removing all the shares that I did for hypothyroid mom!
I find that people that promote health products
are not really trying to help people with hypothyroidism
but trying to fill their pockets.
When people start recommending foods like spinach, kale, and other goitrogenic food, saying they are better cooked than raw because they may go against a low thyroid.
I say avoid these foods altogether, because there are many better foods that contain vitamin
A. Besides these foods are not real vitamin A, they are beta-carotene which is very hard to convert into vitamin A by a hypothyroid person. As far as food source vitamin D the cheapest vitamin D works as I personally have had blood tests to prove it. If you really want
good information the book- solved the riddle of illness is good. My opinion is you need animal food to be healthy if you have hypothyroidism. Dr David Derry, Mary Shoman
I’m 53yrs old am taking .50 thyroxine daily which the Dr says is the correct dose. I feel like a 70yr old. My joints hurt all the time . Im cranky and my energy levels are low . Just found out my iron levels are low so im on iron tablets. I wish I could go back 10 yrs to when I was extremely fit and was always well. 😢😢
YES! Ditto!
I am a 69 yr old female I have been on thyroid medication for over 30 a very small dose .25 .
I just found out that I have a nodule in the right side of my thyroid. I have asked my dr many times that I knew something was wrong with my thyroid he always said we do a blood test every yr and it is fine. I knew something was wrong I know my body m
Change doctors, thyroid test is done at least every 3-6 months
I have the same problem!!! I am having thyroid trouble myself!!! I usually can sleep with no problems!!! Not lately!!! My Dr. did a thyroid blood test too!!! Said everything is fine!!! Bull crap!!! Take care!!!
Just came from the hospital after I was diagnose with Hyperthyroidism. I am home now my name is Philip 6feet 3 tall. I came home about 4pm I had a good afternoon with a few visiting the bathroom to urinate…I am not hot but when I am on the air mattress I cannot sleep. It is getting harder for me I am sweating. I am now on sitting with on the living room chair my legs on the bed trying to sleep…
how best can you help me I have a doc appt tomorrow at 9am I need to sleep..what can eat or do before I go to bed in order for me to have a good night sleep
Philip, I think an air mattress would make anyone hot. It does not breathe. Try sleeping on a organic surface. Cotton. Linen.
Try also a dose of magnesium at night.
Also, the tips in the article above are very helpful.