simple position/pose to calm/balance ANS & STIMULATE THYROID???

[kangaSue]

I've just discovered that doing the pose at night, especially with using a pillow under my butt, does apparently interfere with my sleep.

I couldn't do it anyway, I struggle a bit with GERD and having the butt up higher causes havoc with it.

It's still helping with abdominal pain but not quite as good as the first time, a good improvement none the less.

 

[Mary]

@kangaSue - FWIW, here's an article about inclined bed therapy for GERD: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/765033_4

Also here's a post about doing it for OI/POTS: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/bed-wedge-for-oi-pots.2827/#post-66543

You may know that GERD in many cases has been linked to low stomach acid. Obviously I don't know if this applies to you. If you're interested, there's a simple test to check HCL levels: Dissolve 1/4 tsp baking soda in 8 oz of water and drink on an empty stomach. If you don't burp within 2 minutes, it can indicate low stomach acid. I take betaine HCL from Swanson Vitamins (generally 2 - 3 capsules before a meal) and it has helped my digestion a lot.

And if none of this applies, please just ignore it!

 

[kangaSue]

And if none of this applies, please just ignore it!

Thanks anyway but I have tried all the low stomach acid tests, most of which cause me to vomit, and I do have to sleep with my head elevated. I think the issue is one of bile acid reflux and my doctor is looking to run some tests but we're both pretty sure I won't tolerate treatment for it, bile acid binders.

 

[Mary]

@raghav, @Basilico, @kangaSue, @Janice Hargreaves - Hi all one more time - well, apparently this pose has stimulated my thyroid quite a bit, and what started out as very relaxing and helping me to sleep, has ended up causing severe insomnia due to hyperactive thyroid. It seems that the increased blood flow to my thyroid has perked it up. I have been taking 130 mg. of Naturethroid for many years, and suddenly it's way too much for me.

This insomnia has now been going on for 5 or 6 days, I'm working to calm down my thyroid, playing with my NT dose, started taking lemon balm. It's crazy. It seems there truly is NO REST for the wicked! (at least there's certainly no rest!) I'm sure that's my Catholic heritage speaking out there, but that's what it feels like. The irony is extreme, what was supposed to be (and was, initially) so very calming etc. is now making my sleep worse than ever.

So - this would explain why this pose when done at night in the early days caused insomnia. And then after 3 or 4 weeks of doing it, it just caused insomnia regardless of when I did it, so I've stopped it.

I don't know if it would affect people who do not take thyroid meds in the same way. I hope it doesn't hit any of you this way .....

If someone has a low functioning thyroid, the pose might be a good thing to do as long as they know what's going on -----

My chiropractor told me that the thyroid is regulated by blood flow, so it would make sense that this pose would stimulate the thyroid.

 

[ryan31337]

Tried this a couple of times in place of my usual afternoon horizontal rest and swiftly fell into quite a deep sleep, which is less common for me these days. I was feeling a little agitated and POTSy the last time and calmed right down, which was great. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Little Bluestem]

I have low thyroid function and poor sleep quality, so this may be useful for me.

 

[Basilico]

@Mary , I have not been doing this pose lately, as by the time I think about it, it is either shortly before bedtime, or some other inopportune time (like immediately after eating).

I do find it interesting that it seems like it can either bring deep relaxation or agitation/stimulation. I will try to remember to do this pose early in the day and see what happens. Thanks for keeping us updated, this is a really interesting thread!

 

[Mary]

Hi @Basilico - yes, it is a double-edged sword! Well, after cutting my thyroid meds way back for several days (down to 1/4 dose), my system finally began to calm down again but my sleep got quite a bit worse again. It seems to be quite a balancing act. So I've restarted doing the pose, but only once a day, and I'm not using the pillow (too much it seems!), and have increased my thyroid up to 1/2 my original dose. I did sleep better last night .....

I'm curious to see if in the long run I'll be able to stop my thyroid med altogether. One day/night at time!

I would be very curious to see how people who do not have thyroid issues do with this pose - how it affects them - I tend to be very sensitive to medications so perhaps I'm more sensitive to this as well? Who knows - I think overall it's beneficial, I'm just very surprised at how powerful it can be.

Keep us posted how you do! For me I've been doing it half an hour before lunch, it seems like a good time.

 

[Gondwanaland]

Last Friday I did it at 4 PM for 15 min and slept wonderfully that night amidst a phase of poor sleep. Could not continue it due to several reasons - not the right moment to push my thyroid. But will as soon as possible.

I will teach my husband to do it who consistently has sleep issues

 

[Mary]

Last Friday I did it at 4 PM for 15 min and slept wonderfully that night amidst a phase of poor sleep. Could not continue it due to several reasons - not the right moment to push my thyroid. But will as soon as possible.

