If you have Hashimoto’s low thyroid and are still feeling tired from daylight saving you’re not alone. Changing the time throws a kink in the biological clock, leaving many people feeling tired for a few weeks.
That one hour sleep change can cause insomnia and groggy, tired days.
Scientific studies the the bi-annual time change messes with our health, which is harder on those with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism.
The body contains genes that turn on and off to maintain a sleep-wake rhythm. When we skew these genes by changing the time, this affects the rest of the body. The disruption is felt body-wide and can impact thyroid health.
For someone with Hashimoto’s low thyroid, this impacts managing this autoimmune thyroid disease.
How daylight saving impacts Hashimoto’s low thyroid
Daylight saving time can dull the brain and throw off the body’s systems, causing significant and even fatal consequences.
Studies link daylight saving time with driving fatalities, workplace injuries, heart attacks, and even an increase in suicide.
Also, work productivity suffers, losing hundreds of millions of dollars.
People who are wired to stay up late and sleep later in the morning take the longest to recover.
Some studies say our bodies never really adjust, especially as we’re designed to sync with light changes throughout the year.
The body’s clock influences immune function. A person with Hashimoto’s low thyroid needs to pay attention to thyroid management to buffer the impacts of daylight saving time.
How to weather daylight saving time when you have Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism
Although people many complain about daylight saving time, we’re nevertheless stuck with it.
Understanding how it affects your Hashimoto’s low thyroid condition can help you ease through the daylight saving transition.
Avoid overdoing it. Because you know daylight saving time is hard on your body, don’t expect too much. Avoid activities that demand too much energy.
Schedule in naps and rest. Daylight saving time can leave you sleep-deprived for a while. Nap during lunch, rest on weekends, and be disciplined about early bed times.
Wear orange glasses at night. Wearing orange safety glasses two hours before bed prevents artificial blue light from screens from getting into your eyes. Blue light at night suppresses sleep hormones.
Get daytime sunshine. Our bodies were designed to operate in sync with shifting changes in light, not an artificial schedule. Work to get natural light during the day and avoid artificial sources of blue light (computer, TV, smart phones) after dark.
It may take a little longer for people with Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism to adjust to daylight saving time. By following these recommendations and supporting your health you can better ease the transition into daylight saving time.
How to learn if you have Hashimoto’s low thyroid
Many patients are not diagnosed with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s until after several years and going through several doctors. It is a demoralizing journey richly illustrated in my book The Truth About Low Thyroid: Stories of Hope and Healing for Those Suffering With Hashimoto’s Low Thyroid Disease, through real-life stories from patients in my practice. Managing Hashimoto’s goes far beyond using thyroid medication as you must work to stop the immune system from attacking the thyroid. For more information on identifying and managing Hashimoto’s low thyroid, contact my office.
About Dr. Josh Redd, Chiropractic Physician — Utah, Arizona, New Mexico functional medicine
Dr. Joshua J. Redd, DC, MS, DABFM, DAAIM, author of The Truth About Low Thyroid: Stories of Hope and Healing for Those Suffering With Hashimoto’s Low Thyroid Disease, is a chiropractic physician and the founder of RedRiver Health and Wellness Center with practices in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. He sees patients from around the world who suffer from challenging thyroid disorders, Hashimoto’s disease, and other autoimmune conditions. In addition to his chiropractic degree, Dr. Redd has a BS in Health and Wellness, a BS in Anatomy, and a MS in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine. He speaks across the nation, teaching physicians about functional blood chemistry, low thyroid, Hashimoto’s, and autoimmunity. You can join his Facebook page here.
