Does taking Synthroid at night affect sleep? - Thyroid UK

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Does taking Synthroid at night affect sleep?

MtnLake profile image
6 Replies

Does taking synthroid at night affect sleep

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MtnLake
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helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

I have always taken my levothyroxine at bed-time.

For that reason, I cannot compare with taking in the morning.

Before diagnosis, my sleep was badly disturbed. Typically, I would fall asleep fairly easily. Then wake up after something like half an hour to two hours. Once woken I'd be unable to get back to sleep - often till dawn, or at all.

Once I started on levothyroxine, my sleep slowly improved. By the time I was taking an adequate dose, bad nights were unusual - just an occasional night where I might wake up for a while. Now, after years, I sleep very easily and deeply and rarely wake at all. If I do, I get back to sleep quickly.

MtnLake profile image
MtnLake in reply to helvella

I’m jealous! I wake up a minimum of four times a night and usually have trouble falling back asleep, ugh. Labs show my dosage is correct. I appreciate your response, thanks.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Levothyroxine should always be taken empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after

Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime

verywellhealth.com/best-tim...

markvanderpump.co.uk/blog/p...

Miarose8 profile image
Miarose8

I haven’t had that problem and I’ve taken it both in the morning or at night. The only time it causes me sleep issues is if I miss doses. Such as, only took it every other day for two weeks then resume taking it consistently which causes me to have heart palpitations and insomnia as it’s regulating. This lasts 2-5 days

I have always taken my Synthroid first thing in the morning with some other meds. Personally, once my dosage got re-regulated for 3rd or 4th time in past 7 yrs, I have found my restless nights improved. I can't say for a fact that synthroid itself affected my sleep since I have too many other factors in the equation. After menopause, I now can sleep through a fire alarm (not such a good thing) but I do sleep soundly and I sleep more than 8 hours a night most nights. I am so thrilled that we got my synthroid regulated because my body was screaming and telling me, "You are not suppose to feel like this. This is not normal and don't ignore me." I am now on .200+ mcg and feeling "normal".

Algarrobo profile image
Algarrobo

I did take it in the morning always, till I had to stop because it was making me sick in my stomach, pain all over my body, sneeze all morning, an overall feeling of sickness. We tried different doses but it was bad so I changed to Levo....samething happened again. This lasted a few long months, finally, my doctor said that it must be the fillers giving me a bad reaction also he saw that I was not converting T4 to T3 so he changed me to Cytomel T3 only, and I'm feeling lots better. Now I'm taking 25 mg, 12.5 in the morning and 12.5 in the afternoon.

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