Daisy Ridley in a still from ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’
| Photo Credit: Star Wars
In an interview with Women’s Health, Daisy Ridley has opened up about her recent diagnosis with Graves’ disease. The actress revealed she received the diagnosis in September 2023, following a period of troubling symptoms.
Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder, leads to the overproduction of thyroid hormones, causing symptoms such as shakiness, heat sensitivity, weight loss, and skin irritation. Ridley’s symptoms began to manifest after filming Magpie, a 2024 thriller directed by Sam Yates. She experienced an increased heart rate, rapid weight loss, exhaustion, and trembling hands. “I thought, ‘Well, I’ve just played a really stressful role,’ presumably that’s why I feel poorly,” Ridley reflected on her initial reaction to the symptoms.
Upon consulting with an endocrinologist, Ridley was struck by their description of the disease’s symptoms. “They mentioned the feeling of Graves’ is often described as ‘tired but weird.’ At that moment, I realized how irritable I had become going through the early stages of the disease,” she explained. “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.”
In response to her diagnosis, Ridley, who has been vegan for several years, has also eliminated gluten from her diet. While she admits she is not “super strict about it,” the change has “generally” made her “feel better.”
Beyond dietary adjustments, the Star Wars star has incorporated various wellness practices into her routine to manage her symptoms. These include infrared saunas, cryotherapy, and acupuncture. She also carries a piece of rose quartz, believed to promote emotional calm and self-love. “I do a fair amount of the holistic stuff, but I also understand that it is a privilege to be able to do those things,” Ridley acknowledged.