I will teach my husband to do it who consistently has sleep issues

Hi @Gondwanaland - glad to hear it! FWIW, I didn't notice it revving up my thyroid until I'd been doing it for at least 3 weeks I think, and I'd also been doing it 2 x a day (on the advice of the naturopath) so I don't think it would noticeably affect your thyroid right away, I just wanted people to be aware of the possibility. Although I think doing it at night did have an effect on my thyroid relatively soon in the process.

Yes, my thyroid calmed down after I cut my med and stopped doing the pose, and then I was back to my original (non-thyroid-related) insomnia (from the benzo taper I believe). I am learning about all different kinds of insomnia!

 

[Gondwanaland]

My husband did the pose for 2 days in row now, 15 min at 4:30 PM.

1st time we finished eating lunch at 1 PM. He coughed a bit after getting up and had no trouble to fall asleep that night (for some nights in a row he had been having severe trouble).

2nd time we finished eating lunch at 2 PM. He coughed a bit after getting up and had gut disturbances (gas). No trouble to fall asleep.

It seems that the position moves bacteria from the lower colon to the upper colon. Probably does something with lymph as well.

 

[Gondwanaland]

I have new thoughts about the position (personal observations).

It seems to increase absorption of ammonia from gut into blood, which in its turn seems to interfere with tolerance of thyroid replacement - taking T3 especially causes neck/shoulder tightness.

Higher ammonia in blood could either have excitatory or sedative effects.

Additionally, for me it worsens IBS-C and alleviates IBS-D for my husband.

 

[Mary]

I have new thoughts about the position (personal observations).

It seems to increase absorption of ammonia from gut into blood, which in its turn seems to interfere with tolerance of thyroid replacement - taking T3 especially causes neck/shoulder tightness.

Higher ammonia in blood could either have excitatory or sedative effects.

Additionally, for me it worsens IBS-C and alleviates IBS-D for my husband.

Interesting - I know next to nothing about ammonia, although I do know that l-ornithine is supposed to help with mopping up ammonia and is often recommended for sleep: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/anxiety-ammonia-and-the-nmda-receptor.1460/page-2
I first took l-ornithine many years ago and it helped me a lot with sleep at that time, but it's doing next to nothing for me now.

I don't get neck and shoulder tightness; however I have been taking 1/4 of my regular thyroid dose and seem to be doing very well on it. And I have pretty much stopped doing the pose because I do think it's over stimulating my thyroid, and still having sleep problems because of it.

It hasn't affected my gut like it has you. We are all so different ..... it would be so much simpler (healthwise) if we weren't!

 

[Gondwanaland]

Alternatively, the T3 replacement could be causing the bad effects...

 

[Gondwanaland]

Interesting

Mary, I have a new interpretation, perhaps more accurate this time. The lymph flowing to upper body brings hormones for (re)uptake, hence diminishes the need of replacement capsules.

 

[Mary]

Mary, I have a new interpretation, perhaps more accurate this time. The lymph flowing to upper body brings hormones for (re)uptake, hence diminish the need of replacement capsules.

Could be ---- all I know is that I am still taking only 1/4 of my original Naturethroid dose and doing well with it. I'm watching for symptoms of hypothyroidism, cold, extra fatigue etc., and also checking my body temp, but so far so good, and sleep is getting a little better. And I've stopped doing the pose altogether because it seemed to be so stimulating to my thyroid and my sleep was almost nonexistent. I'd like to be able to get back to it, but have to wait and see.

 

[Gondwanaland]

and my sleep was almost nonexistent

BTW my sleep has been rescued by Milk Thistle extract lately (since I did the pose 1x )

 

[Little Bluestem]

I was trying to figure out when I would have time to do this pose when the fog cleared briefly and I realized that I could do it while I was resting instead of lying in bed. So far, I find it a very comfortable way to rest. I have a disc problem in my lower back and my back seems to like the pose.

My sleep isn't really any better, but at least the disruptive dreams are less unpleasant. A couple of nights ago, I even had a pleasant dream.

It seems to increase absorption of ammonia from gut into blood, which in its turn seems to interfere with tolerance of thyroid replacement - taking T3 especially causes neck/shoulder tightness.

Augh! My neck and shoulders have been a little tight the last couple of days. Why does everything that helps one thing seem to harm something else.

 

[Mary]

@Little Bluestem - it took I think around 10 days of doing it daily before it noticeably helped my sleep. I'm glad to hear it seems to be helping you a little so far, and that's good about your back! My chiropractor told me it's a pose he recommends for people with lower back problems.

It was another week or so before my insomnia got worse and I realized it was revving up my thyroid. I have no idea if it would have this effect on everyone. I do take desiccated thyroid so I would hope that for people who don't have thyroid issues, it might not affect them the same way.

You're absolutely right - Why does every thing that helps one thing, kick us elsewhere?

 

[Little Bluestem]

I don't have to worry about my thyroid revving up. Unfortunately, my body is converting most of the the T4 to reverse T3, so it doesn't matter how much T4 is made. I am on supplemental T3.