Hashimoto's Fatigue and Your Circadian Rhythm
The connection between Hashimoto's fatigue and your circadian rhythm
If you're living with Hashimoto's, you know how hard it can be to wake up in the morning, and the dragging feeling that pulls you down through the day. Hashimoto's fatigue and brain fog are two of the most common reasons women come to see us at Nova Wellness, our thyroid and autoimmune practice in San Francisco.
When I was ill, what I wanted most was to move through the day feeling energized. Instead, I started each morning by forcing myself out of bed and dragged myself through the day with occasional naps. Some days I felt like I needed to prop my eyelids open with my fingers just to stay awake. Many of our clients describe the fatigue as wading through mud or living in a fog.
When the thyroid slows down, everything slows down: thoughts, metabolism, mood, hair growth, digestion. Everything feels heavy and difficult.
One piece often missing from thyroid care is attention to the circadian rhythm.
Hashimoto's is a whole-body illness
When we focus only on the thyroid and thyroid medication, we miss an important truth: Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease. That means the deeper issues lie in the immune system, and healing the immune system is key to addressing the root cause of Hashimoto's. Supporting the circadian rhythm is one way to help stabilize the immune system.
The thyroid also doesn't work alone. It lives in a community of hormones, alongside estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, insulin, and vitamin D. Much like us, these hormones talk to one another, work together, and grow together. Supporting your circadian rhythm strengthens your cortisol rhythm, which in turn supports the thyroid itself.
Why fall is the time to reset your circadian rhythm
The circadian rhythm is a primal hormonal program that shapes our foundational rhythms: sleep and wake cycles, hunger patterns, and energy. As the seasons change, our cortisol rhythm shifts with the changing balance of light and darkness through the day.
In the fall, as the days get shorter and the nights get longer, we have a beautiful opportunity to re-ground in our circadian rhythm after the long days and short nights of summer.
Understanding cortisol and the circadian rhythm
Cortisol is one of the key hormones that carries our circadian rhythm. Made by the adrenal glands, cortisol rises in the morning to help us wake up. It declines slowly through the day and is lowest at night, allowing us to sleep.
When this rhythm is in balance, we wake easily, have a healthy appetite, and feel ready to face the day. At night, as cortisol declines, our thoughts and energy slow down, and we prepare for sleep and sleep soundly through the night. Overnight, we recharge and start again the next day, fresh and full of energy.
We've all felt the effects of jet lag when our circadian rhythm hasn't adjusted to a new time zone: fatigue, brain fog, irritability, constipation. When the circadian rhythm is off, it's like having jet lag all the time.
Signs of cortisol dysregulation
Difficulty waking in the morning
Difficulty falling asleep at night
Weight gain around the belly
Difficulty losing weight
Waking at 3 a.m.
Anxiety, depression, or both
Feeling "wired and tired"
Sugar cravings
Lack of motivation
Poor immunity
Low resilience to stress
How modern life disrupts your rhythm
Modern culture tries to override this primal rhythm, yet it's the very part of us that keeps us steady and grounded while the world moves so quickly.
Artificial lighting, blue light from screens, constant stress, and irregular mealtimes all interfere with the hormonal signals that support a healthy circadian rhythm. Blue light in particular tricks the body into thinking it's daytime when it's actually night.
Many cultures once honored the circadian rhythm naturally: candlelit and fireside gatherings with friends and family, slowing down in winter, and sleeping more hours.
Still tired on thyroid medication? Why cortisol matters for thyroid health
Many people come to us with a thyroid issue, but managing thyroid medication is only part of the picture. If your thyroid labs look normal but you're still tired, or you still feel bad on thyroid medication, it's time to look at the whole person, not just one part.
Many of our clients have been living with thyroid issues for quite some time. When the thyroid is under strain for a long time, the cortisol system often ends up strained too. In fact, most of our clients have both a thyroid issue and a cortisol issue.
That's why establishing a healthy circadian rhythm is key: it supports cortisol. Cortisol symptoms and thyroid symptoms overlap, and healthy cortisol supports a healthy thyroid.
A healthy circadian rhythm keeps our metabolism, energy, and immune system strong through the winter. It can also offer a deep sense of comfort. In these unusual and fast-changing times, the circadian rhythm can provide stability and strength to our animal body, which allows us to navigate stress and change with more ease.
7 ways to strengthen your circadian rhythm with Hashimoto's
Get sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning. Within 30 minutes of waking, step outside for 10 minutes without eyewear and take in the light. Morning sunlight tells your body what time of day it is and sets your circadian rhythm for the day.
Keep consistent sleep and wake times. Keep your bedtime and wake time within the same one-hour window each day. This consistency stabilizes your circadian rhythm.
Use light as a resource. Keep your bedroom completely dark, avoid screens for an hour before bed, and wear blue-light-blocking glasses when using screens after sunset. This keeps your body from confusing day and night signals.
Listen to your rhythm. When your body wants to go to bed, let it, rather than pushing past that impulse. For most people, this means being asleep before 11 p.m.
Exercise in the morning. Move your body in the morning, when cortisol is naturally at its highest.
Harmonize your day with your natural rhythm. Schedule your most demanding mental and physical activities early in the day, and save creative, relaxing activities for the evening.
Eat regular meals. Don't skip breakfast, and eat meals with at least 20g of protein at regular intervals through the day.
Hashimoto's care at Nova Wellness
In the Nova Wellness 4-Step Healing Process, energy management is part of Step 2, Build Foundation, which means it is foundational to healing. A large part of energy management is working with and strengthening our circadian rhythm. When that rhythm is missing, we end up trying to override a system that's there to nourish and support us. Learning to work with and accept our natural rhythms helps us create a balanced, healthy body.
As a naturopathic doctor in San Francisco focused on Hashimoto's and thyroid health, much of my work is about embracing and enhancing the vitality and health already built into our systems. Healing is possible for you. It's possible to regain your energy, feel better, and live a life of pleasure and fulfillment beyond what you can experience in the midst of illness.
If you're looking for a Hashimoto's doctor in San Francisco and feel called to a deeper level of health and healing, book a discovery call or attend our Thyroid Empowerment Workshop. Together, we'll explore what you desire and a path to get you there.
Nova Wellness is a functional medicine practice in San Francisco specializing in Hashimoto's, thyroid health, and root-cause care. Schedule a discovery call to explore your symptoms and find out whether our approach is the right fit.
