6 Years Later, Sleep Temperature Is Still The Only Thing That Works

[MyUsernameHere]

I've been here since 2012, experimenting with this and that, since I developed hypothyroidism and an overall nervous breakdown (constant adrenaline, tightness in chest, heart palpitations etc.).

In those 6 years I've tried every diet variation possible, and most supplements, and nothing worked. I was in chaos mode for years.

The ONLY thing that helps me feel remotely normal is just sleeping warm. As much clothing as I can put on myself overnight. The more, the better. I sleep in a jacket and 2 sets of heavy clothing when I can. I wake up feeling like a completely different person - much more calm, balanced, not overdriven or stressed, no rushes in my chest, FAR less anxiety, even my TSH was lower... it's almost like magic. I would love to see any pill that could come close to those effects, and believe me I've taken many and none come close.

The problem with this is that the effects are only temporary. If I go back to sleeping in like normal pyjamas or something, I'm basically in the same place as 6 years ago. I do this for 2-3 days and all my symptoms are back, shaky, nervous mess, heart palpitations and arrhythmia, anxiety, sweating for no reason, it's awful.

So I've basically been using this as a fix so that I can function in society for the last year. I know this is all an end result of hypothyroidism I've recently been experimenting with red light, as this is the only thing besides maintaining high sleep temperature that shows promise. I've read the studies that shows people had several sessions and still had increased thyroid hormones at a check-up months later, but for me the effects of a single red light session do not last for more than 2 days at best. Maybe that is the difference of laser vs. LED, but it shouldn't matter (I use the LGS1).

In short, whatever I do, when I stop, I always revert to my shitty old sick self. Can't really make any headway with these therapies.

I feel like I need a complete endocrine reset. I'm shining the light in my eyes as well recently, but that feels somewhat dangerous, so I only do it at off-angle and from like several feet away, looking away often, otherwise the light pattern burns itself into my retinas which definitely doesn't feel good.

This is more like a stream of consciousness post, but I just want to throw it out there and maybe fish for some advice, I don't really want to talk about diet, minerals, supplements, or hormone pills , because I've tried the vast majority, and shown no improvement in my worst symptoms. Instead I'm more interested about potential mechanisms of restarting the pituitary, or maybe some long-term approaches to figuring out a cause of 'hypothyroidism' without autoimmunity that responds well to red light therapy (i.e. the gland itself seems fine). Thanks

 

[raypeatclips]

Have you tried to implement any lifestyle changes during these 6 years? Do you have the same job, do you live in the same place, same city, same level of exercise?

 

[DaveFoster]

(Note: this should probably go in the Ask For Help section, sorry about that mods)

I've been here since 2012, experimenting with this and that, since I developed hypothyroidism and an overall nervous breakdown (constant adrenaline, tightness in chest, heart palpitations etc.).

In those 6 years I've tried every diet variation possible, and most supplements, and nothing worked. I was in chaos mode for years.

The ONLY thing that helps me feel remotely normal is just sleeping warm. As much clothing as I can put on myself overnight. The more, the better. I sleep in a jacket and 2 sets of heavy clothing when I can. I wake up feeling like a completely different person - much more calm, balanced, not overdriven or stressed, no rushes in my chest, FAR less anxiety, even my TSH was lower... it's almost like magic. I would love to see any pill that could come close to those effects, and believe me I've taken many and none come close.

The problem with this is that the effects are only temporary. If I go back to sleeping in like normal pyjamas or something, I'm basically in the same place as 6 years ago. I do this for 2-3 days and all my symptoms are back, shaky, nervous mess, heart palpitations and arrhythmia, anxiety, sweating for no reason, it's awful.

So I've basically been using this as a fix so that I can function in society for the last year. I know this is all an end result of hypothyroidism I've recently been experimenting with red light, as this is the only thing besides maintaining high sleep temperature that shows promise. I've read the studies that shows people had several sessions and still had increased thyroid hormones at a check-up months later, but for me the effects of a single red light session do not last for more than 2 days at best. Maybe that is the difference of laser vs. LED, but it shouldn't matter (I use the LGS1).

In short, whatever I do, when I stop, I always revert to my shitty old sick self. Can't really make any headway with these therapies.

I feel like I need a complete endocrine reset. I'm shining the light in my eyes as well recently, but that feels somewhat dangerous, so I only do it at off-angle and from like several feet away, looking away often, otherwise the light pattern burns itself into my retinas which definitely doesn't feel good.

This is more like a stream of consciousness post, but I just want to throw it out there and maybe fish for some advice, I don't really want to talk about diet, minerals, supplements, or hormone pills , because I've tried the vast majority, and shown no improvement in my worst symptoms. Instead I'm more interested about potential mechanisms of restarting the pituitary, or maybe some long-term approaches to figuring out a cause of 'hypothyroidism' without autoimmunity that responds well to red light therapy (i.e. the gland itself seems fine). Thanks

If I eat too much starch before bed, I'll wake up breathless and anxious.

