Energy is the backbone of life. All of your body systems need energy to function properly. How energy is produced and distributed is complex; Thyroid hormone function has a huge impact on all of your energy systems. However, not all fatigue or exhaustion is due to a thyroid malfunction. How do you notice the difference?

Thyroid hormone governs your basal metabolic rate, which is like the idling speed of a car engine. Even when you are sitting in a chair or sleeping, 100 trillion cells are still producing energy. This type of energy production is the foundation for all other energy and hormonal systems. If you’re not up to par, no other system in your body works as well as it should.

When you hit the gas pedal during the day, it’s not the thyroid hormone that kicks in. Increased activity of any kind is controlled by adrenaline, muscle activity, increased calorie burn, and a faster rate at which cells produce energy. If you have a sluggish thyroid, it may still be able to make you have the energy to do things based on adrenaline-fueled need. You may also notice that you are overly dependent on stimulants such as caffeine, sugar, or cigarettes.

A demanding day can deplete muscle fuel and induce enough wear and tear for natural fatigue to follow. That tiredness is normal and that’s why we need to sleep. Even pushing yourself day after day and reducing sleep may not be a thyroid problem. However, such a poor lifestyle is putting a strain on your system and you may develop a thyroid problem as a result. Sleeping less than seven hours a night is asking for trouble.

Thyroid-related fatigue begins to set in when you can’t sustain energy long enough, especially when compared to a previous level of fitness or ability. If the thyroid base is weak, it is difficult to maintain energy production. You’ll notice that you just don’t seem to have the energy to do the things you used to do.

The menstrual cycle, pregnancy, exercise, stress, and physical demands are examples of increased energy demands that require increased energy output. Therefore, PMS is almost always a thyroid problem to some degree. The increased energy demands of the menstrual cycle are simply too much, in part due to an underlying thyroid weakness. Pregnancy is always a major test for the thyroid, as one’s thyroid must do the metabolic work of two bodies. This is the reason why thyroid problems often arise during or after pregnancy.

Thyroid hormone is synergistic with growth hormone in muscles. When these two work together correctly, the muscles feel fit. Exercise conditions the thyroid hormone to work properly to aid overall energy production, while lack of exercise contributes to poor thyroid function. The fitter your muscles feel, the less likely thyroid-related fatigue is to be a problem for you. If you have poor thyroid function, you often feel like you don’t have the energy to exercise, and you usually don’t exercise consistently. Muscle weakness is a classic symptom of hypothyroidism.

One of the key symptoms of thyroid fatigue is a heavy or tired head, especially in the afternoon. Thyroid hormone activity is regulated differently in the brain than in any other part of the body, as the brain cells themselves convert T4 to T3 (active thyroid hormone). Your head is a very sensitive indicator of thyroid hormone status. This is different from the symptoms of low blood sugar from not eating for a while. The head just feels sluggish or tired, without clarity or sharpness. When this head tiredness occurs too many hours in the day, you will feel like you want to sleep all the time and feel depressed, signs of more advanced thyroid related fatigue.

Another key sign of thyroid fatigue is falling asleep as soon as you sit down and you don’t have to do anything (no need to do anything). In this case, it feels like your body is a car running too slow at a stop sign that just stops and falls asleep. This is a clear sign of thyroid fatigue.

Whether or not you have the symptoms of thyroid-related fatigue. If you wake up energized, maintain decent energy throughout the day, are able to maintain mental alertness/sharpness, have the energy to meet demands, and your muscles feel fit, do not have thyroid-related fatigue . The less you feel this way, the bigger the problem. No laboratory test is needed. In many cases, thyroid lab tests may still be normal, even though you clearly are not. Symptoms tell the story and never lie.