Some people during this period experience drowsiness, irritability, and sometimes their appetite changes. These are typical annoyances of the cold season, when the hours of light are reduced and the temperatures are lowered. To contain these ailments it is essential to stay in good health, practicing physical activity, taking care of nutrition and getting enough rest.
If these measures are not enough, you will need to contact your doctor. Tiredness, sadness and a few extra pounds, in fact, are not always symptoms of the bad season but could relate to a more serious health problem: a slowdown in thyroid function.
Hypothyroidism
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of the neck. It controls various functions and ensures well-being to the whole organism thanks to the production of two hormones, T4 and T3, in turn controlled by the TSH, secreted by the pituitary gland. If this functioning is slowed down, we are talking about hypothyroidism, a dysfunction that affects 5% of the Italian population, with a higher incidence in women aged 50 and over.
Tiredness, sadness and a few extra pounds are not always symptoms of the bad season but could relate to a more serious health problem
Hypothyroidism is a common problem, but too often ignored. The signs that should not be underestimated are, in fact, different.
The well-functioning thyroid is involved in energy production. If there are few hormones, you may feel a constant and marked feeling of physical and mental fatigue.
For the same reason, hypothyroidism could cause demotivation, sadness and a general decline in mood.
The slowing of the basal metabolic rate would also be the cause of the difficulties in losing weight or the tendency to gain weight easily.
There are, however, other ailments to keep an eye out for. The thyroid produces hormones that regulate the production of heat in the body and, if the amount of these substances decreases, you may feel more cold, even if you are properly covered and are in a well-heated room.
Even hair that, after normal autumn fall, continues to appear fragile, weakened, with a tendency to fall out and grow back slowly, could suggest a slowdown in thyroid function.
When hormones are scarce, the sebaceous glands also function less, producing a smaller amount of natural lipids that normally nourish the skin and keep it soft. In this case, in fact, it could be very dry.
If these conditions have persisted for some time and worsen with the cold season, you should go to the doctor to try to frame the situation. A visit will be carried out with palpation of the gland, ultrasound and blood tests.
If successful, the treatment would consist of prescribing the missing hormones and would require constant monitoring of the patient to adjust the treatment.
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