HYPOTHYROID FATIGUE EXHAUSTION: 9 TIPS ON HOW TO OVERCOME CONSTANT FATIGUE

One of the symptoms of hypothyroidism is fatigue. It is debilitating… You may find yourself constantly tired throughout the day. Which leads to skipped workouts, social and life events. Not fun!

So how do you deal with fatigue? Below you will find some tips on how to overcome your fatigue.

1. Quit the caffeine rush:

   A cup of coffee here and there is ok but if you are relying on caffeine to get you through your day, it’s time to quite. Caffeine unfortunately cause you to crash. Replace your caffeine with healthier alternatives like green and herbal teas or Matcha. They provide much milder forms of caffeine and generally do not cause a hard crash.

2. Take a multivitamin or bee pollen:

   Most hypothyroidism are vitamin deficient. I would strongly suggest you invest in a quality multivitamin or add bee pollen to your daily regiment. Bee pollen is the food for baby bees. It contains all the essential vitamins and minerals we need! Taking a multi is specially important for those of you who workout as we sweat out vitamins.

3. Add some B12:

   According to Dr. Cammi Balleck, “B12 is an “energy nutrient” that our body needs to carry out essential functions. Autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s have been associated with a B12 deficiency. If you’re feeling weak and easily tired, you could have a Vitamin B12 deficiency. This vitamin is what your body requires for energy production, blood formation, and DNA synthesis. Gastrointestinal absorption depends on many co-factors, so it is quite possible to take adequate amounts of B12 in the diet yet have a B12 deficiency from not absorbing. Remember you are not what you eat. You are what you absorb.” Get your B12 levels checked and invest in a B12 supplement. It can greatly affect your energy levels!

4. Eat more whole foods:

   It is well know that refined grains, gluten and refined sugar disrupt our thyroid function. Replace these foods with whole foods. Eat more plant based that are o refined in any way. Think vegetables, whole fruits, lean protein, legumes and nuts. Try your best to remove any processed foods from your diet as again they interfere with our thyroid hormones. I would suggest getting your hands on a good meal plan made for hypothyroidism (like mine!) for better guidance. Nutrition is at the center of hypothyroidism so best to plan your meals.

5. Eat frequently:

   Keeping a steady blood sugar level is essential to your energy. So eat, and eat frequently. When you spike your blood sugar, insulin is released to remove excess glucose back into cells where then can be utilized. The more sugar, the higher the spike in insulin which over time can make your cells less sensitive to it. This in turn causes low thyroid. Our thyroid gland very much depends on blood sugar and insulin. I would recommend spacing your meals out to every 3 hours to keep your blood sugar steady.

6. Establish a good sleep pattern:

   You will most likely need the 8 to 9 hours of sleep! S0 get it in!!! Do your best to sleep at the same time every night (including weekends) and get up at the same hour. You could also invest in blue light therapy, black curtains or other sleep therapy tools.

7. Iron:

   Most those with low thyroid also suffer from low iron. Iron is an essential minerals that helps with cell metabolism and energy. “Iron deficiency causes less oxygen to reach your tissues, so your body is deprived of the energy it needs.” (Source: Hypothyroid Mom) Some great sources of iron include red meat, spinach, sea veggies like kelp and Spirulina and lentils. I would recommend adding these foods into your diet instead of taking iron supplements

8. Get active… slowly!

   You will be surprise how energizing a workout can be! When we workout we release endorphins and boost our metabolism for up to 72 hours! It’s important that you ease your way into workouts as with most people with low thyroid, resistance training can be very exhausting. The trick is to schedule your workouts at an optimal time where you have the most energy and go at your own pace. You may need more breaks than the average person or may only be able to workout for 45 minutes or hour at a time. Some doctors will recommend hypothyroidism to stay away from strenuous activity, however I believe the benefits outweighs the pitfalls. In time your body will get stronger and adapt to doing more.

9. Take time to recover:

   So this is super important for hypothyroidism! Make sure to schedule at least 20 minutes each day for recovery especially after workouts. Foam rolling, yoga and stretching are some great tools for recovery. Remember your body needs time to heal from workouts. Proper recovery will allow for muscle growth and better energy throughout the day.

I hope the above 9 tips gets you on the way to better health! Make sure to also check my post on supplements recommend for hypothyroidism.

Xoxo, LL.