Symptoms That Could Indicate Hyperthyroidism

9. Sleep Difficulties

Sleep-related disorders and issues can arise when an individual has an overactive thyroid. Symptoms include insomnia, frequent waking throughout the night, restlessness, snoring, anxiety (due to lack of sleep), heart palpitations, restless leg syndrome, and tremors, which can all disrupt sleep. While some patients may feel energetic throughout the day with no signs of any sleep difficulties or chronic fatigue, many do experience fatigue and exhaustion, while also feeling anxious and restless. Many patients go to bed feeling exhausted but then have a hard time falling asleep and remaining asleep throughout the night, and may not wake up feeling refreshed as most individuals normally do. Some hyperthyroid patients may develop sleeping disorders such as sleep apnea, night sweats, and insomnia, due to their lack of sleep, and in particular, night sweats are a common problem for many hyperthyroid patients as their body has difficulty regulating its temperature throughout the night.

10. Increased Sweating & Heat Intolerance

As we know, hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid produces too much thyroxine, a naturally occurring hormone within the body that affects the regulation of the body’s metabolism. When there is an increase in thyroxine, it causes the body’s metabolism to increase, leading to a rising body temperature that can be tricky to regulate. Heat intolerance, perspiration, flushing, and excessive sweating are all symptoms that can occur due to the increase in this hormone. When functioning correctly, the thyroid is able to properly respond to changes in temperature by adjusting the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) and releasing hormones to promote cellular release (aka sweating) or retention of heat, allowing the body to remain at a comfortable temperature. With hyperthyroidism, the body cannot regulate these hormones as easily, therefore, many patients have difficulty adjusting to the heat, causing them to become heat intolerant. As a result of them 'overheating,' many patients will begin to excessively sweat.