LISTEN TO THE PODCAST – Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
If you’ve been on thyroid medication, cleaned up your diet, and still feel tired, foggy, and inflamed… you are not alone — and you are not crazy.
In this episode of the Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations podcast, I interviewed Dr. Dylan Petkus, a researcher, author, and sleep apnea expert, to explore the lesser-known connection between thyroid dysfunction and sleep apnea. What we uncovered was eye-opening. More than half of people with Hashimoto’s may also have sleep apnea, and many don’t even know it. Women are often underdiagnosed, and standard treatments like CPAPs don’t work for everyone.
Dr. Petkus’s personal struggle with sleep apnea led him to create an innovative, non-invasive, and research-backed approach to help people breathe — and sleep — better. Our conversation was full of practical insights for thyroid patients who are doing “all the things” but still don’t feel well.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- More than 50% of people with Hashimoto’s may also have sleep apnea. The more severe the sleep apnea, the more likely you are to have elevated thyroid antibodies.
- Women are often misdiagnosed or missed altogether. Sleep problems are frequently chalked up to menopause or stress, not airway dysfunction.
- A scalloped tongue could be a red flag. If your tongue presses against your teeth at night, it may indicate airway obstruction and poor nighttime breathing.
- Slow, intentional breathing can retrain your system. Just 10 minutes a day of breathwork can start to shift your patterns, help improve oxygen flow at night, and improve sleep quality.
- Deficiencies in nutrients like thiamine and copper can make things worse. Supporting your mitochondria may be key to restoring energy and reducing inflammation. We go deep into solutions 🙂
Freebies
- Free Guide from Dr. Petkus: Includes breathing exercises, nutrient tips, and a printable tracker.
Guest Resources
- Optimal Circadian Health Website
- Book by Dr. Petkus: Sleep Apnea Solution: Less Snoring, Less CPAP, Just Sleep
- Sleep Apnea Solution Podcast on Spotify
- Follow Dr. Petkus on Social: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok
Supplements We Discussed
- Thiamine (Vitamin B1): Especially helpful in fatigue and brain fog related to mitochondrial dysfunction. If you’re looking for a quality supplement, Benfotiamine by Rootcology and BenfoMax by Pure Encapsulations are two that I recommend.
- Copper: Essential for oxygen transport, mitochondrial health, and neurotransmitter production. Can be obtained from liver, shellfish, and certain supplements.
- Choline: Important for nervous system function and sleep quality. Found in egg yolks and liver.
- CoQ10, Vitamin C, B-complex: Mitochondrial support supplements may be helpful in restoring energy and reducing apnea severity.
Other Tools & Resources
- HeartMath (M-Wave): A favorite HRV biofeedback tool for calming the nervous system and improving sleep.
- Snoring & Sleep Trackers: Apps like ShutEye or SnoreLab can provide clues to nighttime breathing patterns.
- Oura Ring is a wearable sleep and recovery tracker often used in biohacking for optimizing rest and recovery.
- Buteyko Breath Retraining: Includes slow nasal breathing, extended exhales, and exercises like triangle or box breathing. Start with 10 minutes/day.
- Tai Chi or Qigong: Just 20 minutes per day significantly reduced AHI (apnea severity) in studies.
- Journaling or Meditation: Helps calm the stress response and improve nighttime recovery.
- STOP BANG: An assessment for obstructive sleep apnea.
- Book by James Nestor: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
Books & Articles About Thyroid Health and Sleep Apnea
- Hashimoto’s and Sleep Apnea
- Sleep Solutions for Hashimoto’s
- Muscle Wasting and Hashimoto’s
- The Best Diet for Hashimoto’s
Get the Full Episode Transcript
Let’s Connect!
- Follow me on Instagram:@izabellawentzpharmd
- Get my FREE weekly thyroid & gut health newsletter: Sign up here
- Subscribe & Review: If you loved this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
If this podcast resonates with you, don’t forget to share with a friend who needs this information!
Got questions? Drop them in the comments! 🙂
About Our Host
Dr. Izabella Wentz
Dr. Izabella Wentz is a compassionate, innovative, solution-focused integrative pharmacist dedicated to finding the root causes of chronic health conditions. Her passion stems from her own diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in 2009, following a decade of debilitating symptoms.
Dr. Izabella Wentz has written several best-selling books, including the New York Times bestseller Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause, the protocol-based #1 New York Times bestseller Hashimoto’s Protocol: A 90-Day Plan for Reversing Thyroid Symptoms and Getting Your Life Back, the Wall Street Journal bestseller Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology: Nutrition Protocols and Healing Recipes to Take Charge of Your Thyroid Health, and her latest book, Adrenal Transformation Protocol.
Thyroid Pharmacist Blog
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Rootcology
About Our Guest
Dr. Dylan Petkus, MD, MPH, MS, is a peer-reviewed, published researcher featured in TIME, Forbes, and Healthline and best-selling author in Sleep Medicine of The Sleep Apnea Solution. With over 7 million views and 60,000+ followers across social media, he’s a trusted expert in natural sleep apnea solutions.
After struggling with sleep apnea himself, he spent years developing a science-backed, non-invasive approach to restore natural breathing — no CPAPs, mouthguards, or surgery. Once exhausted and foggy, he’s now clear-minded and free.
Now, Dr. Petkus helps people worldwide reclaim deep, restorative sleep — naturally — through education, coaching, and his YouTube channel.
Optimal Circadian Health Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
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