6 Treatments To Eliminate Thyroid Tired Eyes

Are you someone who has the stereotypical look of a thyroid patient?

You probably know the look I’m talking about, it’s the look that someone gets when they didn’t get a good night’s sleep. 

The one where you see someone with it and you just think “Wow, you look tired”. 

If so, then this article is for you!

Some people get mad at me when I discuss the changes that your thyroid can have on your face and the way that you look so let me be clear: 

If you’re happy with the way that you look, I’m happy. 

But if you are someone that doesn’t like the way that your thyroid has impacted your face or the way you look then there are some things you can do to change that. 

Either way, you do what’s best for you!

When we talk about the look of someone being tired, what we are really talking about is a combination of things. 

It’s the look of the eyes, the look of the skin surrounding the eyes, the color of the eyes, the quality of the skin of the face, the color of the skin around the face, and even the structure of the face. 

All of these things go together to create your overall look. 

And what you need to understand is that your thyroid can influence just about every single one of these factors. 

The good news is that by treating your thyroid, and by using a few clever tactics, you can make dramatic changes to the appearance of your face which will banish this look. 

Let’s talk about six ways that you can do that starting right now: 

#1. Getting More Sleep

The first thing on the list is to ensure that you are getting enough sleep. 

And there’s a reason I’m putting this at number 1:

It’s the most important thing you can do!

It doesn’t matter how well your thyroid is working or how many different serums or treatments you do, if you aren’t getting enough sleep it will show on your face (1). 

I know you know what I’m talking about because there have definitely been days where you don’t get enough sleep and people have noticed. 

Getting deeper and better sleep is particularly difficult for thyroid patients because thyroid dysfunction often leads to insomnia (2). 

So people with thyroid diseases (like you reading this) are at a distinct disadvantage compared to the average person. 

But that doesn’t mean getting better sleep is impossible. 

Even though you know sleep is important, there’s still a very good chance you aren’t getting enough. 

And every single time I start to talk about the importance of sleep, someone gets upset at me. 

They’ll say something like this:

“I know sleep is important but getting better sleep isn’t that easy”. 

And, look, I get it, which is why I’m going to give you some easy tips to help improve your sleep right now. 

I’ve struggled to get better sleep most of my adult life but I’ve found some simple but very effective tips that you may want to consider. 

These tips can help you improve your sleep by up to 20% almost instantly (this number is just based on my experience and the experience of others who have used these strategies). 

Tip #1. Tape your mouth shut at night. 

It sounds crazy if you’ve never heard about it but this small hack is very effective. 

What it does is force you to breathe through your nose instead of through your mouth. 

Doing so slows down your breathing, improves oxygen extraction by up to 20% (3), and calms down your nervous system.

The result is better sleep almost instantly. 

If you’re worried about breathing then you can slap on a nasal strip like this one which will act to keep your nostrils open while you sleep. 

Tip #2. Set a bedtime (not a wake-up time). 

More important than setting an alarm to wake up is setting an alarm to go to bed. 

The reason for this is that many of us have a tendency to get pulled into activities that prevent us from sleeping which causes us to stay up later and later. 

Then to compensate we either sleep in or just go with less sleep. 

By setting a bedtime and protecting it at all costs, you can help your body get into a consistent rhythm which will help you fall asleep faster. 

Tip #3. Get out of bed right away. 

This may or may not be a problem for you, but I know that it can take some people a long time to get out of bed.

They’ll spend time looking at their phone or just sit there trying to wake up. 

One of the best things you can do is pop right out of bed right when you wake up. 

By setting a bedtime you are training your body when to go to sleep and by jumping up out of bed you are training your body when it’s time to wake up. 

Both are important. 

#2. Facial Yoga

Probably one of the easiest ways to change the look of your face is with the use of facial yoga. 

Most people forget, or just fail to appreciate, that your face is made up of muscles. 

We call these muscles the muscles of facial expression and they are responsible for allowing you to convey emotions. 

Whenever you smile, frown, laugh, or look surprised, these muscles are activated. 

And just like other muscles in your body, if you aren’t using them as often as you should, they can begin to atrophy or shrink in size. 

This can cause a change in the shape and structure of your face. 

Facial yoga allows you to train these muscles individually which helps enhance their appearance (4). 

With training comes enhanced blood flow and with enhanced blood flow comes more nutrients. 

These nutrients can enhance the quality of your skin and the training of these muscles with facial yoga can improve the muscles underneath the skin. 

You also get the added benefit of increasing lymphatic drainage out of the face which means you can cut down on the facial swelling that thyroid dysfunction can cause. 

On top of this, there’s some evidence to suggest that facial yoga may improve collagen production in the skin. 

Given the low barrier to entry (it’s practically free) and the potential benefits that it can provide, this is definitely something you should look into if you are concerned about thyroid-related facial changes. 

#3. Optimize Thyroid Function

No matter which therapies you end up using on this list, remember that you will always need to keep an eye on thyroid function. 