In the winter, I wake up with higher levels of anxiety.

Good sleep relies on a high body temperature, and thyroid's the main regulator, but anything that raises the temperature and opposes estrogen (and serotonin) can help, particularly progesterone, vitamin E, niacinamide, glycine, sodium, magnesium and so on.

"Increased serotonin interferes with the consolidation of learning. Hypothermia has a similar effect. Since estrogen increases serotonergia, and decreases body temperature, these effects help to explain the long-observed interference of estrogen with learning.

Although ammonia, produced by fatigue or liver inefficiency, creates torpor, it can also cause convulsions. It synergizes with serotonin, and both of these promote excitotoxicity." - Raymond Peat, PhD

Serotonin, depression, and aggression - The problem of brain energy.

 

[MyUsernameHere]

Have you tried to implement any lifestyle changes during these 6 years? Do you have the same job, do you live in the same place, same city, same level of exercise?

In that time I've gone from college to working a full-time job and this temperature hack is the only thing that actually enabled me to be functional enough to hold down a job in the first place. I'm not really sure how I'd work if I was constantly the same nervous mess I was from 2012-2016. Anyway, when I feel better, I tend towards more exercise. For example, after a red-light session, I typically get the urge to go outside for a fast walk or something like that, and I even occasionally do sprint intervals. But I can't force myself to exercise because it feels bad, so I only do it when I feel like I have an excess of energy (and this only happens when my thyroid hormones are boosted by red light).

In short, it feels like the primary thing holding me back is that my thyroid hormones are too low, but nothing I can do leads to any sort of permanent increase. I want to heal or fix the thyroid gland somehow, but I don't really know whether it is damaged, or whether the pituitary is holding it back, so I'm not sure where to focus my efforts. I don't have an autoimmune disease. Thyroid hormones never worked for me and I've tried pretty much every form of them possible. Warm sleep + red light brings 10x more results than any thyroid hormone I've ever taken, same goes for most hormones. Diet doesn't matter much in how I feel, so I've found. I take magnesium chloride because it makes my skin a bit clearer somehow, but most other supplements I get no benefit from.

I feel like I'm spinning in circles. I have some clues, but I can't put together any kind of big picture.

Good sleep relies on a high body temperature, and thyroid's the main regulator, but anything that raises the temperature and opposes estrogen (and serotonin) can help, particularly progesterone, vitamin E, niacinamide, glycine, sodium, magnesium and so on.

Right. The catch 22 scenario. Everything works better with normal thyroid levels, if I had those, I wouldn't need to sleep dressed like a polar explorer, but alas. That is sort of what I'm trying to figure out. How can I achieve the results that the Russian LLLT studies achieved - i.e. they lowered the TSH and increased the thyroid hormones of patients for up to 9 months after their laser sessions, whereas my attempts with the red light only last for 2-3 days at best...

 

[ecstatichamster]

Hav4 you tried 400mg of riboflavin a day. I’ve found it very very effective in raising temperature. I term other b vitamins for balance.

 

[MyUsernameHere]

Hav4 you tried 400mg of riboflavin a day. I’ve found it very very effective in raising temperature. I term other b vitamins for balance.

I'm trying to find a way to increase thyroid hormones, not hack around the fact that I don't have enough. I can increase my temperature just as effectively by sitting in a jacket all day long, but I'm trying to get my body to work on its own.

 

[StephanF]

Regarding arrhythmia, I take Zeta Aid, formulated by Dr. T.C. McDaniel. He is 103 years old and cured his own arrhythmia when he was in his late 50s. I buy it in bulk and comes to $10 per month. It prevents heart disease and kidney stones.

Regarding your sleep, your bed might be in a 'bad spot'. I have experimented with shielding under the mattress, I use aluminum fly screen connected with a wire to ground. Sometimes, I sleep with a 9V battery connected in the ground wire, such that the positive pole is connected to the screen and the negative pole connected to the safety ground of a 110V outlet. This also completely eliminated the sleep problem of a teenager with ADHD, he is now free of the ADHD symptoms.

With 'bad spot' I mean noxious earth energies. They seem to exist, I have a Ph.D. in physics but cannot explain this. Keep an open mind. Do you sleep better while not at home? This could be an indicator.

 

[ecstatichamster]

Regarding arrhythmia, I take Zeta Aid, formulated by Dr. T.C. McDaniel. He is 103 years old and cured his own arrhythmia when he was in his late 50s. I buy it in bulk and comes to $10 per month. It prevents heart disease and kidney stones.

Regarding your sleep, your bed might be in a 'bad spot'. I have experimented with shielding under the mattress, I use aluminum fly screen connected with a wire to ground. Sometimes, I sleep with a 9V battery connected in the ground wire, such that the positive pole is connected to the screen and the negative pole connected to the safety ground of a 110V outlet. This also completely eliminated the sleep problem of a teenager with ADHD, he is now free of the ADHD symptoms.

