Do you sleep for seven to eight hours almost every night, but wake up in the morning without feeling refreshed? Many people follow the “golden rule” of sleep correctly, but still experience a feeling of fatigue throughout the day.
As Dr. Raj Dasgupta, clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, explained to CNN, if you get enough sleep, the answer probably lies in the quality of it.
There are 8 possible reasons why a person wakes up tired even after 8 hours of sleep:
1. Fatigue
“There are many health issues that cause fatigue, but they don’t necessarily make people feel ready to fall asleep,” said Jennifer Martin, professor of medicine at the University of California’s David Geffen School of Medicine. Chronic pain conditions, metabolic or thyroid disorders, anemia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are some of the possibilities.
If you’re feeling unexplained tired, Martin says the first step should be a general examination and a discussion with your family doctor. In addition, the National Sleep Foundation has stated that healthy adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, so you may need more than eight hours of sleep to feel energetic. You can try going to bed an hour earlier or waking up an hour later than usual and see if there’s a difference, says Christopher Barnes, a professor at the University of Washington who studies the relationship between sleep and work.
2. Sedentary lifestyle
If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, the body can get used to the fact that it has to spend little energy. So you may feel more tired than you should be when you’re trying to do basic daily activities, Martin says. The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) of moderate or vigorous physical activity per week.
3. Anxiety or depression
Anxiety or depression can have a detrimental effect on a person’s energy. These conditions can also negatively affect the time it takes to sleep, as well as whether or not a person wakes up (and how many times) during the night. Sometimes medications used to treat depression or anxiety can have side effects such as insomnia or difficulty reaching deeper stages of sleep.
4. Unstable sleep
Sometimes our schedules differ on weekdays from weekends. Work schedules can also be inconsistent for people who work multiple shifts. When you stay up late on a Saturday because you don’t have to work on Sunday, and then go to bed earlier on the Sunday before the start of the new work week, you’re changing your sleep schedule dramatically. “It’s a lot like jet lag,” says Barnes. “That quick reset doesn’t work very well.”
5. Dehydration
More than 50% of our body is made up of water, which is essential for many functions, including digesting food, producing hormones, and providing oxygen throughout the body. Dehydration is associated with decreased alertness, increased sleepiness, and fatigue. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women consume 2.7 liters of fluid per day and men 3.7 liters. This includes all liquids and water-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and soups.
6. Poor environment or sleep patterns
To get a good night’s sleep, make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool at night. Experts say the bed should only be used for sleeping and sex.
Avoid caffeinated drinks at least six hours before bedtime, and limit alcohol and heavy or spicy foods at least two hours before bedtime. Alcohol and foods that can cause digestive problems interfere with the deeper stages of sleep.
7. Problems with the person who sleeps next to you
“The person (or pet) you share a bed with has a big impact on your sleep,” Martin explains. Maybe the person next to you is restless, snoring, or tossing. It has a different schedule, which disrupts your sleep.Pets can also disrupt the schedule because they don’t have the same sleep patterns as humans.
8. Sleep disorders
Sleep disturbances are another factor that can drastically reduce sleep quality, according to Barnes. A person with sleep apnea may wake up 50, 100 or more times per night. “Once you wake up, you are no longer in deep sleep, and you usually can’t fall into it right away,” says Barnes.
Other sleep disorders that can affect daily energy levels include narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome.
The ideal way to monitor the quality and quantity of sleep – especially if you think you have a sleep disorder – is to visit a sleep clinic. Apps and wearables that measure sleep aren’t as accurate as clinical tests, but they still provide adequate information for healthy adults, Barnes said.
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