Your Thyroid Needs Sleep To Heal

It's no surprise that sleep is essential to optimal thyroid health. Our bodies do the most healing while we sleep. Yet, it seems like despite how exhausted we feel during the day, when our head hits the pillow at night many of us toss and turn and can't get the sleep we need.

You can go ahead and blame your Hashimoto's symptoms (joint pain and inflammation) for your inability to get a good night sleep. When your symptoms flare up, making sleeping difficult, it tends to manifest itself into anxiety about not being able to fall asleep. This, in turn, now has you worried and on edge about how groggy and less alert you will be for the next day. Thus, the vicious cycle begins.

Sound familiar?

The reason you are having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep has everything to do with the inflammation caused by your Hashimoto’s. Over the years, research has shown that inflammation contributes to anxiety. Anxiety and stress go hand in hand with a mind that won't "shut off" at night. In addition, anxiety and stress can contribute to physical ailments. When this vicious cycle repeats itself night after night, our cortisol production spikes, raising inflammation in the body, especially in the gut and pituitary gland.

Painful inflammation and achy joints can make sleeping nearly impossible, wake you from a sound sleep, or leave you unable to go back to sleep. The heavy metal toxins in the body can interfere with the brains natural neurotransmitters letting the rest of the body know it's time for bed. The inability to sleep in turn wreaks havoc on an already compromised immune system.

Sleep is essential for optimal immune function and without it we are compromising our immune system even more. When our immune systems are compromised, we are more susceptible to illness and autoimmune flare ups.

Therefore, we create this vicious cycle that results in exaggerated symptoms that lead to insomnia and more autoimmune symptoms. Once getting the inflammation under control symptoms will calm and the ability to sleep at night will resume.

The idea of getting a good night's sleep might be a source of stress if you are currently experiencing some form of insomnia. Setting up daily rituals or bedtime habits will allow the body to settle down each day to get the sleep it needs. Establishing daily habits or routines sends signals to the brain that it's time to go to sleep. 

Tips on Implementing a Sleep Schedule or Routines to Encourage Sleep: 

• Use a smart phone or smart device to set a sleep schedule. The great thing about technology today is that various fitness apps and even our smart phones are now equipped for setting a "Sleep Schedule" which will put your device into a "sleep mode" or "do not disturb mode".  When you utilize this function on your device you set a timeframe in which you aim to sleep (for instance 10:30pm - 6:30am). For the time range you have selected it gives you a few options like putting your screen in nighttime mode, turning off notifications during those hours, and a soothing alarm to wake up to in the morning. Which contrary to what you may think, is more effective than that startling fire alarm sound. Sleep mode option on a smart device will also give you a 30-minute heads up that it's almost bedtime so that you can start wrapping up your current activity and begin to wind down. 

• Read as a way to unwind. Set aside 30 minutes prior to your bedtime to settle down with a book. When reading a book before bed, choose something inspirational, motivational, or self-improvement. Stay away from the books that will captivate you and make it hard to put it down long past your bedtime. If it’s a digital book set your screen to “nighttime mode”. This setting will eliminate the blue light from the device screen that could cause you to remain wide awake. Try to stay away from playing games on your device or reading material that can be stressful or emotional, like news articles or scrolling through social media. Keep the reading material light. 

• Meditate to calm and quiet the mind. Meditation is a great way to unwind and relax. Incorporate deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation with your meditation. You can do the progressive muscle relaxation technique while lying in bed. Start by closing your eyes. Concentrate on your breathing. Breathe in your nose and out of your mouth slowly. Place your hand on your stomach to ensure your diaphragm is expanding as you inhale and contracting as you exhale. Start with your face and tense up all of the muscles and then relax them. Then go to your shoulders and tense up your muscles and then relax them until they literally melt into the bed. Do this until you have reached your toes. Once you've done this process over your entire body, lay there concentrating on your breathing and making sure your body is relaxed. Repeat the process, if necessary, but most people will drift off to sleep before they even finish. 

• Listen to calming music or sounds. Use a mood app or sound machine to play soothing sounds or white noise softly in the background to promote relaxation and sleep.  If using a smart device, be sure that the device’s screen is set to nighttime mode so that it doesn’t illuminate the room or place it with the screen faced down on a bedside table or dresser. 

• Make sure the room is completely dark. Unplug all devices and make sure the room is dark enough that you can hardly even see your hand in front your face. When able, allow yourself to wake up to natural sunlight illuminating the room.

• Make sure the room is cool and that your linens and pajamas are comfy. Fabrics should be soft, and the room should be a comfortable 68 degrees. You can also try a weighted blanket, as many individuals who suffer with anxiety have success with these. 

• Put down your phone 45 - 60 minutes before going to bed. Get off social media. Turn off the TV etc. Instead of mindlessly scrolling on your computer or phone until you fall asleep try this enjoying a warm cup of the healing tea found in the 5 Step Gentle Detox, take a hot bath (with Epson salts and Lavender Essential Oils), and read (a real, paperback book is even better). 

If you do wake in the middle of the night and find yourself tossing and turning and unable to go back to sleep, then maybe try switching locations. For instance, take your pillow and favorite soft, comfy blanket and go lie down on a couch or recliner. Sometimes, removing yourself from the spot that is causing you stress is enough to help you get back to sleep quickly. If you are feeling anxious because you aren’t sleeping, then subconsciously you may be associating those negative feelings with your bed and bedroom, which is why finding another spot that is comfortable and relaxing may do the trick.