#stress and hyperthyroidism

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The Connection Between Stress and Thyroid Disorders: Managing Your Health

Introduction Stress and thyroid disorders are closely linked, yet many people overlook this connection. The thyroid gland plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, energy levels, and overall well-being, while stress can disrupt these functions, leading to various health issues. If you’re experiencing unexplained weight changes, fatigue, or mood swings, understanding how stress affects your…

The Connection Between Stress and Thyroid Disorders: Managing Your Health

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Self Care - The Essential Step of Your Hypothyroidism Journey

One of the most common thyroid diseases in the United States is Hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can not only affect the most important functions in your body but it can also affect your mental well being. 

It's concerning how some symptoms of thyroid disease can be of a mental nature and go undiagnosed or worse yet attributed to another condition altogether . You may not find the relation between the two when it comes to these symptoms and most of the time medical providers will not test for possible thyroid issues as the root cause.  

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The Thyroid

The thyroid gland sits at the bottom of the neck and is shaped like a butterfly with wing-shaped lobes. Glands like the thyroid produce hormones that are essential to life and our overall health. The hormones produced by the thyroid are carried in the blood to keep your body functioning correctly. The hormones it produces are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). 

What is hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism happens when the thyroid gland does not make enough of the necessary thyroid hormones. The problem with this is that it affects so many of the body's functions. One of the first signs of thyroid issues could be goiters or swelling in the neck. 

Symptoms 

Some of the mental well being symptoms that may be associated with hypothyroidism can be diagnosed as depression or anxiety or attributed to other conditions such as menopause. Here are some to watch for: 

Brain fog - difficulty concentrating

Depression

Forgetfulness

Anxiety

Mood swings

What to do first - Have a Thyroid Panel Test

Don't self diagnose. It's always easy to look at all of the information that you find online and think that you have found all of the answers, but there is nothing like a sure diagnosis from a medical provider to eliminate any doubt of your existing condition. Visit your doctor and ask to have a thyroid panel done. A thyroid panel is a series of blood tests that will measure the different types of thyroid hormones already present in your body. 

Self Care - The Essential Step of Your Hypothyroidism Journey

As we navigate toward a healthier lifestyle by watching our carbs and adjusting our medications, we need to remember that taking care of our minds and doing things we enjoy is just as important. Our mind is begging for a reprieve at times and its essential to go within to figure out what makes us happy and what can help us relax and allow us the opportunity to reset. Below are some suggestions that you can experiment with. You can always switch these and make these your own. If you have severe anxiety or depression consult your doctor if you’re not sure any of these are right for you. 

Self Hypnosis

There are many different ways to try self hypnosis. What is it?  There are many different ways to define it, but for the purpose of this post I will call it a form of meditation and visualization that allows you to relax and reach goals as well as break habits. Studies have shown that self hypnosis can have positive effects on weight loss, pain management and anxiety. 

Reading

Did you know that reading has positive mental and physical impacts?  There are so many genres to pick up out there from mysteries, action and history. Reading allows your mind to destress and can help you sleep better. 

Take Care of Your Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene or the lack of can be a sign of depression or your state of mind. With the state of the world, personal cleanliness has never felt as important as it is now. Taking care of your personal hygiene will also help you feel better and can help you prevent illnesses. Consider if your daily hygiene routines help you feel better or worse. 

Play Your Heart Out

The stereotype of video games being for couch potatoes or unsophisticated is rapidly changing. Video games can not only have an impact on your brain but they can also help with stress relief and exercise.  The world of video games offers so many different types that it would be a mistake not to give them a try. A study conducted in East Carolina University found that video games may help lessen depression and anxiety as well as help boost mood both short and long term. 

Don't Live to Eat, Eat to Live

We don't always eat because we are physically hungry, and as thyroid patients this can be double impactful to our health. Many of us can turn to food for comfort or to reward ourselves and these foods tend to be junk food or sweets or other unhealthy foods. Unfortunately emotional eating does not fix the problem and can instead amplify it. Find ways to reward yourself or de stress that doesn't involve food such as exercising, meditation, music or all of the above. 

