BENGALURU: Lying in bed, tossing and turning -can’t get sleep.The alarm in the morning brings in a feeling of being more tiered. Zero motivation, mental fogginess, inability to concentrate, disturbances of memory, perception and problem solving skills bring with it horrendous fatigue. Besides being depressed, it is a never ending marathon in an attempt to loose the increased kilos on the scale. A familiar experience to all or an undiagnosed underactive thyroid.
Located at the bottom of the neck, behind the Adam’s apple is a butterfly shaped gland called the thyroid gland. It is a bit like the accelerator pedal in the car. It secretes two hormones thyroxine (known as T4) and triiodothyronine (known as T3).Together, these hormones regulates the body’s metabolism controlling the rate at which we burn energy and also how quickly the reactions happen. Underactive thyroid is a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones. Women have 10 times more risk than men for developing hypothyroidism and this risk increases with age. However, the root cause of thyroid can be managed by managing lifestyle. The thyroid gland is impacted significantly by stress.
Stress can be both physical or mental with impact on both emotional and cognitive areas.Stress could be self induced and unintentional yet driving the gland to be overworked. Running a marathon, family dynamics GI distress, new relationships and job deadlines can be considered as stressors. Stress and anxiety can truly put a pause on this metabolic gland. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to interrupt the stress/inflammatory response and break the cycle, including exercise but also getting sufficient, sound sleep and incorporating mindful relaxation (eg, meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises) into your daily routine
LIFESTYLE ADJUSTMENTS
nGetting smart about your sleep: A hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid affects the quality of your sleep.A regular sleep schedule makes it easier to fall and stay asleep.it is important to have 7-8 hours of quality sleep.Having a relaxin pre- sleep routine is important to facilitate good sleep.The body does better when you sleep in a calm comfortable ambience and a regular pattern.
nEat right: A dietary change could cripple the fatigue / brain fog and help in suppressing the imbalance. Focus on a balanced nutritious diet with no processed foods in your diet. Protein rich foods transport the thyroid hormone to all the tissues.Omega 3 rich foods found in fish and animal products and flaxseeds and walnuts control cell growth and immune function improving the response to the thyroid hormones. It is important to include micronutrients and vitamins in your diet with a help of rainbow colour of fruits and vegetables.
n Plan exercise: Stress has a negative impact on the immune system.Exercise can relieve symptoms associated with hypothyroidism and improve the cardiovascular health and muscle mass.Step up on the scale with regular walking or playing a sport which could help with bad mood, low energy and weight gain.
n Relaxing right: It is important to identify ways to unwind yourself. Taking time to reflect or meditate can help both mind and body to relax. In turn, this reduces the stress and increase of thyroid. A simple deep breathing, yoga is an energiser. A positive attitude with a reduced aggression and persistent assertiveness could help recover the thyroid gland from the untimely assaults of nature, leading to a path of holistic approach of healing.