Thyroid function just refers to the overall activity of thyroid hormone in your body and it’s essential if you want to get back to a normal and healthy state. 

As a thyroid patient, you should always aim for a state of euthyroidism. 

Euthyroidism is just a fancy medical term used to describe someone who is in a state of normal thyroid function. 

When you get into this state of euthyroidism, your thyroid is considered the same as a healthy person without a thyroid condition. 

Getting into this state is very important because of the impact that your thyroid has on your face. 

Thyroid problems can cause facial swelling (especially around the eyes), an enlargement of the tongue, accelerating aging and wrinkling of the skin (5), thinning of the skin, and lead to many other skin problems. 

It’s going to be very difficult for you to obtain a healthy-looking face if your thyroid is not optimized. 

You can optimize your thyroid and bring it back into this euthyroid state by using natural treatments, thyroid medications, or a combination of both. 

#4. Eyedrops & Tears

The next thing you want to do is look at the appearance and color of your eyes, specifically the whites of your eyes otherwise known as your sclera. 

One of the biggest tells that someone didn’t get enough sleep the night before is that their eyes will look red, itchy, and irritated. 

This is not a look that you want to have if you are looking for that youthful, energetic look!

One easy way to fix this problem is with the use of synthetic tears. 

These tears can bring moisture back into your eyes and help reduce or remove entirely this inflamed appearance. 

If you don’t like the idea of using synthetic tears then you can opt for the all-natural approach using devices that naturally stimulate the production of tears (6). 

These devices vibrate at a high frequency and, when placed on the bridge of your nose, induce a tearing effect on the eyes. 

One use of a device like this will flood your eyes with natural tears which will act as a natural lubricant to fix this problem. 

More tears mean healthier eyes!

#5. Fish Oil Supplements (EPA & DHA)

One of the easiest ways you can improve the overall look and feel of your skin is with fish oil supplements. 

Fish oil supplements contain long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in the form of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). 

These fatty acids have been shown to do amazing things for your skin including (7):

• Reduce photoaging
• Prevent skin cancer
• Decrease inflammation of the skin and dermis
• Decrease melanocyte production
• Reduce the risk of skin infection
• Provide moisture to the skin
• Speed up wound healing
• And more

Fish oil is loaded with beneficial fats and fatty acids (including fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A and D) that nourish the skin. 

Long-chain fatty acids like EPA and DHA are particularly effective at preventing skin cell-induced damage through their anti-inflammatory effects.

And to top it off, they also have a moisturizing effect on the skin. 

If your skin is inflamed, dry, red, itchy, or otherwise unhealthy, then there’s a good chance that getting more fish oil can help. 

Improving the quality, look, and feel of the skin, especially those around the eyes, can give you that alert, awake, energetic, and youthful appearance that you are looking for. 

Fish oil can be applied topically (directly on the skin) or taken by mouth. 

Given the taste and smell, it’s probably best to just take it by mouth and in a gel cap but you can choose either!

And if you don’t want to supplements, that’s okay too, just make sure you are eating fatty fish or algae at least 2-3 times per week. 

You want to make sure you are getting DHA and EPA and not the shorter chain omega-3 fatty acids found commonly in healthy foods like chia, flax, and green leafy vegetables. 

#6. Vitamin C Serum

Finally, when it comes to your skin health, few ingredients are better than vitamin C serum. 

There’s a lot of hype around different ingredients in the skin care industry because everyone wants you to buy and try the next new thing but don’t let these shiny distractions confuse you because vitamin C is the real deal. 

It’s been proven in multiple studies to help tighten the skin (8) (reduce fine lines and wrinkles), lighten the skin (9) (treat hyperpigmentation), and brighten (give you a more youthful appearance). 

The key to getting these benefits is all about getting the right type of vitamin C serum. 

In general, the more expensive the serum, the more likely it is to be effective. 

This is because the more expensive versions take steps to ensure that the vitamin C is in the correct form, that it’s protected from ultraviolet light and rays during manufacturing, that it’s at the right pH and at the right dose, and that it’s combined in the right type of carrier. 

In terms of brands, I’m partial to SkinCeuticals and iS CLINICAL. 

They both have vitamin C serums that fit all of the criteria listed above and have a great track record of success. 

Be aware, though, that these brands tend to be on the more expensive side so if you are looking for a cheaper alternative just make sure the vitamin C serum is prepared correctly. 

Recap & Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be stuck with that look of fatigue on your face (even if you feel it in your body!) if you have a thyroid problem. 

Using the tips and treatments outlined above you can restore a more energetic and youthful appearance to your face, eyes, and skin. 

Now I want to hear from you:

Have you struggled with that tired-eyes look that I’m talking about here?

If so, do you feel that your thyroid is at least partially responsible for it?

Have you tried any of the treatments listed here?

Are you planning on trying any?

Leave your questions or comments below!