Final Word on Self Care and Its Importance

Whether you have a thyroid condition or not, exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress and the way you manage them will make a difference in how you feel. And aside from doing things you enjoy, finding new hobbies and just treating yourself from time to time, one of the most important things you can do is to take the correct dose of thyroid hormone. This may take a few tries and even adjusting and readjusting throughout your lifetime as our body changes but taking wrong amounts of thyroid hormone will significantly change the way you feel and function.

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Links: 

7 Ways to Practice Self-Care When Managing Hypothyroidism

6 Habits You CAN Learn Right Now to Live a Healthier Life with Hypothyroidism.

4 Things you can do to reduce STRESS- a key problem to your thyroid health

Reading your Thyroid Blood Tests

Yes, Self-Hypnosis Can Really Work — Here’s How to Give It a Try

7 Ways to Practice Self-Care When Managing Hypothyroidism

5 Benefits of Video Games for Adults and Seniors

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4 Things you can do to reduce STRESS- a key problem to your thyroid health

Thyroid Hormones are Connected Your Bodies Stress System

Stress is a survival mechanism that can save your life in an emergency. Unfortunately sometimes stress can overcome us. Did you know that stress significantly impacts your thyroid symptoms? How about that stress and weight gain are linked? Stress can impact your thyroid by slowing down the way it functions and slowing down your metabolism. Stress hormones and cortisol need to be balanced for your thyroid to function well. If this balance is disrupted, you can develop thyroid symptoms. 

If you have ever wondered if stress could have caused your thyroid issues you are not alone. Although there is no evidence to support this, people with hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism tend to be more sensitive to stress. 

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"When you have either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, you become more sensitive to both mental and physical stresses, as the excessively high or low levels of thyroid hormones affect how the whole body reacts to stress,"  -- Dr Guandalini "Stress increases production of the hormone cortisol, which is produced by the adrenal glands. Cortisol can inhibit secretion of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) from the pituitary gland, leading to partial suppression of thyroxine, the main hormone produced by the thyroid gland, "  -- Dr. Guandalini

4 things you can do to reduce your stress

With everyday life it would be impossible to get rid of stress completely, but the good news is that you do have options to help reduce it. I won't go over sleep or exercise because those two elements for those who suffer with a thyroid condition, is going to be key always, and it goes without saying that I would always mention it in every post. Getting adequate sleep and exercise can significantly impact the way the body handles stress. 

Learn to take breaks

Taking breaks is important especially if you suffer from hypothyroid symptoms like fatigue, sluggishness and brain fog. Its easy to get caught up with errands and work but it can be bad for your health. Give your mind, body and hormones the opportunity to catch up with you at least every 60-90 minutes by taking a 10 -15 minute break. 

For those of us who have jobs that don't allow us to take several breaks, take at least an hour for yourself each day to relax your mind and your body in a way that works best for you. This could be a long warm bath, reading a book or listening to music. 

Lavender aromatherapy

Studies have shown that lavender aromatherapy can reduce anxiety by 20 percent. Lavender helps promote calmness and is said to reduce stress, anxiety and even some mild forms of pain.  

Ashwagandha

This ancient medicinal herb can help your body manage stress. Ashwagandha also has other benefits for your body and brain like: 

Reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety

Reduces cortisol levels

May have anticancer properties

Can reduce blood sugar levels

Can boost testosterone and increase fertility in men

May reduce inflammation

I have added the link below for more information and the full list of benefits. 

Talk to someone you confide in

Expressing your feelings can be a huge stress relief. When you have a moment of feeling completely overwhelmed take a moment to call a friend or that dear family member that is always there for you. Remember, that family members can also be those faithful pets that never let us down, it is whatever family and friends mean to you. 

Summary

Although there is evidence to show the link between stress and autoimmune disease there isn't anything specific that would show that stress causes thyroid disease, but it is a great idea to work on keeping your stress as minimal as possible. 

Resources:

Stress and Your Thyroid: What’s the Connection?

Can Stress Cause Thyroid Problems? The Science Between Cortisol & Thyroid

Stress and Thyroid Autoimmunity

Mechanisms in endocrinology. Role of emotional stress in the pathophysiology of Graves' disease

The Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy on Reducing Stress and Anxiety During MRI Procedures.

12 Proven Health Benefits of Ashwagandha

Stefano Guandalini, MD