With 'bad spot' I mean noxious earth energies. They seem to exist, I have a Ph.D. in physics but cannot explain this. Keep an open mind. Do you sleep better while not at home? This could be an indicator.

That’s amazing.

 

[Blossom]

@MyUsernameHere, I'm curious if you have fluoridated water where you live and if so do you use a fluoride filter?

 

[MyUsernameHere]

@MyUsernameHere, I'm curious if you have fluoridated water where you live and if so do you use a fluoride filter?

We do not. I don't even use fluoridated toothpaste.

 

[Blossom]

We do not. I don't even use fluoridated toothpaste.

Oh good, at least you don't have to worry about fluoride. I hope you find a solution to your issue.

 

[MyUsernameHere]

Yeah. At least that. My issue is quite simple: an underactive thyroid gland. High TSH, generally between 3 (recently) and 8 (years ago), and T4 around the low-mid side.

The gland is very responsive to red light in my case, I note effects within the hour and I start feeling great and most of my issues get better. I think > 90% of my problems are linked to low thyroid.
However, I can't get it to work on its own. Diet, supplements, hormones, have all been ineffective. I don't even use thyroid hormones any more because none of them have made me feel normal.
I much prefer just using occasional red light. However, I am searching for a permanent solution, and this is super difficult.

My diagnosis is a damaged thyroid gland, but there is no damage visible on ultrasound, and I do not have any kind of autoimmunity, no Hashimoto's. So basically - no good reason to be hypothyroid.
The gland reacts very well to red light, and if it were really damaged, I don't think it would be so responsive and be able to produce a bunch of hormones on the spot. Instead I believe that it's the PITUITARY to blame. Given my history of fasting, I believe the pituitary has 'turned down' the gland's activity as an adaptation to lack of food. There is a lot of TSH in my blood, but there is actually a biologically-inactive form of TSH (TSH-BETA)that even blocks the 'real' TSH from activating the thyroid gland, it is to TSH what RT3 is to thyroid hormones basically. And I believe my pituitary may have shifted to secreting a bunch of this kind. Just wild speculation, but it's a potential mechanism.

I am looking into ways of restarting the pituitary, trying to shine the light through my mouth and ear canals and such into my brain, but it doesn't seem to be producing much results so far. Only shining directly at the thyroid works, and it's frustrating. I just want answers, and get shot down wherever I turn. My issues don't fit into anyone's mold sadly.

 

[Tarmander]

I have found it is very difficult to sleep while hot. Do you ever run into that problem? I sleep better when the room is cold and I am under a few covers. I would get sweaty doing what you do. do you sweat?

 

[MyUsernameHere]

I have found it is very difficult to sleep while hot. Do you ever run into that problem? I sleep better when the room is cold and I am under a few covers. I would get sweaty doing what you do. do you sweat?

Nope, not really. I can definitely overdo it with the clothing, but it seems that my body's preferred way of dealing with excessive clothing is not to sweat, but to turn down the internal heating mechanisms. This is a potential way that sleeping super-warm helps me, by conserving thyroid hormones which would normally be used for producing heat?

I've actually slept in a cap, a scarf, jacket, 2 thick long sleeved shirts, 2 thick pants, and thick socks, and I did not sweat (I don't normally use the covers when I wear so much clothing). I wake up super positive, upbeat and feeling great. LOL

 

[shepherdgirl]

Since sleeping warm seems to help you, wondering if you have ever tried the Steve Richfield temperature reset?

 

[MyUsernameHere]

Ahem...

Temperature Reset à La Steve Richfield

:)

Anyway, the nighttime sleeping thing is something I discovered during the reset attempt. But, I never really did reset because my body could not keep the temperatures up on its own. I guess in my case it's not a brain setpoint but a lack of thyroid hormones issue. I could keep the temperatures up only when being clothed like an Eskimo all day long.

 

[shepherdgirl]

ah. i see you tried it.

 

[YourUniverse]

,

 

[noordinary]

@MyUsernameHere have you tried calories surplus?
You probably store very little glycogen and end up with elevated cortisol in-between meals. You may need to eat every hour, maybe as extreme as every half hour.
Basically continuously eat not letting the adrenaline and cortisol rise.
I also did lots of intermittent fasting, eating every hour helped me, then very 1,5 hour, now I'm at 2 hours, sometimes i can do 3 hour without food.
And I had no appetite to eat that often, cortisol down regulates appetite, I had to almost make myself eat, but eating tasty things helped with that: anything from milkshake to fried (in coconut oil) shrimp. Anything low PUFA works, even mexican coke is better than nothing just do not let the adrenaline and cortisol rise.
With time my appetite increased and now if i don't eat for 3 hours i'm ravenous and if i don't eat as soon as possible i loose appetite again and feel like sh*t.

 

[TheDrumGuy]

What precipitated your symptoms initially?