Ability to sleep affected by TSH level

[diogenes]

This study shows that if subjects have elevated TSH, sleep activity is inhibited. The authors suggest that if, with any treatment, sleep ability is restored, any change in TSH should be noted as a cause, primary or secondary, for sleep problems.

Elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone levels are associated with poor sleep: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study

January 2022

Endocrine 75(1) 

DOI: 10.1007/s12020-021-02849-0

Yuerong Yan, Jiaqi LiHuairong, TangYerong Yu et al

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Thank you, diogenes.

link.springer.com/article/1...

As I have said many times, pre-diagnosis, I'd fall asleep fairly well. Then wake up after somewhere between half and two hours. And be unable to get back to sleep for hours.

With levothyroxine, my sleep has returned to being pretty good. (Yes, I am lucky.)

Assume TSH has a direct and fairly fast effect on sleep. The combination of being hypothyroid and the circadian rhythm of TSH lines up my failure to sleep precisely with my peak TSH. Which would appear to agree with this paper.

(Assuming I have a fairly standard TSH cycle peaking around midnight, falling slowly through much of the night.)