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Daisy Ridley, renowned for her role in Star Wars, has publicly revealed her diagnosis of Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland. In an interview with Women's Health, Ridley disclosed that she received the diagnosis in September 2023.
Initially, she attributed her symptoms, such as a racing heart, weight loss, fatigue, and hand tremors, to the stress of her role in the thriller Magpie. "I thought, 'Well, I've just played a really stressful role; presumably that's why I feel poorly,'" Ridley shared.
Upon consulting with her general practitioner, Ridley was advised to see an endocrinologist. The specialist explained that her symptoms were indicative of Graves' disease, often described as making one feel "tired but wired." Ridley recounted, "It was funny, I was like, 'Oh, I just thought I was annoyed at the world,' but turns out everything is functioning so quickly, you can't chill out."
To manage her condition, Ridley has adopted daily medication and made significant lifestyle changes. She has incorporated a gluten-free diet to reduce inflammation, although she isn't "super strict" about it. "Generally cutting down on gluten makes me feel better," she said. Additionally, Ridley, who has been vegan for years, emphasized the importance of self-care practices such as regular exercise, acupuncture, massages, infrared saunas, and cryotherapy. "It's an hour just for me, and it's my time to do what I need to do to make myself feel good," she explained.
Reflecting on her journey, Ridley noted, "I didn't realize how bad I felt before. Then I looked back and thought, 'How did I do that?. We all read the stats about women being undiagnosed or under diagnosed and sort of coming to terms with saying, 'I really, actually don't feel good' and not going, 'I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine.' It's just normalized to not feel good."
Despite the challenges, Ridley remains positive about her health journey. "Even if you can deal with it, you shouldn't have to. If there's a problem, you shouldn't have to just suffer through it." Through her openness, Ridley joins other celebrities like Wendy Williams in raising awareness about Graves' disease and the importance of listening to one's body.
