I Just Want to Sleep!
It's 12:12am and I can’t sleep. I fell asleep this morning on the couch for a quick cat nap, then longed for a nap all day during my work hours. I went to bed around 9:15, which is my usual time, but I have been up since 11.
I haven’t had issues with my insomnia like this since I was pregnant. My mind is racing in one thousand directions, did I do this, did I do that? I can’t sit still, and I feel restless even though I feel the most fatigued I have ever been. I wake up feeling tired, exhausted, and like I haven’t slept. I go through the days longing for a nap, thinking about when I can lay down. I thought it was just how it was as a mom. But something feels off.
Turns out I have hypothyroidism, which is why I am so darn tired. Not only hypothyroidism, but Hashimoto's disease. So, why am I wide awake?
My research shows that when your thyroid doesn't produce enough hormones, the balance of chemical reactions in your body can be upset.
Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland situated at the base of the front of your neck, just below your Adam's apple. Hormones produced by the thyroid gland — triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) — have an enormous impact on your health, affecting all aspects of your metabolism. These hormones also influence the control of vital functions, such as body temperature and heart rate.
Hypothyroidism results when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough hormones.
Hypothyroidism signs and symptoms include:
Fatigue -CHECK
Increased sensitivity to cold - CHECK
Constipation - CHECK
Dry skin - CHECK
Weight gain
Puffy face
Hoarseness
Muscle weakness
Elevated blood cholesterol level
Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness- CHECK
Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints - CHECK
Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
Thinning hair - CHECK
Slowed heart rate
Depression -CHECK
Impaired memory - CHECK
Enlarged thyroid gland (goiter)
On the other hand, I am also struggling with Hashimoto’s Disease. Could it get any worse?
Mayo Clinic.org says “Hashimoto's disease is a condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid, a small gland at the base of your neck below your Adam's apple. The thyroid gland is part of your endocrine system, which produces hormones that coordinate many of your body's functions.
Inflammation from Hashimoto's disease, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, often leads to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Hashimoto's disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. It primarily affects middle-aged women but can also occur in men and women of any age and in children.”
Lovely.
The symptoms are similar, and it’s clear that my hormones are imbalanced.
Fatigue and sluggishness -CHECK
Increased sensitivity to cold-CHECK
Constipation-CHECK
Pale, dry skin-CHECK
A puffy face
Brittle nails
Hair loss
Enlargement of the tongue
Unexplained weight gain
Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness-CHECK
Joint pain and stiffness-CHECK
Muscle weakness
Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding
Depression-CHECK
Memory lapses-CHECK
I’m doing all of this research for hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s, but I am not finding insomnia. Why can’t I sleep??
What is insomnia?
In terms of a definition, insomnia is a sleep disorder that causes you to have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep or means that you have low-quality sleep despite ample opportunity. Signs of insomnia include not being able to fall asleep, waking up too early, awakening during the night, feeling exhausted after a full night’s sleep, feeling tired during the day, and feeling irritable, depressed, and anxious.
What is the deal? Why do I have so many things going on? What on earth is happening? Most of the time I don't even know what day it is, where I am supposed to be, or what I am doing. But I keep it all together and figure it all out somehow. Everyone is still alive and well so yay!
I’ve got a lot going on, but I’m taking the time to center myself. Hubs was worried about me the other day because it was like I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I just wanted to lay down and be left alone. Now that I know what is going on, I can try to fix it. I’m starting to take time every morning to myself to mediate and pray. Having a few quiet moments with good old HP really starts the day better. So even though I feel like I want to sleep every second of my life, I am going to focus on things I can do to feel better. Try to do one thing for yourself today, no matter how small. It helps in the long run and really changes the day!
Also, please comment with ideas for what to write about the next time I can’t sleep!
