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An underactive thyroid causes low temperatures. This test is a simple and effective way of checking for low thyroid function. Conventional blood tests for thyroid function are only sensitive enough to show overt disease however even a mildly under-active thyroid can have widespread adverse effects on health. The basal temperature test can help us detect levels of problems that routine blood tests commonly miss. Normal temperature should be at least 36.5 on most mornings of the week. Under this level may mean your thyroid is underactive.

Over the space of 4 consecutive days take your temperature each morning, before rising. If you are getting fluctuating readings over the 4 days then keep the tests going for another couple of days. If using a mercury thermometer, before you go to sleep, shake your thermometer down and place it by your bed. The basal temperature needs to be taken first thing in the morning, before any activity at all; this gives you your true body temperature, completely at rest.

When you wake, place the thermometer in your mouth, under your tongue, for at least 3 minutes. Read, and then record your temperature on the chart below by marking a mark in the box. You can use a digital thermometer but you should know that I and many others have found that they have much variability in accuracy, particularly the cheap ones.

Practise taking your temperature, at least once, the day before starting so you can easily make sense of the thermometer before you start the tests and may be a little sleepy! With a mercury thermometer, there is a simple trick to turning the thermometer to catch the light that will clearly show the silver strip you are looking for.

Record your daytime temperature once, for comparison, at the beginning of the chart.

Note for women: Do not do this test at the time you are menstruating or
if you suspect you will be ovulating during the test period.

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